By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—The weekend-long gathering of the Northeast Mountaineers Airstream Club (NMAC) that was planned for Park Street in September has been moved to the lawn behind the Brandon Inn. The change follows pushback from a resident of Park Street who confronted Brandon’s town managers at last week’s Selectboard meeting, stating that it was unacceptable to have 20+ occupied Airstream campers lining a residential street for an entire weekend.
Brandon Town Manager Seth Hopkins sent out an email later in the week announcing the change, which was made after consultation with the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC), Brandon Rec, Sid Beccar Varela (the owner of the Inn), and NMAC.
According to Bernie Carr, BACC’s Executive Director, the change was made in order to accommodate displeased residents without having to cancel the event, which BACC sees as a means of bringing positive attention to Brandon.
“We chose Park Street because it’s downtown and one of the most beautiful streets in Vermont,” said Mr. Carr. “But we should’ve spoken to the folks on Park Street earlier. I’m more than happy to take responsibility for that.”
Mr. Carr expressed great enthusiasm for the new venue, stating that it will still allow NMAC to make a strong connection to Brandon’s downtown.
“They want to be part of the community for the weekend,” he said. He also noted that the group is made up mostly of older folks and is not likely to be noisy or disruptive.
The event will take place from 9/27 through 9/29. There will be a contest for the most creatively adorned campsite, a booth where people can find out more about the group, and a band playing “yacht rock” music.
