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Weather & Weekend Update:

Happy Friday! If you stepped outside early this morning and felt that little sting of cold, you weren't imagining it. A few slick spots were possible before dawn, but warmer air has since pushed north and the freeze concerns are behind us. Expect highs in the upper 50s to low 60s across the Champlain Valley today under mostly cloudy skies, with gusts reaching 30 to 40 mph at times. A few scattered showers may pop up, though some breaks of sunshine could sneak through later this afternoon and into the evening. Saturday starts dry with highs around 50, but rain moves in Saturday evening and sticks around through Sunday morning. Easter Sunday afternoon should see some drier stretches, but keep the umbrella handy. A cold front ushers in a noticeable cooldown early next week, with highs dropping into the 30s and 40s Monday through Tuesday before a gradual rebound toward midweek.

Tonight is warm enough to get out the door. The big headline at Higher Ground is Aly & AJ bringing their Places To Run Tour to the Ballroom (doors at 7, show at 7:30). Over at the Vermont Comedy Club, Phoebe Robinson is doing two shows tonight (7 PM and 9 PM, $30) and two more tomorrow as part of her HITTIN' THE ROAD tour. The 2 Dope Queens co-creator doing four sets in Burlington over two nights is a real treat. Meanwhile, Foam Brewers hosts Eliza Edens with Cricket Blue and Bo Malcolm starting at 7:30. It's free, and if you like luminous, introspective folk, this is your Friday night. First Friday energy is also alive at Green Door Studio on Howard Street (5 PM to midnight) with resident and guest artists, plus live music. And the Burlington Arts Showcase at Champlain College's Alumni Auditorium kicks off at 6:30 with a free, stacked lineup of live performances hosted by Kalimba Collective.

On the local culture front tonight, the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery on Pine Street opens Clark Russell's "Unclassified Art" with a reception from 5 to 9 PM featuring free beverages and snacks. Russell, a Burlington abstractivist and UVM grad, has shown work everywhere from the Fleming Museum to New York City. The exhibition runs through April 25, and you can meet the artist every Saturday from 2 to 3 PM. Also at 5:30, Main Street Landing hosts Stories of Home, a Fair Housing Month kickoff with storytelling, snacks, drinks, and the debut of Let's Talk Race Conversation Cards. It's free, but you'll want to RSVP. Over at BCA on Pine Street, The Safety Team's women-only dance party runs from 6:30 to 9:30 with DJ LOVE spinning, snacks, and seltzer. It's LGBTQ+ friendly and all funds raised support Empowerment Self-Defense training at Burlington High School. RSVP required. For the outdoor film crowd, UVM's Outing Club presents the Mountainfilm Festival at the Davis Center Grand Maple Ballroom (doors at 6:30, show at 7) with free food and giveaways. If you've got kids and caught the earlier part of the day, the Cowabunga Pizza Party at 180 Market Street in South Burlington is wrapping up this afternoon with free pizza making, pizza-inspired games, and a screening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the auditorium, hosted by South Burlington Recreation and Parks and the South Burlington Public Library. For live music later tonight, Jerborn returns to The Archives on College Street at 8 PM for their signature multi-genre shenanigans, 90 PROOF takes the stage at The Old Post in South Burlington at 8 PM, and Sticks And Stones plays On Tap in Essex Junction at 9 PM. Church Street's Hop Into Spring promotion also launched today and runs through Sunday, with participating businesses offering surprise discounts when you crack an egg. The Easter Bunny shows up on the Marketplace Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM handing out Lake Champlain Chocolates.

Saturday is packed with Easter weekend fun. But first, of course our Btown Brief Coffee Club meets at 10am at Zero Gravity for another hang out over coffee to catch up and see what others might have going on this weekend. Then, the Easter Weekend Farmers Market at Burlington Beer Co. on Flynn Ave runs 10 AM to 1 PM, with vendors like Burroughs Chocolate doing buy two get one free and Agricola Farm bringing lamb. It's also Pepper Lee VT's final Burlington Farmers Market ever, so stop by and wish Allyson well. For the kids, egg hunts are everywhere. North Avenue Alliance Church goes big with over 6,000 eggs at 3 PM. South Burlington's community egg hunt at City Hall and Rick Marcotte Central School runs 1 to 3 PM with arts, crafts, face painting, and music, plus an adaptive sensory friendly hunt at noon. The University Mall hosts a hunt for little ones ages 5 and under at 10 AM, followed by free Ben & Jerry's and the Easter Bunny at 10:30. And out in Essex Junction, the EJRP Egg Hunt at Maple Street Park is a huge one and runs 10 AM to noon. Over in Williston, Village Hardware has a candy-filled egg hunt from 10 to noon at their True Value location. If you're looking for something completely different, Burlington's new downtown cinema at 230 College Street hosts their first ever screening for kids, with what calling Partizanfilm Jr. at 12:10 PM, screening the 1953 Dr. Seuss cult classic "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T." Space is limited. Cairns Arena in South Burlington offers free family skating from 3:30 to 5 PM courtesy of Kris Luce Allstate Insurance (skate rentals available for $5). At Higher Ground, Patrick Watson brings his Uh Oh Tour to the Ballroom (doors 7, show 8), while 12/OC plays the Showcase Lounge (doors 7, show 7:30) with tickets still available. Over in Winooski, Synthy Spring takes over Standing Stone Wines from 5 to 8 PM ($20) with retro synth-pop, dark wave, and a popup sale from The Black Kitty boutique. In Shelburne, Palmer's Sugarhouse has its Sugar on Snow weekend (9 AM to 3:30 PM both Saturday and Sunday) with maple pancake breakfast, pulled pork, live music, face painting, and the Easter Bunny on Saturday. The Invasives Workday at the UVM Hort Farm in South Burlington runs 10 AM to noon for anyone who wants to learn about combating invasive species (bring gloves and loppers, register here). The Fisherman Flea Market at Essex Junction VFW Post 6689 runs 10 AM to 4 PM with fishing gear and a raffle benefiting veterans. And the all-day Barn Quilt Painting Workshop in Williston (8 AM to 4 PM) offers hands-on instruction with no artistic experience necessary.

On Easter Sunday, the Annual Neighborhood Spring Egg Hunt & Potluck at Szymanski Park in South Burlington starts with adults hiding eggs at 10 AM and the hunt kicking off at 10:30. Bring ten stuffed plastic eggs per kid and a potluck brunch item to share. And if your Easter plans involve someone else doing the cooking, the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington serves Easter brunch from 11 AM to 2 PM with chef carved ham, a raw bar, made to order eggs, live music in the atrium, and a dessert display ($59 adults, $29 ages 5 to 12, free for under 5). Call for reservations. Palmer's Sugarhouse Sugar on Snow continues Sunday as well.

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I want it to feel like a homepage for Burlington living: a place you can come back to daily, not just once. I’m still building it out, especially the food section, and I’d genuinely love your feedback. If there’s a local site, page, account, or resource you visit all the time and think should be included, reply and let me know by replying directly to this email. Otherwise, click here to check it out!

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"Being part of the group, I don't feel so alone here. My husband and I moved here without family, so it's definitely helped me fulfill that need of friends and family around," said administrator Tara Lynn, per Community News Service.

The "Buy Nothing South Burlington, VT" Facebook group has grown from a handful of members to nearly 2,000 since 2021, part of an 8,000-page national network focused on reducing waste while connecting neighbors. Members exchange everything from clothes and furniture to food and practical help. When federal SNAP benefits were cut, the group organized a food collection. It's a small-scale example of something Vermont does well: neighbors looking out for each other without requiring a reason or explanation for what you need.

"The restaurant in the Oak Street Cooperative uses 'vegetables as the celebration of the meal rather than as a separate side dish,'" per the Burlington Free Press.

Two Vermont-connected names are heading to the James Beard Awards ceremony in Chicago on June 15. Paul Trombly of Fancy's in Burlington's Old North End is a finalist for Best Chef: Northeast, and Tunbridge native Ivy Mix, co-owner of Brooklyn bar Whoopsie Daisy, is up for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service (her sixth nomination without a win). Several other Vermont semifinalists didn't advance, including Leslie McCrorey Wells of the Pizzeria Verita family of restaurants and Café Monette in St. Albans. For Trombly, it's a remarkable trajectory for a restaurant built around vegetable-forward cooking in a cooperative space on Oak Street.

"Operating restaurants has gotten more expensive, and that means higher menu prices. But just how much higher? Is it all inflation, or do food businesses need to charge even more than society-wide cost increases to stay afloat?" per Seven Days.

Using two decades of receipts from a colleague's archive, the piece tracks how menu prices at Vermont restaurants that are still around have climbed well beyond what inflation alone would explain. The pandemic's impact on wages, insurance, and ingredient costs is the main driver, and those costs haven't come back down. One bright spot: Barkeaters in Shelburne launched "Teeny Tuesday," offering smaller portions at lower prices, and sales doubled by the second week. It's a clever response to a 2025 consumer poll showing more than two thirds of diners who are eating out less often cite price increases as the reason.

"We still are the true Abenaki people," said Daniel Nolett, executive director of the Abenaki Band Council, per the Vermont Cynic.

This is one of the most sensitive and complicated identity questions in Vermont. The Abenaki of Odanak and Wôlinak, whose reserves are located northeast of Montreal, returned to UVM to reaffirm their position that Vermont's four state-recognized tribes are not genuinely Abenaki. A genealogical study by a University of Ottawa professor found that less than 3% of the state-recognized tribes' members descend from Abenaki people. The tensions are compounded by UVM's own institutional posture: despite a 2022 panel visit, the university never followed up with a meeting, and Nolett expressed concern that UVM will continue deferring to the state-recognized groups as long as the law stands. The lecturers who organized the visit said they see growing faculty interest in engaging with these questions directly.

"We were clearly the best team over the 120 minutes, but we've got to understand that we've got to put those games away," said head coach Chris Taylor, per NBC5.

The stats tell a painful story: Vermont Green outshot USL League One squad Westchester 6-0 across regulation and two overtimes but couldn't convert, then fell 4-3 in penalty kicks. Goalie Niklas Herceg made two diving saves in the shootout, but it wasn't enough. The loss snaps a winning streak dating back to July 2024. The silver lining is that a semi-pro club pushed a full-time professional team to the absolute brink with limited preparation time. Vermont Green now turns its attention to defending their USL 2 national championship, with the season opener set for May 16 at Virtue Field.

"At its March 26, 2026, meeting, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) committed $4,544,575 in state, federal, and philanthropic funding to strengthen both — approving investments to conserve 2,420 acres of Vermont's most ecologically significant lands and support 27 new affordable homes across the state," per Vermont Business Magazine.

The scope of this round of funding is remarkable. Eight conservation projects and three housing investments span the state, from permanently protecting a 442 acre swamp system in Salisbury that serves as a wildlife corridor between the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks, to building eight affordable homeownership units in Brattleboro where net sale prices will land around $140,000 against a $380,000 market value. Closer to home, a $335,656 award will preserve deep affordability at four homes in Hinesburg's Riggs Meadow development. The housing investments carry extra weight right now given looming federal rental assistance reductions, and the conservation side includes meaningful Lake Champlain water quality protections through the Dead Creek peninsula addition in Panton.

"The problem is, you make something legal, we have to give people a safe way to access it also," said Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, the bill's sponsor, per Community News Service.

S.278, which passed the Senate late last week, would let the Cannabis Control Board issue up to 20 event permits per year for licensed cannabis businesses to host sampling events. The catch: no permits at venues that also serve alcohol, and local governing body approval is required. The bill has supporters and skeptics on both sides of the industry. Larger dispensaries see potential for educational and celebratory gatherings, while small cultivators like Emerald Visions in Alburgh worry that well-funded retailers will dominate event spaces and crowd out mom-and-pop operators. Public health advocates also flagged concerns about normalizing use in ways that could shift youth attitudes.

"I applaud the labor board because they stood on the side of collective bargaining; they stood up for workers who were harmed by the governor's unilateral announcement," said VSEA executive director Steve Howard, per Seven Days.

The Vermont Labor Relations Board ruled in a 60 page decision that Gov. Scott exceeded his authority when he ordered about 3,000 state employees back to the office at least three days a week without bargaining with the union. The board ordered the policy rescinded and said workers should be given the option of returning to full remote work with reimbursement for losses. Scott's office called the board "broken" and vowed to appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court. Howard pointedly noted that Scott himself appointed or reappointed all five board members. The policy had been especially contentious for the hundreds of employees living out of state, including some who were hired into fully remote positions.

"The idea is that, as human development really reshapes the planet, artists in this show invite us to rethink our relationship with the land and our role within it," said curator Heather Ferrell, per Community News Service.

"Human Impact: Contemporary Art and Our Environment" opened March 20 and features work from eight artists responding to climate change, land use, and ecological disruption. The show runs through June 20 and is worth a visit if you're already wandering the Pine Street arts corridor this First Friday weekend. Featured artists include Diane Burko, Adriane Colburn, and Sallie Dean Shatz, among others. It's a timely exhibition given the VHCB conservation news above and the broader national conversation around environmental policy.

"I just wasn't feeling like I was a doctor. I was an employee. I was part of a system," said Dr. Umair Malik, founder of Blue Spruce Health, per Seven Days.

Direct primary care is a model where patients pay a monthly fee directly to their physician, cutting out insurance companies entirely. It's not new nationally, but it's gaining traction in Vermont as doctors burn out on high patient loads and low insurance reimbursements, and as patients face rising premiums. Malik's practice now has over 1,000 patients across offices in Newport, St. Johnsbury, and Williston. Monthly fees typically top out around $200, putting it within reach for a wider range of incomes than traditional concierge medicine. Five Vermont doctors interviewed by Seven Days all reported greater job satisfaction and better patient care. The tradeoff is real, though: if enough primary care doctors leave the traditional system, it could deepen the existing physician shortage.

"You can't rely on students just in your own backyard anymore. You have to have a much larger reach, go to other states, go to other countries, to expand that pool of students who want to come to your institution," said St. Michael's College president Richard Plumb, per WCAX.

The numbers are sobering: about half of Vermont's private colleges have closed or merged in the last decade, and nationally more than 500 small colleges have shuttered since 2014. The remaining schools are trying different survival strategies. Champlain College is rolling out a new academic model with flexible credits for career-focused experiences like co-ops. St. Michael's is launching a tuition matching program that pegs its price to a student's home state flagship university. Vermont State University, three years into its campus merger, is now leasing buildings to outside organizations. The common thread is that standing still isn't an option.

"A lot of people don't realize what's available around here. Even the people who are committed to shopping local don't realize what's available around here," said Myti founder Bill Calfee, per Seven Days.

Burlington-based Myti, which already operates as a local alternative to Amazon with about 70 enrolled stores and up to 100,000 items, has released a browser extension called Myti Local Finder. When you're browsing a national retailer's website, the extension searches your zip code for local independent stores carrying the same product. More than 300 users have downloaded it so far, and Calfee was surprised to see downloads coming from outside Vermont. The concept is straightforward but the timing feels right, especially as conversations about keeping dollars local continue to grow. Once the model is proven here, Calfee plans to expand it elsewhere.

"Vermont's SBA award winners highlight the creativity, resilience, and achievements of our small business communities across the Green Mountain State," said SBA Vermont District Director Adam Locklin, per Vermont Business Magazine.

Diane Abruzzini and Colin Riggs of Rigorous Technology, a Williston-based industrial robotics company, will be recognized at a June 11 event and are in the running for the national award. They founded the company as a home-based business in 2020 and have grown to a team of 12 across 10,000 square feet of space. Other Vermont winners include Bolton Valley Resort for family-owned business, Douglas Sweets in Shelburne for microenterprise (also the New England winner), and Queen City Dry Goods in Williston for small business manufacturer.

"Spock had observed that higher-end Burlington restaurants were 'offering awesome product but not necessarily awesome value,'" per Seven Days.

Gold Restaurant on North Winooski Ave has sold over 38,000 oysters since opening in July 2024, with more than 80% of those going for a dollar each during their daily 4:30 to 6 PM special. Yes, they lose money on most of them (wholesale runs about 92 cents to $1.10 per oyster), but the strategy works because customers pair their buck-a-shuck with drinks and food. The piece suggests a $15 meal of six dollar oysters and a plate of their hand-cut fries, which sounds like one of the best deals in town right now. With the dining cost piece above as context, this is a nice reminder that value dining isn't totally extinct in Burlington.

Quick Hits

The months-long dredging project at Perkins Pier and the community boathouse marina is done, making the harbor about three feet deeper for boats after last summer's drought caused lake levels to drop and vessels to bottom out. Mike Shea of the Spirit of Ethan Allen said his boat only needed a minor adjustment, but other marina neighbors had a tougher time docking and operating safely. A UVM researcher also weighed in on why the same approach doesn't work for flood control in rivers, noting that dredging can actually make rivers more powerful and erosion-prone.

"Pints for Pugs" at Switchback Brewing Company brought out dog lovers and their four-legged friends for an afternoon of beer and good intentions. For every drink sold, a dollar went to Green Mountain Pug Rescue to help cover medical expenses and care for dogs awaiting adoption. The event has become a local staple, and organizers plan to return in June with an expanded setup that includes a fenced play area.

IT’S APRIL!! The winner of March’s news quizzes is: Ylime!

You were incredibly sharp this month, putting up 17 points and never scoring below a 4/5! Plt had slightly higher score, but they won for January already, so we’re passing the torch to you for March. If this is you, shoot me an email at [email protected] with your requested shirt design and size!

Quick shoutout to the following players that came in the top 5 overall this month! Keep playing for your chance to win free merch!

Plt, Runrabbit17, Jessica Mesec, & avak5253!

How good of a reader are you? Think you’re keeping up with Burlington news? It's time to prove it. Every Monday and Friday, we're dropping a quick 5-question quiz covering the local news you just finished reading. You've got just 60 seconds to answer them all. No looking back allowed. Use the same unique name each time you play so everyone can track your stats in our Hall of Fame, where you'll compete for titles like Sharpshooter (highest accuracy), Speed Demon (fastest average time), and Streak Leader (most consistent player). Make your name (or cool nickname) known to Btown!

And yes, there are PRIZES. Each month, we'll reward the top performers based on the best combination of Total Score and Average Score. That means playing consistently AND playing well will pay off. The more quizzes you complete with high scores, the better your chances of winning. I mean, who doesn’t want cool Btown Merch gear sent to them?

Ready to play? Click the link below, enter your name, and show us what you've got. Btown Brief Quiz

View the potential prizes on the Btown Brief Merch Store

UVM Athletics & Vermont Green FC: Weltz Honored, Women's Lacrosse Falls to Brown, and Vermont Green FC Exits U.S. Open Cup

University of Vermont women's basketball captain Jadyn Weltz was selected as one of 26 recent graduates for the 23rd class of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association "So You Want To Be A Coach" program. The program takes place April 1-3 during the WBCA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Weltz finished her Catamounts career averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, earning praise from Head Coach Alisa Kresge as a "bright, young leader."

The Vermont women's lacrosse team fell to Brown on the road Wednesday evening. Lydia Doraz led the Catamounts with two goals, while Karina Sethi contributed a team-high three points with a goal and two assists. Jane Trauger and Ali Cabot also found the back of the net, and goalie Anna Rosenberger recorded six saves in the effort. The Catamounts will head back home for a conference battle with Binghamton on Saturday, April 11 at 12 p.m.

In soccer, Vermont Green FC fell to professional club Westchester SC 4-3 in a penalty kick shootout in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup. After battling to a scoreless draw through 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes of overtime before a sold-out crowd at Virtue Field, the shootout ended the Green's tournament run. The physical match featured yellow cards for both sides and a red card for Westchester head coach George Gjokaj. The men's club will host its home opener on May 22 versus Albany Rush, while the women's team will host its inaugural home opener against New England Mutiny on May 26.

Upcoming Home Games

  • Apr 4: Men's Lacrosse 2026 vs Princeton (Sat ⦁ 12:00pm)

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Friday, April 3, 2026

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Saturday, April 4, 2026

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Sunday, April 5, 2026

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Here are some of my favorite BtownBrief links:

Full list of 202+ activities to do at anytime is always waiting here when you need a plan: 202+ Things to Do

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That’s All, Burlington!

That covers your Friday afternoon briefing. This weekend's a good one, whether you're cracking eggs on Church Street, catching sold out shows, or just trying to squeeze in one last warm day before the cold front arrives. Give those linked articles a read when they land in the news section, and support the local outlets doing the reporting.

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