General Info & Reminders
The 49th Annual Marlboro Morris Ale will be held May 24–27, 2024 at the Potash Hill Campus in Marlboro, Vermont. All teams perform for each other and the general public all day on Saturday and on Sunday afternoon. Friday and Saturday evening there are various organized and spontaneous activities including singing, social dancing, pick-up ritual dancing, jamming, and partying. Sunday evening there is a Feast, replete with extravagant food, decorations, speeches, skits, and camaraderie. All breakfasts, Saturday lunch, and the Sunday feast are provided by the Ale, along with snacks and drinks. Attendees have the option of setting up their own tents and camping on a big field, paying extra for a bed in a dormitory, or making their own arrangements nearby.
Registration & Fees
| Basic fee | $240 |
| At-cost fee | $270 |
| Generous fee | $300 |
| 13–17-year-old guests | $120 |
| Guests under-13-years | Free |
We are trying something new with the Ale fee this year. Costs continue to increase. We are introducing a few payment options, similar to the “sliding scale” or “pay-what-you-can” models that some other folk music and dance events have been using in recent years. We are working to keep the Ale fee down, and we hope the sliding scale helps. $270 per person allows us to cover all costs for the event, and we’re including a lower option and a more generous one. For those who are interested, we plan to offer a page with a financial breakdown of the weekend soon.
All registered dancers and musicians of any age should plan to pay at least the “basic” fee, unless receiving a scholarship.
Scholarships
We are not requiring work in exchange for a reduction in Ale cost. If you need financial help attending the Ale, please indicate that you need assistance and we will follow up with a few questions about the kind of help you need.
General Weekend Schedule
Here is the rough schedule from past Ales. Some things may change, many will stay the same!
Friday
- Evening: Registration, Welcome Party, and Massed Dance Instructional.
Saturday
- Morning: Breakfast, show dancing, lunch at Potash Hill
- Afternoon: Touring and Pub Stops in Brattleboro, Show Dancing on Elliot Street
Sunday
- Morning: Breakfast, crafts market, workshops!
- Afternoon: Bus tours of Windham County, Show Dancing on Newfane Common
- Evening: Feast and Merriment (Main Hall)
Monday
- Morning: Continental Breakfast, Maypole Dancing for all who will
- Mid-morning: Goodbye!
New (or resurgent) Events
Crafts Market (Sunday morning)
We encourage anyone with a craft or product that they’d like to sell at the Ale to bring and sell your wares! We will be able to offer a location, the rest is up to you. More details soon, but let us know if you might be interested.
Morris Workshops (Sunday morning)
There will be Morris dance workshops offered by our visiting teams from England!
General Packing List
In case you’ve never been or need a reminder, we thought we could give you a sense for what people often bring to the Ale! Sometimes it’s hot, sometimes it’s snowing, sometimes it’s sunny, sometimes it’s damp, there are unlit roads and paths around campus, etc.
- Tent
- Bedding
- Camp chair
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Rain-boots
- Sandals
- Umbrella
- Raincoat
- Warm coat
- Warm hat
- Comfortable shoes
- Contra dance shoes
- Toiletries/hygiene products
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Sunglasses
- Water bottle(s)
- Mug for hot drinks
- Device charging cables
- Spare battery pack
- Dance kit/performance clothing and accessories
- Musical instruments
- Snacks