April Happenings: Client Updates This Month 🌷🌦
Happy April from Cultivate! Read on for the latest updates from our clients.
Community College of Vermont 🌮🍜
CCV will host its 22nd Annual International Food Festival on Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 4-5:30 p.m. at the CCV-Winooski campus. The event is free and open to the community. Dishes from more than 15 countries will be featured, prepared by students, staff, faculty, and local caterers who bring their native cuisines to share.
For more information, read this article about last year’s event.
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park 🌳🗿
Cold Hollow officially announces its 2025 season from June 14 through October 13, 2025! Vist the Park and explore works by artists-in-residence, view new sculptures by David Stromeyer, and go on a guided tour.
For more information, visit coldhollowsculpturepark.com
Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival 🎻 ⛰️
Get ready for a summer filled with music! Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival will announce their 2025 season this month, including 50 public events, its music education programs for students, and a newly established Junior Program for students ages 8-12.
To learn more, visit gmcmf.org.
Manchester Music Festival 🎶 📖
Only 100 days until the Manchester Music Festival, July 10-August 7! Tickets are on sale this month for the Festival’s 2025 season titled “Music & Storytelling” and featuring world-class artists, including clarinetist Anthony McGill, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Powers, and Emmy Award-winning actor David Strathairn in Stravinsky's "The Soldier’s Tale."
🎟️ Visit mmfvt.org to purchase:
Subscription packages: $81-$348
Single tickets: Starting at $30 (Youth tickets just $15!)
Don't wait! The best seats go quickly.
Philo Ridge Farm 🐄 🌻
Philo Ridge Farm has officially transitioned to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, establishing the farm as a permanent community asset dedicated to the future of food and agriculture in Vermont. The Philo Ridge Farm Foundation will focus on promoting organic regenerative agriculture through hands-on research, education, dining, and community engagement.
Philo Ridge welcomes the public back to the farm this summer—more information coming soon! Visit philoridgefarm.org to learn more.
RunVermont 👟
RunVermont’s Half Marathon Unplugged will take place on April 12, 2025. A great precursor event for runners training for the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay, the Half Marathon Unplugged offers 13.1 miles of picturesque views overlooking the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Champlain.
The race is sold out, but volunteers are still welcome! Register to volunteer here.
Vermont Symphony Orchestra 🎸🤘🏽
VSO’s Jukebox Quartet is back! The Jukebox Quartet goes electric and performs rock-and-roll hits from Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, and Tool as well as classical music with pieces by Shostakovich, Mendelssohn, and more in their “Heavy Metal Strings” concerts.
Event Details:
April 4, 2025 at the Paramount Theatre in Rutland, VT. Doors open at 6:30pm, concert begins at 7:00pm. This concert is produced in partnership with The Paramount Theatre.
April 5, 2025, at Brattleboro Music Center in Brattleboro, VT. Doors open at 6:30pm, concert begins at 7:00pm.
April 6, 2025, at Northern Stage in White River Junction, VT. Doors open at 1:30pm, concert begins at 2:00pm.
April 11, 2025, at ArtsRiot in Burlington, VT.
Early evening performance — Doors open at 5:30pm, concert begins at 6:00pm.
Late evening performance — Doors open at 8:00pm, concert begins at 8:30pm.
April 12, 2025, at Bennington Museum in Bennington, VT. Doors open at 1:30pm, concert begins at 2:00pm. This concert is free and produced as part of the Bennington Museum Music at the Museum series.
The quartet will also present “Juicebox” concerts designed for children and families. Designed for children ages 10 and under, the Juicebox program is centered around the connection between feelings and music. The program includes interactive spots for the audience, music set to The Feelings Book by The New York Times best-selling author Todd Parr, musical jokes, and dance time for young audience members.
Event Details:
April 5, 2025 at Brattleboro Music Center in Brattleboro, VT. Doors open at 2:30pm, concert begins at 3:00pm.
April 6, 2025, at Northern Stage in White River Junction, VT. Doors open at 10:45am, concert begins at 11:00am.
Visit vso.org to purchase tickets.
ZymoChem 🧬
Athleisure brand lululemon has announced a multi-year collaboration with Zymochem to help expand the company’s use of bio-based nylon and advance its leadership in sustainable innovation. Together, lululemon and ZymoChem will sustainably transform a key building block of nylon 6,6 – a foundational material used in many of lululemon’s iconic products.
Read more about this transformational collaboration in this article by Forbes.
March Highlights: Monthly Update from Cultivate Clients 🍀
Winter is coming… to an end and spring is near! Enjoy the transition of the seasons with new events and updates from Cultivate clients in March.
Ann Clark Launches New Products at The Inspired Home Show 🧑🍳
Cultivate client Ann Clark Ltd. attends The Inspired Home Show in Chicago, Illinois, from March 2-4, 2025. The baking company will showcase a wide array of new products, including limited edition cookie cutter shapes and new baking mixes—from crepes, to cookies, and scone mixes.
Visit annclark.com for more information about the new products.
Glenmere Mansion Joins the Cultivate Client Crew 🏩
This just in! Starting March 1, 2025, Glenmere Mansion joins Cultivate’s lineup of clients. Located in Chester, New York, Glenmere Mansion is a premier luxury hotel, restaurant, and spa situated on 150 acres of land once owned by Robert Goelet, a prominent member of New York Society in the early 1900s. Learn more at glenmeremansion.com.
Welcome, Glenmere Mansion! We look forward to working with you.
Manchester Music Festival Announces 2025 Season 🎻
Manchester Music Festival just announced their 2025 season “Music and Storytelling,” which celebrates the profound connections between literature, poetry, song, and music.
Follow along this month with the latest news from the Festival about the upcoming season by subscribing to their newsletter here and following their social media accounts.
RunVermont Wraps Up Their Freezy Cheeks 5k Series 🥶🏃♀️
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, RunVermont hosts the final event in its Freezy Cheeks 5k Series, a winter running series promoting physical activity in Vermont’s coldest months.
Located at Switchback Brewing Co., the race will kick off at 11am with an open start until 12pm. Series winners (highest age-graded ranking in the male, female, and nonbinary divisions over the series of races) will also be announced and receive tickets to the 2025 Vermont Brewers Festival. Cheers!
Join RunVermont for their last winter running event by signing up here.
Vermont Smoke & Cure Heads to Expo West 🙌🏼
Cultivate client Vermont Smoke & Cure attends Expo West 2025 in Anaheim, California from March 4-7, 2025, where they will share their latest meat stick innovations — Premium Beef, Oven-Roasted Turkey, Hot and Spicy Turkey, and Maple Old Fashioned Smoked Pork (a Cultivate team favorite!).
The Cultivate team wishes you a successful show!
Vermont Symphony Orchestra Performances—From Airplanes to Grace Potter ✈️ 🎸
The VSO has two exciting concerts coming up this month!
On March 1, 2025, VSO will present a special performance in collaboration with BETA Technologies and the Champlain College Emergent Media Center. Featuring VSO’s 40-voice chorus, VSO musicians, and video projections created by Champlain College students, “Flight Test” is a truly unique musical experience taking place at BETA’s headquarters in South Burlington, VT.
On March 21 and 22, 2025, GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and Vermont native Grace Potter will join the VSO for performances of her greatest hits accompanied by VSO musicians.
For more information, visit vso.org.
5 Ways to Celebrate Your Sweetie this February with Cultivate 💝 🌹
As the month of love begins, the Cultivate team is excited to share the latest updates from our clients this February! Explore new products, events, and seasonal offerings designed to help you celebrate the special people in your life.
Valentine’s Baking Date with Ann Clark Ltd. 🧑🍳 🍰
Team up with your sweetie or friends to create festive treats to celebrate the day. Ann Clark Ltd. offers a wide range of Valentine’s Day cookie cutters and other baking recipes for the season.
Here are some of Cultivate’s personal favorites:
Ann Clark’s Strawberry Meringue Powder to create Strawberry Meringue Cookies, perfect on their own or also used as a delicious addition on top of pre-bought cheesecakes.
Valentine’s themed cookie shapes including the LOVE word, Pair of Cherries, Pair of Hearts, Strawberry, and V-Day Robot set (check out Ann Clark’s viral reel on how many of these shapes are made!).
A classic chocolate cake using Ann Clark Gourmet Chocolate Cake Mix with Chocolate Mousse Frosting. You can also switch out for strawberry frosting as well!
Get Your Hearts Racing with RunVermont ❤️ 👟
Team up with your lovebird and get your hearts racing! Create lasting memories this winter by motivating each other to stay active in the colder months. Sign up for RunVermont’s next Freezy Cheeks 5k which will take place Saturday, February 8, at Zero Gravity Brewery. Registration includes one limited beverage from Zero Gravity (including beer, 21+). The race kicks off at 11am with an open start until 12pm. Sign up here.
Enjoy a Symphony of Love with Vermont Symphony Orchestra 🎻 💕
Surprise your Valentine with a music-filled date night. The VSO will perform two programs this month:
February 12, 2025, 7:30-9:30pm at The State House in Montpelier, VT
Join VSO for their annual David M. Wilson Farmers’ Night tradition featuring Damascus Kafumbe. VSO will present Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major interwoven with percussion and string instrument performances by Kafumbe. The program will also include the premiere of a Music-COMP student composition by Mount Mansfield UHS senior Eleanor Freebern. The concert is free and open to the public; no tickets required. For more information, visit VSO’s website.
February 15, 2025, 7:30-9:30pm at Flynn Center in Burlington, VT
Enjoy “Modernism and the World of Yesterday” presented by the VSO and internationally acclaimed pianist and composer, Sir Stephen Hough. The performance marks the East Coast premiere of Hough’s piano concerto along with pieces from Wojiech Kilar, Felix Mendelssohn, and Anna Clyne. You can even kick off your Saturday evening with a pre-concert art gallery cocktail party with Adventure Dinner, just around the corner at Burlington City Arts. Artful food displays and cocktails start at 5pm. Purchase tickets for Modernism and the World of Yesterday here and the Adventure Dinner pre-event here. Tickets for each must be purchased separately, but Adventure Dinner guests receive a special 20% discount on VSO’s concert.
Start Planning a Manchester Music Festival Date 🎼 🎭
Start planning now for a romantic summer evening with your special someone at the Manchester Music Festival. MMF will be officially announcing its 51st season soon. Keep an eye out on their website and social media pages for information about their 2025 program, “Music and Storytelling,” illuminating the profound connections between literature and music through works inspired by stories and poetry. Visit the Manchester Music Festival website here for more information about the festival and this year’s theme.
Stay In for a Cozy Snack Night with Vermont Smoke & Cure 🤗🍴
Having a chill night in this Valentine’s Day? No problem! Gather you and your partner’s favorite snacks and have a cozy movie night. If you or your sweetie is a protein snack fan, try out some Vermont Smoke & Cure meat snacks to add to your snackboard. The company recently launched its new Premium Beef Stick to try, or you can savor their fan-favorite turkey, pepperoni, pork, and sausage snacks. Visit Vermont Smoke & Cure’s website to browse and order products or purchase the meat snacks directly at select retailers locally.
New Year, New Client Happenings ✨🎊
Happy 2025 from Cultivate! To ring in the New Year, we have compiled a list of events, product launches, and other updates from Cultivate clients happening this month.
Ann Clark Ltd. 🍪 🧑🍳
Launching this month is the first cookie cutter in Ann Clark’s limited time Vault Collection series: Pair of hearts. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, bakers can now plan to create fun, decorated cookies for the upcoming day of love.
The rest of the shapes in the Vault Collection will be kept a surprise, with one shape set to be released each month until May. Ann Clark fans can stay updated by keeping an eye on Ann Clark’s social media channels, or subscribing to the company’s newsletter for exclusive product news and announcements.
Angolano & Co. 💵
Tax season is nigh! Our client Angolano & Co. has the tips and advice to guide you whether you are navigating personal or business taxes. Visit angolanoandcompany.com for more information.
Caledonia Spirits 🍸
Events, events, and more events! Have some fun on Gin Lane in Montpelier, VT, this January with the following happenings:
Capital City Winter Farmer’s Market - January 4 & 18 from 10am-1pm
Trivia Nights - January 13 & 27 from 5:30-7:30pm
Taste VT Charcuterie & Sip - Jan 16 from 6-7:30pm
Cocktail Class: Syrups, Shrubs, and Mocktails - Jan 23 from 6-7:30pm
Visit barhill.com for more information.
Community College of Vermont 📖
Jumpstart your 2025 educational goals with CCV! Spring classes start January 21, 2025.
Applications are being accepted now.
Learn more about CCV’s degrees, certifications, and other programs by visiting ccv.edu.
RunVermont 🏃♂️
The first race of RunVermont’s Freezy Cheeks 5k Series takes place this month on January 19th at Black Flannel Brewing Co. The race is a great way to work toward 2025 fitness goals! Register here.
Keep an eye out for the next two races in the series taking place at Zero Gravity on February 8 and Switchback on March 15.
STILL 👩🏼🤝👩🏽
Cultivate pro-bono client STILL, a creative initiative designed to spread awareness of Aesthetic Flat Closure and promote flat awareness and body positivity, has officially launched!
To celebrate, the STILL team will be hosting a launch party at Switchback Brewing Co. on January 6 from 6-9pm. Reserve a spot here.
To learn more about how STILL captures stories of breast cancer survivors through photography and storytelling, visit project-still.me.
Pitcher Inn 💆🏨
Set aside some time for self-care this month at the Pitcher Inn Wellness Center in Warren, VT. The following offers are available:
Yoga with Eloise Bachman where you can enjoy chanting, sound healing, and yoga followed by “prasad” (light nourishment). Classes are capped at 6 participants for a personalized touch - 1st & 3rd Saturdays from 10-11:30am or 2nd & 4th Saturdays from 2-3:30pm.
$100 Wellness Wednesday massages (only 4 spots available) - every Wednesday.
Show a recent Sugarbush Athletic day pass receipt and get $30 off a 60 minute massage.
For a limited time, purchase a 60 minute massage gift certificate and receive a free 1 hour red light bed treatment.
Other amenities include luxurious hydraulic beds, aroma therapy, hot stone treatments, and more. To book a spa day now, visit the Pitcher Inn website here.
Vermont Federal Credit Union 🏦
Contribute coats for a cause! Vermont Federal will be teaming up once again with WCAX-TV to host another coat drive this month. Coats will be accepted at all Vermont Federal branches.
Last year’s drive resulted in over 1,000 coats collected and distributed to Vermonters in need, so let’s work together to keep our community warm this winter.
Keep an eye out on Vermont Federal’s website and social media for more information.
Zymochem 🧬
Cultivate client Zymochem, a biotech company creating sustainable materials for everyday products is now a certified B Corporation!
Zymochem joins the thriving B Corp community in our home state of Vermont, which is also the U.S. state with the highest number of B Corps per capita.
Congratulations, Zymochem! To learn more, visit their website here.
Cultivate Launches “Roots & Blossoms Fund” in Support of Non-Profit Arts & Culture Programs for Youth
New initiative commits 1% of Cultivate’s annual revenue to support arts access, education, and cultural programs for underserved Vermont youth
Cultivate, a Vermont-based, woman-owned public relations agency specializing in media relations, social media, and influencer partnerships, announces the launch of its Roots & Blossoms Fund, a new grant initiative designed to support artistic and cultural programming for Vermont youth. The fund will offer financial and in-kind support to non-profit organizations that offer opportunities for youth to explore their creative potential and forge strong cultural connections.
Inspired by the “1% for the Planet” model, Cultivate CEO and founder Alexandra Tursi has pledged 1% of Cultivate’s total annual revenue to the Roots & Blossoms Fund. This initiative seeks to nurture the creative growth of young Vermonters by supporting programs that focus on underserved and rural communities throughout the state.
The fund will provide grants of up to $1,000 to Vermont-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, and offer the opportunity for recipient organizations to receive additional in-kind services from Cultivate, which will help these organizations share their stories and amplify the impact of their work.
"We are thrilled to launch Roots & Blossoms as part of our commitment to making the arts more accessible to young Vermonters," said Tursi. "This initiative exemplifies our belief in using business as a force for good. By supporting programs that encourage creative expression and cultural understanding, we hope to not only inspire the next generation of storytellers to raise their voices – but to also invest in the vibrant future of our state."
Roots & Blossoms will focus on four key areas of support:
Access to the Arts: Increasing access to arts experiences for underserved communities, ensuring youth can engage with various artistic disciplines.
Arts Education & Literacy: Promoting programs that integrate arts education into school curricula to foster both artistic and general literacy.
Cultural Community Building: Supporting initiatives that encourage young people to explore the cultural experiences of underrepresented communities through art.
Creative Expression: Empowering young artists to develop their voices and talents by providing them with the tools and platforms they need.
Non-profit organizations that align with one or more of these areas and serve youth ages 0-18 in Vermont are encouraged to apply. The application period for the 2025 grant cohort is now open. Visit cultivatepr.co/roots-blossoms to learn more.
For more information about the Roots & Blossoms Fund or the application process, please contact Cultivate’s social impact strategist, Anna Browdy, at anna@cultivatepr.co.
Give Back This Giving Tuesday with Cultivate! 🤝🏼🌟
It’s Giving Tuesday and in honor of the day, we would like to introduce our new social impact initiative, the Roots & Blossoms Fund and uplift a variety of Cultivate clients with impact-driven missions.
The Roots & Blossoms Fund 🎨 🌷
At Cultivate, we believe in the transformative power of storytelling – and we know that the arts play a vital role in shaping the next generation of storytellers. That’s why we’re so excited to announce the launch of the Roots & Blossoms Fund, a new grant initiative dedicated to supporting artistic and cultural programming for Vermont youth.
With the goal of making arts more accessible for young people across the state, and inspired by the “1% for the Planet” model, we’re committing 1% of our net revenue to this fund. Through four key areas of support – Access to the Arts, Arts Education & Literacy, Cultural Community Building, and Creative Expression – the Roots & Blossoms Fund will provide grants of up to $1,000 to nonprofit organizations that foster creativity and cultural exploration for kids ages 0-18.
But that’s not all: along with financial support, we’re offering in-kind services to help these nonprofits share their powerful stories with the world.
If you know a Vermont-based nonprofit dedicated to enriching young lives through the arts, spread the word! The application is open for our 2025 grant cycle until February 21st, 2025.
To learn more and apply, visit the Roots & Blossoms Fund page on our website.
Give Back to Cultivate Clients ✨
Cultivate supports a range of nonprofit clients as well as companies with missions to inspire positive social and environmental change. We’ve compiled a list below with information about each organization and how to learn more to support their efforts.
Barr Hill by Caledonia Spirits 🍸 🐝
Barr Hill fans know that honey is the key ingredient in their spirits products—and giving back to the pollinators that support the production of that honey and food systems globally is a part of their brand mission. Through environmental initiatives such as Barr Hill’s Bee’s Knees Week, Barr Hill gives back by pledging and planting pollinator habitat. In the past eight years of their Bee’s Knees Week initiative, Barr Hill has planted more than 1 million square feet of pollinator habitat.
To learn more about Barr Hill’s Bee’s Knees Week and sustainability mission, visit barrhill.com.
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park 🌳
Located in Enosburg, Vermont, Cold Hollow Sculpture Park is home to 70+ sculptures by artist David Stromeyer. The Park operates as a nonprofit with a mission to ignite visitors’ imagination and serve as a place of creative discovery and expression in Vermont. Cold Hollow Scupture Park provides a free, world-class art experience to all visitors while preserving the art and conserving the land.
Donate or learn more here about supporting the Park through volunteering or sponsoring sculptures.
Community College of Vermont 📚
The Community College of Vermont is a public, not-for-profit institution offering the lowest tuition rates in Vermont. CCV accepts one-time or recurring donations which support the college’s academic and institutional programs for students and staff.
CCV offers academic and support programs to their community of both traditional and nontraditional students and their unique needs. CCV greatly appreciates any and all donations as they work toward their ongoing goal of making higher education accessible for all Vermonters.
Donate to CCV here.
Conscious Alliance 🎵
A nonprofit hunger relief organization, Conscious Alliance unifies bands, brands, artists, and fans to collectively support communities in crisis.
Consider donating to Conscious Alliance this holiday season here or support the organization through the purchase of posters and other swag. All proceeds go toward programming to provide art that feeds.
To learn more about the organization and how to be involved, visit consciousalliance.org.
RunVermont 🏃♀️ 👟
RunVermont is a Vermont-based nonprofit organization offering premier events across the state. The organization supports participants of all abilities and levels, offering a diverse range of programs for all types of athletes.
Registration for RunVermont’s largest event, the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay is open now. Register here.
To volunteer, sponsor, or further support RunVermont, learn more here.
Vermont Federal Credit Union 💰
Vermont Federal is helping to run a variety of charitable events for the holidays this time of year. Bring nonperishable food items to each of the following events to help give back to the community:
Feed Your Neighbor event at the Hannaford in Essex Junction, VT - November 23, 2024
Toys for Kids - November 29 through December 20, 2024
Feed a Family, South End City Market in Burlington, VT - December 19, 2024
Visit the Feed Your Neighbor event on-site on November 23 and the Feed a Family event on Devember 19 to donate nonperishables. Vermont Federal will also be collecting toys for Toys for Kids and more nonperishable items for Feed a Family at each of its branches throughout the holiday season.
For more information, visit vermontfederal.org.
Vermont Symphony Orchestra 🎻
Celebrating its 90th anniversary with the 2024/25 season, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra is a cultural cornerstone in the region, enriching communities and the lives of Vermonters statewide. With a commitment to artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement, the VSO has established itself as one of the country’s premier state orchestras.
Donate here to the VSO. For more information about volunteer opportunities with the VSO, visit this site.
ZymoChem 🧬
ZymoChem is breakthrough science for a fossil-free future. Headquartered in San Leandro, CA, with a satellite division in Burlington, VT, ZymoChem envisions a world in which the goods we depend on everyday are bio-manufactured from 100% renewable materials and designed for a sustainable economy.
Learn more about Zymochem’s mission toward a more sustainable future at zymochem.com.
Cultivate Your Holiday Gift List this November 🎁
It’s November and the holiday gifting season is in full swing. Looking for ideas? Look no further! We’ve curated a list of our favorite holiday gifts from Cultivate client brands to inspire your holiday shopping. Take a look at how you can give and give back this season with our clients.
Give
Gift ideas to give to a loved one this holiday season.
Ann Clark Ltd. 🍪
Surprise a baker in your life with new baking gear, or buy supplies to decorate holiday cookies together. With 700+ shapes, Ann Clark’s cookie cutters are a great customizable gift. Try out some classic holiday cookies or customize your baking to your giftee.
Here are some of our favorite trendy baking gifts for the holiday season from Ann Clark:
Roll With It—A classic gift and kitchen staple needed in every baker’s kitchen, Ann Clark’s Perfect Cookie Rolling Pin is the perfect gift to a new baker just starting out their baking journey or an experienced baker in need of new gear.
Make Cookies the Center of Attention—Using Ann Clark’s Centerpiece 2 Pc Set you can create a beautiful themed table spread (that also serves as a sweet treat!) at your Holiday dinner table.
The Edible Outdoors—Designs inspired by mother nature and other outdoor settings continue to stay in style, including flower cookie shapes and woodland creatures like our adorable Garden Gnome shape.
Barr Hill by Caledonia Spirits 🍸
Barr Hill can help you get into the holiday spirit—literally. Gift their award-winning Barr Hill Gin, Barr Hill vodka, or newly released Phyllis Whiskey. Or, take a look at some of their convenient gift packs.
Here are some of our recommendations:
Bee’s Knees Kit—-Barr Hill’s infamous cocktail recipe inside, this kit includes all products and instructions needed to make the delicious classic cocktail.
All The Basics Cocktail Tools Kit—A useful gift for someone looking to try out their bartending skills. This kit includes the essential cocktail-making gear plus some sweet Barr Hill raw honey.
Barr Hill Gin + Bears—The infamous Barr Hill gin gifted with two adorable bear-shaped mason jars.
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park 🌳
Sculptor David Stromeyer, the artistic genius behind Cold Hollow Sculpture Park in Enosburg, Vermont, details his journey as an artist, the Park’s history, and the 70+ sculptures on the Park grounds in his beautiful, 200-page, full color, hardbound book.
“Art Making On The Land” makes for an intriguing gift for Park visitors, artists, or engineers. The book is available for purchase on Cold Hollow’s website here.
Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers 🛏️ 🔨
Vermont’s finest furniture makers offer a range of styles to gift to a loved one to add to a new living space or to spruce up existing feng shui. From beds to seating to sculptures, the Guild offers furniture options for everyone.
Browse the Guild’s available pieces here on their website.
Pitcher Inn 🏨🍴
A simple but meaningful way of showing you care this season, a nice dinner at the Pitcher Inn is a classic gift and a great way to spend some quality time with someone you love. Home to a five-star Vermont dining experience, the Inn offers fine dining and an impressive wine menu.
Learn more about the Pitcher Inn dining experience and make a reservation here.
RunVermont 🏃♂️
Registration for RunVermont’s annual M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay officially opens on November 1, 2024. Signing up for the event with a workout buddy or loved one is a great gift this holiday season. Gear up now to get outside, get active, and make lasting memories. Register here.
Vermont Smoke & Cure 🥩 🔥
The perfect stocking stuffers for meat-lovers and protein-cravers, Vermont Smoke & Cure’s meat sticks are a delicious holiday gift. Here are some of our favorite gifts from their brand:
Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick—Vermont Smoke & Cure’s latest innovation in collaboration with WhistlePig Whiskey
Oven Roasted Seasoned Turkey Sticks—A convenient, on-the-go poultry option which is trending in the meat stick world
A Vermont Smoke & Cure Gift Card—Not sure which flavors will suit your giftee best? Consider gifting a gift card so they have free reign this holiday season.
Vermont Symphony Orchestra 🎻 🎼
A perfect gift for a music lover you know—tickets to see a show! VSO has numerous shows happening this month and next that are fun festivities this holiday season. Join Jukebox in November for an audience-curated program, or enjoy traditional holiday music at Holiday Pops and the Brass Quintet performances (both accompanied by choral singers).
VSO’s upcoming shows:
Jukebox: With A Little Help from Our Friends, November 14-16, 2024
Holiday Pops with VSO Chorus, December 6-8, 2024
Brass Quintet and Counterpoint Chorus, December 12-14, 2024
Tickets can be purchased at vso.org.
Winvian 💆🏽
Do you know of someone in need of some rest and relaxation? Consider gifting a spa day at Winvian as a holiday self-care moment. The spa offers a variety of massages and facials to help a special someone rest and unwind this holiday season.
To view Winvian’s spa services and book an appointment, visit their website here.
Give Back
Ways to support noble causes and the Vermont community this season.
Community College of Vermont 📚
As a public, not-for-profit institution offering the lowest tuition rates in Vermont, CCV accepts one-time or recurring donations which support the college’s academic and institutional programs for students and staff.
CCV supports the educational needs of traditional and nontraditional students, offering academic options and support programs to meet the unique needs of its students. CCV greatly appreciates any and all donations as they work toward their ongoing goal of making higher education accessible for all Vermonters.
Donate to CCV here.
Conscious Alliance 🎵
A nonprofit hunger relief organization, Conscious Alliance unifies bands, brands, artists, and fans to collectively support communities in crisis.
Consider donating to Conscious Alliance this holiday season here or support the organization through the purchase of posters and other swag. All proceeds go toward programming to provide art that feeds.
To learn more about the organization and how to be involved, visit consciousalliance.org.
Vermont Federal Credit Union 💵
Vermont Federal is helping to run a variety of charitable events for the holidays this time of year. Bring nonperishable food items to each of the following events to help give back to the community:
Feed Your Neighbor event at the Hannaford in Essex Junction, VT - November 23, 2024
Toys for Kids - November 29 through December 20, 2024
Feed a Family, South End City Market in Burlington, VT - December 19, 2024
Visit the Feed Your Neighbor event on-site on November 23 and the Feed a Family event on Devember 19 to donate nonperishables. Vermont Federal will also be collecting toys for Toys for Kids and more nonperishable items for Feed a Family at each of its branches throughout the holiday season.
For more information, visit vermontfederal.org.
October Client Happenings 🎃 🍁
Fall is officially here and spooky season is just around the corner! 👻 Read on to learn about what Cultivate clients are up to in the month of October.
Ann Clark Ltd. 🍪 🧑🍳
Get into the spooky spirit with Ann Clark’s Halloween cookie cutter shapes, the perfect addition to showcase at a Halloween party, give out to lucky trick-or-treaters, or celebrate the Day of The Dead.
Some Halloween cookie inspo ideas from the Ann Clark team include:
Seasonal cookie arrangements as the centerpiece for a Halloween party table spread with Ann Clark’s Halloween centerpiece set
Traditional Halloween-themed cookies using the Halloween 3 pc set to give out to friends, family, and trick-or-treaters
Customizable Day of the Dead sugar skulls with vibrant colors and designs of your choosing with the Day of the Dead skull shape
Caledonia Spirits 🍸 🍻
Caledonia Spirits welcomes spirits drinkers and Barr Hill fans to enjoy some fall food & bev at the first-ever Fermentation Festival taking place at their distillery on October 19, 2024 at X PM.
Local vendors with a variety of delicious fermented foods will be set up on the distillery’s front lawn. Caledonia Spirits will also be offering a special food and drink menu to attendees, including the release of a new spirit in collaboration with Wildbranch Cider. Come and enjoy the Fall fun!
To stay in the know about more distillery events, check out Barr Hill’s website.
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park 🌳
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park closes for the season on October 14. Make sure to visit while you still can! Park hours are Thursday-Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM.
Enjoy five decades of artistic works by sculptor David Stromeyer, with 70+ sculptures currently on display on the Park grounds.
Learn more about Cold Hollow Sculpture Park here.
Manchester Music Festival 🎶
This fall, Manchester Music Festival will officially announce the details of its 51st season taking place July 10-August 7, 2025. Get the inside scoop on concert programs, festival performers, and community events. Save the dates!
You don’t want to miss out on this fantastic classical music program next summer. To stay in the know, visit mmfvt.org.
RunVermont 🏃♀️
Registration for RunVermont’s annual M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay and Half Marathon Unplugged will go live on November 1, 2024. Clear your calendar and gear up this October to sign up early!
Runners looking to participate in a marathon and/or relay can sign up soon to claim their spot in the event taking place in May 2025–all skill levels are welcome. Family and friends are also invited to join in on the fun: Offer to be a volunteer on race day or simply cheer on your athlete from the sidelines!
Learn more about the M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay here.
Vermont Symphony Orchestra 🎻 🩰
VSO presents “Romeo, Juliet and the Firebird” on October 26, 2024 from 7:30-9:30 PM at The Flynn.
In this program, the VSO explores music from two iconic 20th century ballets. Cameras will also be capturing the orchestra live in action and will broadcast the video on a big screen to immerse the audience into the performance. Music Director Andrew Crust will also lead a discussion on the creation of the pieces, the history of Stravinksy and Prokofiev, and the story of the ballets.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic night of classical music. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Winvian 🌾☀️
The beautiful grounds of Winvian are set for fall foliage season, the perfect backdrop for fall weddings, corporate retreats, and fine dining experiences. Book a spa day, take a cooking class, or enjoy the outdoors this fall at Winvian.
Looking to book a fall getaway of your own? Visit the Winvian website to view all of their event offerings.
Cultivate Welcomes New Public Relations Associate
Champlain College graduate Abbey Berger-Knorr joins expanding public relations firm
Cultivate PR associate Abbey Berger-Knorr at our offices at Hula Lakeside
Cultivate, a public relations agency specializing in media relations, social media, and influencer partnerships, proudly welcomes Abbey Berger-Knorr as public relations associate on its expanding team. Founded in 2019 by CEO Alexandra Tursi, Cultivate serves clients in the realms of arts and culture, health and hospitality, and innovation and social impact.
In her role as public relations associate, Berger-Knorr supports a range of clients with a special focus on arts and culture, leveraging her background in music and media.
Berger-Knorr graduated from Champlain College in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication, concentrating in Public Relations and Strategic Communications. Upon graduating, she received the Presidential Award recognizing academic achievement, professional experience, and leadership on campus.
"I'm always on the search for unique stories that 'strike a chord,'" she said. "Supporting clients in effectively telling their stories through public relations and communications initiatives is work that inspires me daily to stay creative, think on my feet, and be a reliable communicator."
Berger-Knorr brings a wealth of experience to her new role. As a student, she served as President of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Champlain chapter and Executive Director of Maple Street Media, a student-run public relations firm. She also completed internships with Fuse and Junapr, where she honed her skills in creating public relations deliverables and client relations.
"Abbey is a natural storyteller, by profession and passion," said Alexandra Tursi, CEO. "Her diverse background in communications, coupled with her leadership experience and academic excellence, makes her an invaluable addition to our team. She's already landed some incredible and strategic media placements for our clients."
Beyond her professional pursuits, Berger-Knorr is deeply involved in the local music scene. She serves as a Social Media, Outreach, and Production Team Lead & Radio Host for The Big Heavy World Foundation, Inc., where she hosts and promotes a weekly live radio show and affiliated podcast. She also writes, produces, and performs her own music as a singer-songwriter.
Berger-Knorr now works full-time for Cultivate out of the Hula coworking space on Lakeside Avenue, formerly the Blodgett Oven factory.
Cultivate supports a wide range of clients including Ann Clark Ltd, Burlington Baroque, Caledonia Spirits, Champlain Valley Head Start, Cold Hollow Sculpture Park, Community College of Vermont, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers, Luma Brighter Learning, Manchester Music Festival, The Pitcher Inn, RunVermont, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Smoke & Cure, Vermont Federal Credit Union, Winvian, and ZymoChem.
"At Cultivate, we believe everyone has a story worth telling – and that stories have the power to make incredible impact," Tursi said. "We are thrilled to collaborate with such innovative clients to help them get their message out there, whether that's through media coverage, social media, or building new connections."
Cultivate is a proud member of the Women Business Owners Network of Vermont and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility.
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About Cultivate
Cultivate is a Vermont-based, woman-owned public relations firm founded in 2019 by award-winning and nationally recognized CEO, Alexandra Tursi. Based in Burlington, VT, Cultivate uplifts the stories of clients through meaningful communications across earned and owned media. Services include public relations, social media, influencer relations, content strategy, crisis communications, and media training. Cultivate’s mission is to craft purposeful narratives that drive change and leave a lasting impact—because stories have the power to change everything. Learn more at cultivatepr.co, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
September is Here with Cultivate! 🍂
Summer is coming to a close and an autumn breeze is in the air. Check out some exciting updates from Cultivate clients for the month of September!
Barr Hill Gin by Caledonia Spirits 🍸 🐝
What’s the buzz, you ask? Since 1974, the numbers of North American bumblebees have fallen nearly 50 percent (Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service).
Barr Hill is celebrating Bee’s Knees Week from September 20-29, 2024 to raise awareness for and provide support to pollinators. With over 700,000 square feet of pollinator habitat pledged and planted over the past six years, Barr Hill’s goal now is to reach 1 million square feet of pollinator habitat by the end of the week.
How to support Barr Hill’s Bee’s Knees Week:
Enjoy a Barr Hill Bee’s Knees Cocktail—either at their distillery or at home
Spread the buzz using @barrhillgin and #beeskneesweek in posts and stories on social media
For every cocktail shared, Barr Hill plants 10 square feet of new bee habitat. Additionally, every bottle of Barr Hill sold equals an additional 20 square feet pledged.
Burlington Baroque 🎼
The first-ever Burlington Baroque Festival will take place September 26-29, 2024. Join Juno Award-winning orchestra L’harmonie des saisons, internationally acclaimed soloists, and some of Vermont’s best vocal talent in 5 performances of exceptional early music repertoire.
All performances will take place at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington, VT. Buy tickets here. Read about the festival on Early Music America for more information!
Community College of Vermont 📚 🎒
The Community College of Vermont begins its Fall academic year, starting September 3, 2024. A range of Vermont students from high-schoolers enrolled in pre-college programs, working professionals working toward a degree, and 2+2 Pathway students will continue their academic journeys this month. Watch this inspiring story we placed about CCV’s Credit for Prior Learning Program!
Best wishes to CCV students, faculty, and staff on a successful school year!
RunVermont 🏃♂️
RunVermont will host its 11th Annual Island Vines race on September 15, 2024, at Snow Farm Vineyard. Running options include a 10K, 5K, and Half-Mile Kids Fun Run.
Registration includes finish line chip timing, courses measured to USATF certification standards, a free Island Vines glass, a food truck ticket, a drink ticket, awards for winners, and post-race music/entertainment. Register here.
Vermont Smoke & Cure 🥩🍴
September 23 is National Snack Stick Day! Celebrate the day and get your snack on with Vermont Smoke & Cure.
VS&C will be launching an exclusive product on September 23 made in collaboration with WhistlePig Whiskey: its Maple Old Fashioned Meat Stick. This new product creates a one-of-a-kind cocktail-inspired snack experience! Only available for a limited time.
As a 2024 Taste for Life Food Essentials Award Winner, VS&C’s meat stick varieties serve as a healthy on-the-go snack option—they are free from antibiotics, hormones, artificial colors, preservatives, and artificial flavors, and are also gluten-free.
Vermont Symphony Orchestra 🎻
Vermont Symphony Orchestra heads into its fall season with two performances on September 27 and 28, 2024 featuring Béla Fleck and American Excellence. This all-American performance features virtuoso banjoist Béla Fleck and composer Adolphus Hailstork.
Don’t miss out on phenomenal classical music performed by Vermont talent! Buy tickets to the Burlington, VT performance here or the Rutland, VT performance here.
🌞 Happy August from Cultivate! 🎉
To kick off this month, we've compiled a list of exciting new products, events, and updates from some of our amazing clients at Cultivate. Dive in to see what they’re up to!
Ann Clark Ltd. 🍪
Celebrate the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with Ann Clark Ltd., America's beloved cookie cutter and baking supply company! They've crafted a Paris Summer Games cookie cutter set, perfect for hosting a watch party. Available on Amazon, these cookie cutters are sure to add a delicious touch to your celebrations as you cheer on Team USA! 🇺🇸
Barr Hill Gin 🍸🐝
Join us for Barr Hill's second annual Royal Jelly Cocktail Competition on August 25th! Bartenders from across the Northeastern United States will compete to craft the best Bees’ Knees-inspired cocktail using Barr Hill gin, lemon, and honey. This event is a precursor to Barr Hill’s Bees’ Knees Week, dedicated to raising money and awareness for pollinator habitats.
Attend in person at Barr Hill’s distillery in Montpelier, VT. Tickets available here. Read about the event on Bevnet for more details!
Burlington Baroque 🎻
Burlington Baroque is gearing up for its inaugural Burlington Baroque Festival from September 26-29, 2024, promising four days of phenomenal music!
Juno award-winning period instrument orchestra L’Harmonie des Saisons, internationally acclaimed soloists, and Vermont vocalists unite to re-invigorate the community with Baroque classics and Baroque renditions of Beatles songs. All concerts will be at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington, VT. Get your tickets here.
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park 🎨🌳
Join Cold Hollow Sculpture Park for an artist-in-residence talk with Stephanie Cardon on August 24 from 2-4 PM. The event will showcase Cardon’s work, highlighting the emotional and social impact of ecological loss and climate change.
Cold Hollow Sculpture Park invites you to attend this special event. RSVP for free here.
RunVermont 🏃♀️
Get active with RunVermont’s Summer Six Pack Series, with two dates in August and one in September. The series features 5k races in the Burlington area, with post-race drinks, meals, music, and community bonding. Walkers and runners are welcome!
August 7: SpareTime in Colchester
August 21: Barr Hill in Montpelier
September 4: Switchback Brewery in Burlington
Participation is $25 per race, with proceeds benefiting RunVermont’s youth programs. Register here.
Vermont Federal Credit Union 🎒
Vermont Federal Credit Union is partnering with NBC5 for the annual “Class Act” school supplies drive. Donate new school supplies at any Vermont Federal branch until August 24 to support local children’s education—every little bit helps!
Vermont Federal is committed to community support and strives to regularly support programming that gives back to the Vermont community.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates from Cultivate throughout August!
Free Influencer Brief Template
Element #1: Brand Introduction
Take time to introduce creators to your brand, history and context for this specific campaign.
Element #2: Campaign Overview
This will give creators a good understanding of many key things, such as what the brand is all about, the product’s or service’s description, the target audience and what the brand wants to achieve. Include key products or services to feature and any other specific campaign features and details.
Element #3: Campaign Objectives
It’s good practice to dive deeper into your objectives in order for the content creators to understand the reasons behind your campaign, and how they can help you achieve them. You should also know what metrics you are tracking and how. If the creator needs to include a tracking code that needs to be made clear.
Element #4: Ideal Creator Type
By stating what types of creators you want to work with, you help foster the right fit from the start. This will save precious time from having to reject creators who are in a different niche than the one you’re looking for.
Element #5: Content Style and Channels
Deciding which social media platforms to go for will play a vital role in your campaign’s outcomes and the influencer content you leverage, no matter what content format you decide is suitable for your campaign.
Element #6: Key Campaign Messages
Clarify the 3-5 key messages you want your creators to get across to their audiences.
Element #7: Content Requirements
Technical, photo/video, and copy requirements are all about details that creators should be aware of when making a piece of content for a brand. We recommend specifying these requirements up front in an influencer brief to save time for both you and the creators from making content that doesn't work for you. Example: Within the first 10 seconds of a video “Sponsored by” language must be included.
Element #8: Do’s and Don’ts
Expressing what your ideal campaign should look like is important for both you and the creators. You need to be details and specific when stating what creators should do and what they should avoid when creating content for you.
Element #9: Timeline and Process
Every brief should include a clear timeline. This means letting creators know about deadlines for the deliverables, so you can be proactive and have enough time to make any revisions, if needed. You should also define your processes for receiving and reviewing content, and any content expiration dates.
Element #10: Call-to-action
Including a CTA in your brief will not only drive better results for your campaign, but will also make your objectives more clear to creators.
Public Relations & Social Media Trends for 2023
As we dive into 2023, the team at Cultivate sees these major trends for public relations and social media programs:
While we should be in the continual practice of evaluating our process, perspective, and approach, there is nothing like entering a new year to inspire renewed thinking.
As we dive into 2023, the team at Cultivate sees these major trends in public relations and social media:
Earned media’s continued rise in importance vis-a-vis paid or sponsored media. Public trust in organizations has never been more critical. Earned media offers what paid cannot — the opportunity for a credible, external endorsement of a brand. Add to that smaller ad budgets and mounting challenges in the paid media world, and it’s never been a better time to reconsider your communications mix.
Expanding breadth of what public relations is. What excites us about public relations at this moment in time is its expansion. Yes, it’s traditional media relations — but it is so much more. It’s strategic partnerships; it’s collaborations with influencers and content creators; it’s community relations. We are truly embracing the “public” in public relations.
Growing importance of a crisis communications skillset. With what seems like increased frequency, there’s a new brand crisis every news cycle - and PR professionals at all levels need to be prepared to counsel their clients strategically. That means crisis scenario planning and media training as well as individual skills in decisiveness, adaptability, self-control, empathy, and perseverance.
Moving beyond “doing it for good PR.” Brands started facing a true reckoning at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic with massive calls for transparency, meaningful action, and a goodbye to corporate social responsibility as window dressing. The best PR pros know how to support clients in building and communicating impact programs with real-world benefit.
Navigating a social media upheaval. As Facebook and Twitter face big challenges, new social media channels are on the rise (TikTok, anyone?). Another trend? Brands choosing to be “anti-social” (See Lush). It’s time to evaluate your social media program, assess where your audience is, ask yourself why you are there, and adjust your strategy.
Providing IRL brand experiences. In 2022, we saw a big shift towards travel (coming out of the pandemic) and a consumer desire for real-life experiences. It’s not all digital! As PR and social media pros, we can creatively strategize how to use our digital channels to bring people to fantastic real-world experiences, then inspire them to share those experiences in turn as a means of brand ambassadorship, advocacy, or UGC.
Setting the stage for a meaningful metaverse. It may be years off, but the metaverse is taking shape. Now is the time to build it with communications ethics in mind. It’s also a time for brands to consider there own future role in the metaverse. The possibilities are provocative, the pitfalls could be many.
That’s what’s on our radar for 2023. What’s on yours? Do any of these trends resonate with you? We’d love to hear your perspective. Something that is always on trend is a good two-way conversation.