May 1-4, 2025
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Welcome to the 4th Annual Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival in Arlington, Vermont, presented by the Arlington Common. Join us for fun, fishing, music, and camaraderie as we celebrate and raise funds to protect and enhance the Battenkill and provide the Arlington area with a hub for wellness, art, and community.
Festival Highlights
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Tom Rosenbauer - Chief Enthusiast, Orvis
“Taking Your Trout Fishing To The Next Level”
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Fly Tying Discovery Center
The BFFF3 will feature some of the best fly-tyers in the Northeast, focusing on the classic patterns of Maine, the Catskills, and the Battenkill. During the day, they'll be set up in the main tent, and hourly presentations and seminars will be held in the Fly-Tying Discovery Center, with projection and audio to follow along.
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Lawson’s Micro Brew Tent
Arguably Vermont's finest brewery, Lawson’s, will be the exclusive beer provider for the BFFF3. Come talk to the brewers, sample an array of their award-winning beers, and enjoy an incredible weekend in SW Vermont.
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Fly Fishing Workshops
Dive into the art of fly fishing with our expert-led Fly Fishing Workshops. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just getting your feet wet, our workshops are designed to elevate your skills and passion for this timeless sport.
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Friday Night BBQ
Local grillers, Sauced BBQ, will provide delicious BBQ chicken, coleslaw, baked potato, and a roll. A vegetarian option is available. There are two seatings: 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets purchased in advance guarantee seating in the dinner tent. Take-out is available for pick-up. $17 per dinner.
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Thursday Night Cocktail Party
A fun kick-off to the weekend with a cocktail party to raise money to care for the historic Battenkill. There will be a silent auction with fantastic trips and items. Attendees will get a sneak peek of the Sporting Traditions: Fields and Streams Art Exhibit and be able to chat with the artists.
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Art Exhibit
The art show, “Sporting Traditions; Field and Stream” featuring fly fishing, river/ocean scenes, hunting, and rural landscapes will fill the first floor galleries of the 1895 Watkins House. The art exhibit will remain on display through June 10th and will be open on weekends.
Live Music featuring
Kind Bud
7:00 pm-9:30pm
With a repertoire of 1,000 songs, Kind Bud live loops his acoustic guitar, weaving layers of dynamic rhythms and improvisations to compliment his voice that is soft and strong, sweet and true.
Performing Arts Center, Arlington Common Campus
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
The Fly Fishing Festival begins Thursday evening, May 2nd, with a fundraiser cocktail party and art opening, followed by the International Fly Fishing Film Festival on Friday night and the band Saints and Liars on Saturday night. In addition, we are offering casting and fly-tying seminars.
Introduce your brand
Fly Tying
The Common’s Fitness Center will be transformed into a fly-tying laboratory featuring some of the best fly-tyers in the US. Our attendees will see some of the most historic and effective flies for the Battenkill and many other Northeastern rivers.
We welcome Ted Patlen, Chris Del Plato, Peter Simonson, Bill Newcomb, Adriano Manocchia, Mike Valla, Mike Stewart, Jim Clune, John Shaner, Warren Coleman, Alan Erdossy, and Tom Miller.
ART EXHIBIT
“Celebrating the Wilderness of the Last 250 Years”
An art show titled “Celebrating the Wilderness of the Last 250 Years," featuring images related to fly fishing and rural landscapes, will occupy the galleries on the first floor of the 1900 Watkins House. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bennington in the Revolutionary War, and we aim to showcase the natural wilderness as it existed in 1775 and 2025. The art exhibit will remain on display through June 9 and will be open five days a week.
Watkins House, Arlington Common Campus
LODGING
Arlington is home to some of the most beautiful B&Bs and Inns in New England. The Arlington area has it all: historic inns, cozy cabins, friendly B&Bs, and a variety of outdoor camping options. You will want to stay near all the action!
Friday Night Chicken BBQ Dinner
5 pm - 9 pm on Friday, May 2nd
Local grillers, Sauced BBQ, will provide delicious BBQ chicken, coleslaw, baked potato, and a roll. A vegetarian option is available. Tickets purchased in advance guarantee seating in the dinner tent. Take-out is available for pick-up. $19 per dinner. If you purchase take-out tickets, you can eat on-site; seating is not guaranteed.
ONLINE AUCTION
Welcome to the BFFF3 Auction. Check out our amazing assortment of great fly fishing trips, artwork, fly
fishing equipment, restaurant gift certificates, and other awesome items. 100% of the proceeds go to either Trout Unlimited Vermont or The Arlington Common. Both are 501c3 nonprofits running this year's great event.
The Battenkill Fly Fishing Festival's mission is to promote the conservation and stewardship of our treasured Battenkill watershed. Funds raised from the weekend will support the Arlington Common in its mission to be a community hub that enhances and strengthens the Arlington area through creativity, wellness, culture, and education. A portion of funds raised from the festival will be directed to organizations whose missions support conservation, sustainability and accountability among the various Battenkill user groups.
The Arlington Common is an initiative created by the Arlington Arts Enrichment Program, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing our community through creative exploration of the arts and wellness. This multi-generational center was created by the people, for the people, in an effort to embrace the beauty of living in the shires of Vermont.
JOIN US
FESTIVAL SPONSORS
Presenting Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
CONNECT
Have a question or looking to participate in this year’s festival? Please fill out the following form and we will respond soon!
