Frelighsburg tourism

Frelighsburg, the hidden gem of the townships

By M. Helmuth Starhemberg
The friendly face of this lovely village is  Marianne Blondeau-D'Amour.one of two people who staff the tourist information center located in a brick former schoolhouse sited next to the town hall. "It's pretty much all about apples  here", she explained. "We have some of the most beautiful orchards and people come from all over to see the blossoms in spring, sample the fresh pressed cider in summer and then return for the fresh apple harvest in late summer. And in fall, some of the most spectacular colors can bee seen all around the village as the ancient maples turn red".

But apples is not all the town has to offer. There are lovely churches, six interesting historic cemetaries, ancient schoolhouses and architecture that goes back almost 200 years. Not to forget: the local market "Tradition" which makes scrumptious smoked salmon outdoors every day.
For years, the town has hosted a big art festival in September but elected not to do it this year. "We have only one main road that goes from Vermont or the Sutton area and leads to Dunham", explained one resident. "Closing it for the two days of the festival where everything happens in the center of the village, has proved to be too big a hassle, as people would have to drive up to 40 miles out of their way to continue their journey, the local restaurants, art galleries and shops get no business as there is no parking allowed and locals wishing to purchase gas or groceries cannot enter the town either" Too bad but understandable.
However, there are three good campgrounds, many kilometers of biking and hiking paths and trails, the local fishing is reported to be good for brook trout and on a rainy day there are art galleries, exquisite restaurants and seasonal activities which can be accessed by contacting the tourist office. Sutton is a 20 minute drive and Dunham is only 15 minutes away, so is the beautiful Selby lake, or if so desired, a tourist can be in the United States in approximately five minutes to check out some of the Vermont scenery.