To the Editor:
"An escape room, also known as an escape game, puzzle room, exit game, or riddle room is a game in which a team of players discover clues, solve puzzles, and accomplish tasks in one or more rooms in order to accomplish a specific goal in a limited amount of time. The goal is often to escape from the site of the game." -- Wikipedia
I've spent the last year recruiting escape room owners from Albany and New York City to Main Street, Bennington, without much luck. A few months ago I had another brainstorm: Why waste time and energy trying to bring an escape room to Main Street Bennington when we can make our own?
Build it inside the historic and spacious Winslow Building. Call it the Battle of Bennington Escape Room.
We have a great story to tell. Without Bennington's victory over the British there's no America, straight up. So let's tell it to the world in a fun new way.
Bennington (along with Pownal and Shaftsbury and Woodford and Arlington) has so many artists and storytellers and creatives and tradespeople (carpenters, electricians, plumbers) and engineers, and an abundance of energy. I'd like to think assembling a team from this deep pool of talent to build the Battle of Bennington Escape Room would be simple. I envision collaborations with the Friends of the Bennington Battle Monument and Bennington Museum and Bennington Historical Society among others.
I participated in my first escape room not long ago in New York City. We escaped from a runaway train and station with 3 minutes to spare, and it was so much fun. I really do think that if we build it, the Battle of Bennington Escape Room, they will come to have fun (even if some can't escape).
Speaking of building something fun for those who love to play games, The Gamer's Grotto on Main Street is the site of a "Warhammer 40K" tournament this Sunday, May 28.
"Warhammer is a miniature modeling war game hobby," Gamer's Grotto owner Keith Carey said. "Players buy kits, assemble them, paint them, and then table the complete models to have a war game using a rule book, tape measure, and dice to determine who wins."
Doors open at 9 in the morning and Warhammering starts at 10. Spectators are welcome to come watch.
Joey Kulkin
Director, Downtown Bennington Alliance
