Swifties Unite: Chimney Swifts & Suds at Sunset

Calling all Swifties—and not just the Taylor kind!

Join us for a whimsical and awe-inspiring evening as we gather to watch chimney swifts perform their nightly aerial ballet over downtown Rutland. We'll meet at The Mad Rose around 7:30 PM for food and drinks while we wait for the show to begin over downtown and the old Rutland Herald building. Dozens (or hundreds!) of swifts will start to swirl and dive into their long-time roosting site.

These birds are not just cool to watch, they're a little-told part of Rutland’s story. For over decades, the chimney of the old Herald building has provided urban nesting habitat. But with a new hotel planned for the former Berwick Hotel site, this special habitat may be at risk.

With enough community support, we can help convince the developers to build a new nesting chimney into their design, ensuring that downtown Rutland’s swifts continue to return, year after year.

🕢 7:30 PM — Meet at The Mad Rose (Center Street, Downtown Rutland)
🕗 8:00-9:00ish — Swifts start their acrobatic dive into the old Herald Building chimney
📍 Downtown Rutland, Vermont
🎟 Free & Family-Friendly