Adamant’s Black Fly Festival – A Spring Tradition

August 10th, 2013

Adamant’s Blackfly Festival is in it’s 11th year in the rural village of Adamant, just north of Montpelier. The festival is a fundraiser for the Adamant Co-op and a chance for the people of Adamant and surrounding towns to “have some serious fun celebrating the bug we love to hate.” The festival’s website (blackflyfestival.org) reads: “Forget about fiddleheads, peepers, or maple sugaring. Blackflies are the real harbinger of  spring in central Vermont. ” This year’s activities included a black fly fashion show, Entomological spelling bee, insect displays, live music, a parade, and a pie contest.

 

Photo by Adam Caira two "pet blackflies" participate in the parade at Adamant's 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira
two “pet blackflies” participate in the parade at Adamant’s 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira The "SWAT Team" Banisa Stadamian and her husband Terry Darcey of Thetford take pictures during the parade at Adamant's 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira
The “SWAT Team” Banisa Stadamian and her husband Terry Darcey of Thetford take pictures during the parade at Adamant’s 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira Mother-daughter duo Julia "I got Blood" Barstow, Left, and Betsy "Black fly" Barstow, right participate in the fashion show at Adamant's 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira
Mother-daughter duo Julia “I got Blood” Barstow, Left, and Betsy “Black fly” Barstow, right participate in the fashion show at Adamant’s 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira Erika Mitchell, wearing an outfit of materials from the US Postal Service via Adamant's Mailman Doug Nickleson, shows off in front of the gathered crowd during the fashion show at Adamant's 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira
Erika Mitchell, wearing an outfit of materials from the US Postal Service via Adamant’s Mailman Doug Nickleson, shows off in front of the gathered crowd during the fashion show at Adamant’s 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira l-r Finley Martin, 6, and her brother Teagan Martin, 3, along with their father Trey Martin, background, cool off in the brook at Adamant's 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Photo by Adam Caira
l-r Finley Martin, 6, and her brother Teagan Martin, 3, along with their father Trey Martin, background, cool off in the brook at Adamant’s 11th Annual Blackfly Festival in Adamant, Vt. on Saturday, June 1, 2013.