Join us to make Valentines at the River Garden, 2/7

In a project that aims to revive the spirit of Dalia Shevin’s participatory “Love Letters” installation last year, Strolling of the Heifers is presenting a week of community Valentine making at the River Garden, starting during the Feb. 7 gallery walk from 5 to 8 p.m.

The project, titled “Love Local” invites people to stop in, make Valentines and share some love, particularly with local farms and farmers. It is being organized by Kristen Fledderjohn, Stroll intern.

“We’re looking to develop the River Garden into a space where the community can come together around projects like this and to create connections. So this is our first big effort around that idea,” Fledderjohn said.

Available at the River Garden will be a wide variety of crafts supplies for making Valentines including paper, doilies, stickers, cow pictures, crayons, markers, tape, glue, ribbons and more.

Music during the Gallery Walk event will be provided by Blue Moon a Cappella, a southern Vermont-based quintet with a repertoire that focuses on its special love for jazz standards, with an occasional foray into other genres. Formed in 2003, the group has performed at concert venues, retirement homes, grange halls, ski resorts and music festivals.

After Gallery Walk, the Valentine-making project will be open to visitors during all regular River Garden hours (10 -5, Mon.-Fri.) through Valentines Day, Fri., Feb. 14.

On that day, the Brattleboro Women’s Chorus will perform as part of the River Garden’s daily noon-hour Brown Bag Lunch series.

Vendor tables are available in the River Garden during the Gallery Walk event for businesses or organizations wishing to share their own Valentines with the crowd. For table reservations, call Kristen Fledderjohn at 802.246.0982.

The project was funded by a Kickstarter that exceeded its goal with total contributions of $550, which covers project supplies.

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INFO: Kristen Fledderjohn, 802-246-0982,