This story by Aaron Calvin was first published by The Stowe Reporter on March 6.
The Stowe Foliage Arts Festival won’t return this autumn after heavy winds took down its main tent in October and caused widespread damage.
Tim Cianciola, who has organized the festival with his wife Jenny as Craftproducers for the past two decades, said the decision not to return to Stowe for a 42nd year was “not a decision that was taken lightly in any sense of the word.”
“We feel a pretty strong obligation to our customers, exhibitors and the people who do the show to do it, but after the problems last year, it got very complicated,” Cianciola said.
He said he was still reeling from the collapse of the tent — an event that damaged countless pieces of merchandise and over 80 vendors’ stalls — even while he had deadlines to meet for next year’s event. He still bore concerns that, had the tent not collapsed early on the second morning of the three-day festival, someone could have been injured or worse. He also had to reimburse ticket holders.
Even as he dealt with these concerns, he said the matter was essentially decided for him when the festival received little interest from vendors in returning in the fall. Many of them had suffered a loss of product and expected income, Cianciola said, despite efforts to fundraise compensation for them.
“A lot of exhibitors chose not to sign back up,” Cianciola said. “Obviously, on any given weekend they have, we compete with other shows and events, but this has always been a very, very successful show. I think that the tent going down affected a lot of people and the thought that it could happen again — we just really weren’t able to proceed.”
It costs more than $100,000 to put on the festival, Cianciola said, and he lost most of the money he invested in last year’s abbreviated event.
Lingering questions about the tent’s collapse remain. Cianciola said that the tent he rented from Big Top Tents, a company based in Cairo, New York, was supposed to be able to withstand winds of up to 75 miles per hour — winds that morning reached up to 50 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.
Cianciola said he had never felt like he had been given a good explanation for why the tent failed.
He plans to meet with the Stowe Selectboard this summer to talk about the future of the festival in Stowe. He’s feeling positive about a comeback in 2026, citing a national recognition that he thinks may go underappreciated in its host town.
“People who have done the show really like the show. It was a very successful show. I don’t think Stowe appreciates that show had national recognition,” Cianciola said. “It was consistently rated one of the best shows in the country.”
The festival is a flagship event of the town’s lucrative leaf peeper season. Carrie Simmons, executive director of the hospitality industry booster group Stowe Area Association, called it a “cherished event.” She said she remained optimistic about its 2026 return and said her organization was eager to do anything it could to help make it happen.
“Events like SFAF play a significant role in Stowe’s tourism economy, supporting local businesses, showcasing our vibrant arts scene, and enhancing the visitor experience during one of the most spectacular seasons of the year,” she said in a statement. “We value the tradition and economic impact of events like this and will continue to work with organizers to support opportunities that bring people together in Stowe.”
