Our 18th annual AMFF Fly-Fishing Festival will take place on the museum grounds in beautiful Manchester, Vermont, on Saturday, August 9, from 10 am until 4 pm, rain or shine. This is our signature event of the summer, featuring a unique collection of vendors, including painters, appraisers, industry artisans and professionals, and other angling-related nonprofits. Come enjoy fly tying and casting demonstrations, try your hand at casting vintage rods, learn how to tie a fly, and mingle with like-minded people as you share the joy of the great outdoors.
On Friday, August 8, we’re bringing back our Manchester dinner! Save the date and plan to join us for a BBQ meal catered by Jimmy Kennedy under the big tent on the museum grounds. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.
Schedule of Events
Join us throughout the day for a wide array of activities, including presentations, competitions, and demonstrations. From beginner to seasoned angler, our experts will have something for everyone.
10:30 am: Author and rod maker Hoagy Carmichael discusses the rods of Everett Garrison
11:00 am: Casting seminar with Trico Unlimited
11:30 am–1 pm: Casting competition
12:30 pm: Children’s Time with Trout Unlimited at the pond gazebo
1:00 pm: Live Streamer Fly Tying webinar with Scott Biron
2:00 pm: Casts & Fastballs: a roundtable discussion with former MLB players Jim Beattie, Jim Kaat, and Rick Porcello
3:00 pm: Raffle drawing (entrants do not need to be present to win)
Happening all day:
Tackle appraisals with Bob Selb and Fred Kretchman
Vendors and non-profits
Fly-tying demonstrations
Casting the Classics
Local food and beverage trucks
Children’s activities
Explore multiple exhibitions in the museum galleries
Live music by Shannon Roy
Free museum admission all day
Festival Vendors
Browse goods from fly fishing vendors, authors, and local Vermont companies or chat with a representative from a nonprofit organization.
- 2Fish Illustration
- American Sporting Auctions
- Bel Voirdale
- Callahan & Co Booksellers
- Carlson Rod Co
- Casting for Recovery
- Classic Fly Fisherman
- Gear Haus/The Fly Haus
- Gamekeepers Bookshelf
- Luther Hall
- Jordan-Mills Rod Co.
- Kretchman Fly Rods
- Pentalux Rods
- The Perfection Fly Reel Co.
- Rifles to Rods
- Stony Creek Rods
- Tackle Treasures
- Trico Unlimited
- Thornton River Fly Tackle
- Steve Woit, author of Fly Fishing Treasures
List in progress
Fly Tyers
Visit the tyers tent any time during the day to learn from some of the best.
- Kelly Bedford
- Scott Biron
- George Butts
- Paul Sinicki
- Mike Stewart
List in progress
Casting Competition
Test your skills against your fellow anglers! Participants can cast at will at any target in any sequence with unlimited false casts. Yarn ‘fly’ must land fully inside target to be awarded points. Participants cannot move the ‘fly’ once it has hit the ground. Sponsored by Orvis.
Raffle
Buy raffle tickets for a chance to win some great prizes (including a beautiful painting by acclaimed artist George Van Hook) and support AMFF (winner need not be present!)
Food Vendors
The good folks at Cut the Pie Pizza Co. will bring their wood-fired pizza back to the festival this year.
Smugglers’ Notch Distillery has been making award-winning spirits since its founding in 2006. Sample some of their best bourbons, gins, rum, rye, vodkas, and liqueurs.
Sexy Llama Roasters is once again bringing their mobile espresso bar offerings of single-origin, high quality, ethical caffeinated goodness to the festival
The good folks at Mount Holly Beer Co. are bringing their Vermont-brewed single origin lager bier and hazy IPA back to our food and beverage offerings.
Makers of barrel-aged gin and whiskey, Stonecutter Spirits will be here with samples of their award-winning creations.
By using only local and organic resources, implementing traditional and natural fermentation techniques, and taking part in the entire process from start (grafting and planting the trees) to finish (drinking the cider), Watson Wheeler Cider aims to deliver a superior and authentic craft cider that reflects the terroir and history of our region in the southern Green Mountains.
Live Music
Shannon Roy will once again bring her unique mix of music to the festival, covering songs and artists ranging from the 60s to present day hits, as well as a few originals for good measure.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Support from our sponsors has made the Fly-Fishing Festival our most popular event.
Event Sponsors
