The Magic of Twelfth Night Returns to Cabot, VT
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6th Annual Cabot Village 12th Night Celebration
Friday & Saturday, January 2-3, 2026 | Cabot, Vermont
Free Admission for All Events
January in Vermont has a way of asking us to slow down, lean into the cold, and find warmth wherever we can.
In Cabot, that warmth comes in the form of music, stories, lantern light, and community gathering during the Cabot Village 12th Night Celebration, returning Friday and Saturday, January 2–3, 2026.
This beloved midwinter festival transforms Cabot Village into a lively patchwork of performances, workshops, and outdoor fun, with free admission to all events.
Over the course of the weekend, you can wander between four village venues and outdoor spaces, discovering everything from puppetry and theater to traditional music, dance, and hands-on activities for kids.
A Celebration Rooted in Midwinter Magic
While the name “12th Night” nods to the end of the Christmas season, the festival’s spirit reaches further back in time.
These celebrations echo ancient Celtic, Roman, and pre-Christian traditions that marked the turning of the year, honoring both the darkness of winter and the promise of light returning.
It feels especially fitting in Cabot, where winter is not something to endure quietly, but something to celebrate together.
Music, Theater, and Storytelling Around the Village
Throughout the weekend, performances unfold across the Willey Building (Town Hall) Auditorium, Cabot United Church, and even Harry’s Hardware, proving once again that in Vermont, great art can happen just about anywhere.
Expect standout performances from Sandglass Theater, bringing award-winning puppetry and comedy for all ages, and Modern Times Theater, presenting their inventive show We’re Not From Here.
Story lovers won’t want to miss Tom Azarian’s Crankie Show, blending banjo music and storytelling, or Hears Crow, who shares powerful Native American stories from the Longhouse.
Music lovers are equally spoiled, with traditional French, Celtic, and Cape Breton tunes from Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy, a lively Wassail and evening concert with folk band Fifth Business, and a late-night dose of rock, blues, and jam-heavy energy from The Returnables at The Den at Harry’s Hardware.
You’ll also catch the rhythmic spectacle of The Midnight Capers, Central Vermont’s own Morris Dance team.
Get Outside and Join In
The Cabot Village 12th Night Celebration isn’t just something to watch. It’s something to take part in. Kids can create paper lanterns and Newfoundland Ugly Sticks in arts and crafts workshops, while families and friends can tackle a scavenger hunt on the Cabot Trails or gather around outdoor bonfires on the Cabot Village Common.
One of the weekend’s most magical moments is the Sunset Lantern Parade, when handmade lanterns glow against the winter sky, turning the village common into a moving constellation of light.
Cabot Village’s 12th Night Celebration is about coming together. That spirit shines during the community dinner at Neighbors in Action and in the annual, topical Mummer’s Play performed by the Cabot Community Theater, a tradition rooted in humor, satire, and shared storytelling.
If you’re craving a reason to get out of the house in early January, the Cabot Village 12th Night Celebration offers a perfect excuse. It’s joyful, creative, deeply local, and a reminder that winter in Vermont is richer when we celebrate it together.For the full schedule and event details, visit CabotArts.org and plan your midwinter weekend in Cabot.
Come for the art. Stay for the magic. Celebrate community, winter, and the return of the light in Cabot, Vermont
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