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Weather & Weekend Rundown:
If the air feels like soup again today, you are not imagining it. Friday runs hot and humid with highs in the upper 80s, near 90 in the valleys, mostly dry through the afternoon before showers and a few rumbles move in after dark. Saturday wakes up to scattered morning showers, clears into a midday lull, then pops up a few more showers and storms in the afternoon with highs in the mid 80s. Sunday is the best of the weekend, a lingering morning shower chance giving way to a mostly sunny afternoon in the low to mid 80s as the humidity finally breaks by evening.
The Sidewalk Sale has the bricks through Sunday, with Church Street merchants hauling their wares outside for a weekend of discounts. South Burlington gets a brand new farmers market tonight from 5 to 7 along the airport rec path on Airport Drive, and carnivores can size up the truckload meat sale running today at NAPA Auto Parts on Williston Road, where the headline deal is 20 ribeyes for $40. Author and illustrator Selina Alko reads from her new Judy Blume picture book at Phoenix Books at 5:30, free with preregistration, and walkers can join a 3 mile Rock Point nature walk [MEETUP] from Leddy Park at 6. Film people get the Mary Oliver documentary at the Film House at 4, with a second screening at 7. The evening splits between Strapped-In, a queer comedy showcase at Vermont Comedy Club at 7, 90 PROOF playing free at The Old Post at 7, and Half Dead covering the Dead for free on the Skinny Pancake waterfront patio at 8. If you want something more restorative, The Good Buzz Island Edition runs sauna rounds, lake dips and a sunset reggae vinyl set at Savu Lakeside from 7 to 10, and two time Grammy winner Mads Tolling loops his violin into a full band at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn at 7.
Saturday is stacked. Our own BTown Coffee Club [MEETUP] holds down Zero Gravity on Pine Street from 10, free as always, come say hi. Families have options all day, with a Family Bike Ride to Oakledge rolling from the Local Motion Trailside Center at 10, the Princess Cruise sailing the Spirit of Ethan Allen at noon with fairy tale characters aboard, and Field Day & Kites in the Park filling Veterans Memorial Park in South Burlington from 1 to 3 with kite making and sack races. The Corn Roast & Car Show parks the Champlain Valley Street Rodders at Sam Mazza's in Colchester from 10 to 4 with 1950s rock and roll on the speakers. Shelburne has the big one, the VTB & VFC Birthday Bash at the Vermont Teddy Bear factory, a free daytime party from 11 to 3 with mini golf and a bouncy castle, then a ticketed evening ($15-$20) from 5 to 9 with DJ Fattie B and a sunset drone light show. The evening lineup runs deep, with teen soul standouts MINC playing their Summertime Bash at the SEABA Center at 7 on a $15-$30 sliding scale, the Vermont Comedy Awards handing out hardware free at Vermont Comedy Club at 6, the documentary Frequency premiering at Main Street Landing with doors at 6:30, mentalist Dr. Steve Taubman's Mind Magic ($35) at the Off Center at 7:30, dance theater piece Shadowlight at the McCarthy Arts Center in Colchester at 7, and Bop To The Top closing the night at Higher Ground at 9.
Sunday leads with the Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival, paddlers filling Waterfront Park from 8 to 4 in support of Dragonheart Vermont's programs for breast cancer survivors. The Vermont Brass Trio plays free among the galleries at the BCA Center at 10, and master naturalist Gene O. Desideraggio leads a Tree ID and Natural History Tour of Ethan Allen Park at 10, preregistration required. Book people can catch Helen Whybrow celebrating the paperback of The Salt Stones at Phoenix Books from 1 to 3, free with preregistration. And with the humidity breaking, ska veterans Save Ferris close the weekend at Higher Ground at 8 with Vallory Falls opening.
Scroll down to Events Section for full list of events this week.
Track it all week, with patio, swim, and sunset scores, at Burlington Right Now.
Enjoying summer while it’s here!
The Btown Brief IRL - Burlington Social & Activities
We’re now seeing 20–30 people at our weekly events! Thanks to everyone helping host events with me. And thanks to those that show up to make it worth it. Be sure to stop by for our weekly Saturday Coffee meetup at Zero Gravity at 10am. It’s a great place to talk about weekend events too, along with news and life updates. So come find things to do this weekend together:
Join the Meetup (It’s FREE): Join Meetup group | RSVP here
Join the Telegram Group Chat: [Telegram Link] – Plan casual hangouts with other Briefers, or just another way to find us for our Saturday coffee event. Download Telegram before clicking link.
Upcoming Meetups:
BTown Coffee Club – Saturday, August 8th @ 10 AM: The weekly no pressure hang at Zero Gravity on Pine Street, grab a coffee and find us at the big table on the right.
Pick-up Basketball – Wednesday, August 12th @ 5:30 PM: Same park, same run, outdoors and free at Pomeroy Park every Wednesday evening.
Trivia at Four Quarters – Thursday, August 13th @ 6 PM: Trivia night in Winooski, bring a team or join one.
Tired of scrolling? Play the BTown Digital Arcade instead!
I keep on adding more games! The digital arcade is officially packed with 30+ free, Burlington-themed games like Church St Surfers, Flappy Champ, Where in Burlington and BTown Wordle. There are zero ads to skip and no apps to download, just a straightforward way to kill some time. I also added monthly leaderboards that reset on the 1st, and whoever is holding the top spots will get named right here in the Brief. Go claim your bragging rights and set a high score over at play.btownbrief.com.
Never be bored in Burlington again. Use the BTown Hub Page
The arcade gets the spotlight, but the pages I see people coming back to all day are the quieter ones. Burlington Pulse tracks what the town is talking about right now: the r/burlington threads taking off, plus headlines from every local newsroom, refreshed morning to night. My weather page covers what the forecast leaves out, like the lake temperature, which beaches say swim, whether tonight is a patio night, and a scored sunset forecast that says whether tonight is worth walking down to the water for. And Since You Checked remembers your last visit and only shows what changed in Burlington since, like road work, beach flips, city hall agendas, restaurant openings.
The What Now page is the anti-feed. Open it and it hands you one good answer to "what should I do right now?" It checks the weather, the hour, and what's actually happening in town, then gives you a single idea instead of a list of forty. Don't like it? Tap again. And there's still more like live hours for 281 restaurants with a built-in dinner randomizer, every event in town pulled from 25 sources, every beach and swim spot on the shore with live statuses, what just opened and closed, the newest local job postings, every local property manager (or almost every) for when you need an apartment, a downtown walking tour, clubs to join or hobbies to take up, and 206+ things to do. Plus many, many more to browse through. All of it is free, and hub.btownbrief.com maps the whole thing.
Support the Brief to Keep it Running!
Why support? Every week, I sort through TONS of local sources: Seven Days events, Front Porch Forum calendar, Facebook events, Hello Burlington, Meetup.com, Eventbrite, Church St Marketplace calendar, Flynn, Higher Ground, Vermont Comedy Club, and then news stations like VTDigger, Seven Days, WCAX, WPTZ, Vermont Public, Community News Service, VT Cynic, The Other Paper, Vermont Business Magazine, Williston Observer, MyChamplainValley, The Charlotte News, to keep you connected. It takes a long time to curate and write about all this local content, so if this lengthy newsletter saves you time, or has introduced you to new experiences in Burlington, then definitely consider chipping in!
Become a Monthly Supporter: [Here] – Tiers start at $5. $10+ tiers get fresh Btown Brief merch!
One-Time Donation: [Here] – Buy me a coffee for the late-night editing sessions. Can also choose ANY monthly donation amount here.
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Local News (All Links Clickable)
"For 46 years, this event has brought people together on Church Street, and that's what makes it such an important tradition," per Vermont Business Magazine.
The sale runs Wednesday through Sunday with deals spread across the whole Marketplace, from 50 to 90 percent off under the 4T2D tent to Gaku Ramen throwing in free mochi with a meal. Outdoor Gear Exchange brings back its Consignment Yard Sale today through Sunday alongside a new rewards program. If you only browse the bricks once a year, this is the weekend the stores meet you halfway.
"It's nice to hear something good once a week. There is so much darkness out there," per Seven Days.
For the past month, artist Paige Hurley has been turning everyday acts of Burlington kindness into quick color sketches, posting each one on the bulletin board at Speeder & Earl's on Pine Street every Thursday before handing the original to the people in it. Her latest showed two geese flying through a rainbow for a pair of roommates who discovered their grandmothers were best friends in Québec 60 years ago. She planned eight weeks of this and now has enough stories to keep going, and she is still hunting for the stranger on a scooter who handed out chocolates on Charlotte Street, reachable on Instagram if you know them.
"This year's Daysies applaud 230 winners, all of whom locals say live up to the hype," per Seven Days.
Nearly 14,000 readers cast more than 300,000 votes in this year's Hollywood themed Daysies, crowning 230 winners and 908 finalists across food, drink, culture, shopping and recreation. Burlington did fine for itself, with Honey Road sharing best restaurant honors, La Di Da taking best new restaurant, and Sneakers in Winooski splitting best brunch. Worth a scroll before your next night out!
"We can't just expect tourism to happen to us. We need to continue to invest in it," per VTDigger.
The state unveiled a hand drawn Vermont wordmark and the motto State of Inspiration, its first dedicated tourism brand, with the letter m shaped like Camel's Hump and taglines like "Farm to table. We just call it dinner." The $275,000 project answers a study that found 79 percent of American travelers rate Vermont appealing while only 15 percent name it unprompted as somewhere they plan to visit. With visitor spending at 9 percent of state GDP, triple the national average, closing that gap is real money.
"I'm excited to be able to do kids' programming in a space without a bar," per Seven Days.
The nonprofit arm of Vermont Comedy Club is opening a 30 to 40 seat theater at 118 Main Street, across from the club in the basement space that used to hold the Drink bar. Executive director Natalie Miller wants it ready before next month's Big Pond Improv Festival, giving local standup, sketch and improv performers stage time the 140 seat club can only spare on weeknights. Skipping the liquor license is deliberate, keeping the room open to young performers.
"We're paying the price for bird's bad behavior over the last couple of years," per NBC5.
Burlington Segway owner Rick Sharp has put new rental e-bike fleets on the streets, and unlike the Bird bikes that ended up strewn across sidewalks, these only unlock and return at designated racks. The 40 mile range is enough to ride the causeway, catch the ferry and tour South Hero before heading home. They run 7 to 8 daily until overnight freezes arrive in November, and expansion spots are already under consideration.
"There's nostalgia. There's history. People remember where they sat and what they ate," per Seven Days.
Four years after closing to make way for Pascolo, David Melincoff reopened Sweetwaters in its old bank building at 120 Church Street, chicken fingers and Shirt Sleeve wrap intact alongside new dishes like a Queen City rice bowl that impressed the reviewer most. The 178 seat room hit a record 670 customers on a mid July Saturday, still shy of the original's thousand customer peaks. The 1981 mural of Bernie Sanders and Big Joe Burrell stays tiled over for now, though Melincoff says he would take a chisel to the tile himself if he could.
"medium and large businesses are good for Vermont too," per VTDigger.
Five Democrats are chasing three seats in Tuesday's primary for the district covering South Burlington, Shelburne, Williston and points southeast, with cross endorsed incumbents Thomas Chittenden, Ginny Lyons and Kesha Ram Hinsdale facing first time candidates Joanna Grossman and pediatrician Elizabeth Hunt. Healthcare affordability has displaced guns and climate as the issue voters raise at the door, with Lyons pointing to her work expanding primary care access and Hunt calling for an audit of the Green Mountain Care Board. Chittenden is running openly pro growth while Grossman stakes out small business ground, and the vote lands Tuesday, August 11.
"This resolution was developed to restore a simple expectation that everyone in Burlington feel safe," per Seven Days.
The council's Democrats passed their Burlington Forward resolution 7 to 5 on party lines late Monday after more than 100 people spoke across three hours, 60 of them against. The measure targets unpermitted services like Food Not Cops' daily meal share in City Hall Park and calls for zoning that would keep needle exchanges and the planned overdose prevention center out of downtown. Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak had asked the Dems to table it and criticized them for skipping her office on the way in. It now heads to four committees, with reports due back September 14.
"This showed me and hopefully can show the students that we're just as competitive as other states and that we can, you know, do projects at the same caliber," per WCAX.
South Burlington rising senior Momin Waqar became Vermont's first ever representative at the national ACT-SO competition in Chicago, bringing a yearlong project on how an anti inflammatory peptide affects central nervous system cells, work that could sharpen understanding of diseases like ALS. He did part of the research in a UVM lab after winning the Vermont STEM fair in March, and the Rutland NAACP nominated him for the national stage. He starts senior year this fall hoping to keep the neuroscience going.
"Through our 2025 IPO, BETA raised approximately $1.2 billion, and our relationship with EXIM Bank aims to provide an additional $1 billion of non-dilutive growth capital," per Vermont Business Magazine.
The South Burlington electric aircraft maker and the Export-Import Bank announced intent to expand their financing relationship by up to $1 billion, including roughly $830 million in new capital on top of the $170 million that helped build the local production facility. BETA's commercial backlog has grown from about $1 billion to $3.9 billion since that first deal, and the money would go toward roughly doubling manufacturing throughput. Nothing is binding yet, and Q2 results land August 12.
QUICK HITS
One couple drove up from Delaware for last weekend's Festival of Fools, which founder Woody Keppel dreamed up decades ago while passing through Burlington with a troupe of street performers. Street dancer Snap Boogie closed a Pine Street warmup show with at least seven one handed flips.
UVM men's soccer opens the season ranked 13th nationally after last year's 29 match unbeaten run, the longest in the country. Niklas Herceg turned down FC Dallas to come back for another year, and the opener is Thursday, August 20 at Virtue Field against George Mason.
Two days after the council advanced the Dems' safety plan, Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak used her monthly press conference to defend her administration's own approach, flanked by city staff and advocates. She plans to meet with Gov. Scott about state resources for homelessness and substance use.
Two people escaped unhurt after their sailboat caught fire on Malletts Bay Thursday, likely from a lightning strike to the mast. A nearby boater had it out with a fire extinguisher before Colchester crews even arrived.
Armando Paulino Estudillo pleaded guilty in federal court in Burlington to paying prominent immigrant rights organizer Nacho De La Cruz $2,000 to smuggle his girlfriend across the Canadian border last year. De La Cruz has pleaded not guilty to his own nine count indictment, and Paulino Estudillo faces sentencing in October.
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!
Ready to play? Click the link below, enter your name, and show us what you've got. Btown Brief Quiz
Events:
This is the curated cut. The full calendar, 25 sources refreshed twice a day, lives at Burlington events.
Friday, August 7, 2026
General Events
10:00 AM: Sidewalk Sale at Church Street Marketplace, Burlington (Free)
10:00 AM: GRAND OPENING: 20 RIBEYES $40 / HUGE TRUCKLOAD MEAT SALE IN BURLINGTON, VT @ NAPA AUTO PARTS at NAPA Auto Parts, South Burlington
10:00 AM: UVM Catamount Educational Summer Farm Stand at 65 Green Mountain Drive, South Burlington
10:00 AM: Dinosaur Safari Exhibit at ECHO at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington (Free with Admission or ECHO Membership)
10:00 AM: Glass Factory and Storefront Open !! at AO Glass, Burlington (Free for all, come on in!)
10:30 AM: YSO Lakeside at Offsite (see event page), Burlington (Free)
11:45 AM: Lunch with the Poets at The Innovation Café, Burlington (Free) — MEETUP.com
12:00 PM: Cruise aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III at Spirit of Ethan Allen, Burlington ($36.99 for Adults, $15.99 for Kids 3-11, $4.99 for Infants 0-2)
2:00 PM: Sun to Cheese Tour 2026 at Shelburne Farms Welcome Center, Shelburne ($20)
2:00 PM: The Ultimate Chocolate Tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington ($16)
3:00 PM: Pub Hour at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: YSO Schmanska Park at Offsite (see event page), Burlington (Free)
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Original Skiff + Oyster, Burlington
4:30 PM: Stand Up for Democracy in Malletts Bay, Colchester at Intersection of W. Lakeshore, E. Lakeshore & Blakely Roads, Colchester
4:30 PM: YSO Pomeroy Park at Offsite (see event page), Burlington (Free)
4:30 PM: Friday Lego Builders at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: South Burlington Farmers Market at 1223 Airport Drive, South Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: Food Truck Fridays with Tournesol & Nameless Tacos at 4947 Spear St, Shelburne, Shelburne
5:30 PM: Selina Alko at Phoenix Books (Burlington), Burlington (Free; preregister)
6:00 PM: Yin Yoga & Sacred Sound (at Chace Mill) at Chace Mill, Burlington
6:00 PM: Double Shot is coming back to the Colchester Legion! We can't wait! at Colchester Legion, Colchester
6:35 PM: Vermont Lake Monsters Local Legends Night at Vermont Lake Monsters, Burlington ($12 for adults, $6 for kids)
6:35 PM: Worcester Bravehearts at Vermont Lake Monsters at Centennial Field, Burlington ($7.50-19.50)
7:00 PM: 2026 Seven Daysies Party - Finalists, Advertisers & Super Readers Invited! at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington ($15)
7:00 PM: Mads Tolling: "In the Loop" at Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($38.09)
7:00 PM: The Good Buzz - Sauna + Beats + Sips | Island Edition at SAVU Pop-Up Sauna Lakeside, Lakeside Avenue, Burlington (7-10 PM)
7:00 PM: Summer Celebration at Brownell Library, Essex Junction
8:00 PM: DANCING IN THE STREETS: HALF DEAD 🎵 at 60 Lake St, Burlington, Burlington
9:00 PM: SMOKER'S PARADISE at Higher Ground, South Burlington ($8.13–$50)
Times Vary: Exploring the 8 Limbs of Yoga (at Chace Mill) at Chace Mill, Burlington
Times Vary: Morning Tech Help at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free; preregister.)
Times Vary: Mah-Jongg at Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston
Times Vary: Laughter Yoga at Iyengar Yoga Center of Vermont, Burlington
Times Vary: Duplicate Bridge Games at Burlington Bridge Club, Williston ($6.)
Times Vary: Weekly Meditation at Outright Vermont, Burlington
Times Vary: Family Friday With Linda Bassick at Pingala Café North Avenue, Burlington
Times Vary: Drop-In at Outright Vermont, Burlington
Times Vary: Burlington FNG at Outright Vermont, Burlington
Times Vary: French Conversation for All at Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston (Free; preregister; limited space.)
Times Vary: The Poetry Experience at Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington
Times Vary: Community Phenology at Rock Point at Rock Point Center, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
Times Vary: Weekly Bird Walk at Rock Point Center, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
Times Vary: Chess Club at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington
Times Vary: Sensory-Friendly Sunday at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
Times Vary: Winooski Farmers Market at Winooski Falls Way, Winooski (Free)
Times Vary: Sunday Polo Match at Amdez Polo Club, Shelburne ($10-20)
Times Vary: New Mindfulness Meditation Gathering at Hood Plant, Burlington
Times Vary: New Leaf Sangha Mindfulness Practice at Hot Yoga Burlington, Burlington
Performances
4:00 PM: Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World at Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington ($6-12) (also 7:00 PM)
7:00 PM: Strapped-In: A Queer Comedy Showcase at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($15)
Live Music/DJ
10:30 AM: Music Time at Brownell Library, Essex Junction
12:30 PM: Summer Concert Series: Joshua Glass Trio at BCA Burlington City Arts, Burlington (Free)
4:00 PM: Windjammer Summer Patio Music Series at Windjammer, South Burlington
4:00 PM: Will and Evan at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Live Music at Switchback Brewing Co., Burlington (free)
5:30 PM: Mowgli Giannitti at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Rock Point nature walk - 3 miles at Leddy Park, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: The Nancy Druids, Izzy Jones at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10)
6:00 PM: Randal Pierce at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: 90 PROOF @ The Old Post at The Old Post, South Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Mads Tolling Concert: "In the Loop" at Shelburne Farms at Coach Barn, North Gate Road, Shelburne
7:00 PM: Barbacoa Karaoke at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free)
7:00 PM: Friday Night at Specs at Specs Cafe & Bar, Winooski (Free)
8:00 PM: The Bubs, Planette Automatic at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10/$15)
8:00 PM: DJ Two Sev, Ron Stoppable, Dylan Nguyen, Chaston at Red Square, Burlington (Free)
8:15 PM: MAD, Jensen Alley at Monkey House, Winooski ($5/$10)
9:00 PM: Dusk Quartet at The 126, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM: DJ Lavilamod at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington ($10)
10:00 PM: Live DJ at Ri Ra! at RiRa Irish Pub, Burlington (Free)
10:00 PM: The Good Buzz: Island Edition at Savu Sauna Lakeside, Burlington ($30-45)
11:00 PM: Late Night Karaoke hosted by Owen Leavey at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10)
Times Vary: Flatbread Friday at The Wheeler Homestead, South Burlington
Times Vary: South End Get Down at Coal Collective, Burlington (Free; cost of food and drink.)
Times Vary: Karaoke Friday Night at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
Times Vary: Karaoke with DJ Big T at McKee's Original, Winooski (Free)
Times Vary: DJ Taka at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington ($10/$15)
Times Vary: DJ Big Dog at Thingz From Yaad, Burlington (Free)
Times Vary: Queeraoke with Lizzie Murderz at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski (Free)
Saturday, August 8, 2026
General Events
8:30 AM: Winooski Community Clean-Up Aug. 8, Winooski
8:30 AM: Join Winooski Gardening Group Sat. Morning Gardening at Rotary Park, Winooski
9:00 AM: Member Mornings at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington
9:00 AM: Burlington Farmers Market at 345 Pine St, Burlington
10:00 AM: Corn Roast & Car Show at Sam Mazza's Farm Market, Colchester
10:00 AM: BTown Coffee Club at Zero Gravity Brewery, Burlington (Free) — MEETUP.com
10:00 AM: Birthday Bash! A Joint Celebration of VTB X VFC! at 6655 Shelburne Road, Shelburne ($15 early bird / $20 after Aug 1)
10:00 AM: Family Bike Ride to Oakledge Park at Local Motion Bike Rentals, Steele Street, Burlington
10:30 AM: Degrowth Cafe at Fletcher Free Library, College Street, Burlington (Free)
10:30 AM: Free TV-Internet Senior Savings Program at Essex Jct. Senior Center, Lincoln Street, Essex Junction (Free)
11:00 AM: Natural Dyes Workshop at Burnham Memorial Library at Burnham Memorial Library, Main Street, Colchester (Free)
11:00 AM: Read to Chewie the Therapy Dog at Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester (Free)
11:00 AM: Saturdays Are For The Classics at Bay & Brisket, Colchester
11:00 AM: Stand Up for Voting Rights at Corner of Shelburne Rd and Hannaford Drive, South Burlington
11:00 AM: VTB & VFC Birthday Bash at Vermont Teddy Bear! at Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, Shelburne (Daytime FREE, Evening Drone Show $15 for Adults)
11:00 AM: Stories With Geoff at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington (Free)
11:45 AM: Sculpt HIlT & Flow - Saturdays at SoulShine Power Yoga Downtown, Burlington
12:00 PM: Princess Cruise - A magical family experience aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen on Lake Champlain at Waterfront, Burlington, Burlington
1:00 PM: Field Day & Kites in the Park at Veterans Memorial Park, Dorset Street, South Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: The Poetry Experience at Pickering Room, Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: Splash Dance: DJ Love at BCA Burlington City Arts, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Left Eye Jump at Red Square at Red Square, Burlington
3:00 PM: Intro to Adobe Premiere at The Media Factory, Burlington (Free; donations accepted; preregister.)
4:00 PM: Oil Roll-On Perfume Making Workshop with Bloom Lab at Gardener's Supply Company, Marshall Avenue, Williston
4:00 PM: Eat Good Food, Help Local Families at Panera Bread, Shelburne Road, South Burlington
4:00 PM: Chaston, Mr Cheng, Aras, Raul, Chaston at Red Square, Burlington (Free)
4:00 PM: Oil Roll-On Perfume Making Workshop at Gardener's Supply, Williston ($87.70)
5:45 PM: Lake Monsters Baseball + Fireworks at Centennial Field, Burlington (~$15 (group tickets)) — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: MINC's Summertime Bash! at The SEABA Center, Burlington ($15-$30 sliding scale; doors 6 PM, show 7-9 PM)
6:05 PM: Vermont Lake Monsters Fan Appreciation Night at Vermont Lake Monsters, Burlington ($12 for adults, $6 for kids)
6:30 PM: Weekly meet! at 1136 Bay Road, Shelburne, Shelburne
7:00 PM: Shadowlight at McCarthy Arts Center, Colchester ($11.11)
7:00 PM: 'Frequency: The Secret of Everything' Vermont Premiere at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington ($25)
7:00 PM: Possession at Vermont International Film Festival, Burlington ($6-12)
7:30 PM: Mind Magic: A Night of Laughter and Astonishment at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington ($35)
9:00 PM: Bop To The Top at Higher Ground, South Burlington ($20; doors 8:30 PM)
9:00 PM: SMOKER'S PARADISE at 188 Main St, Burlington ($4.34–$53.5)
Times Vary: Vermont Lake Monsters - Post Game Fireworks Show, Burlington
Performances
6:00 PM: Vermont Comedy Awards 2026 at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington (Free)
Live Music/DJ
8:00 AM: Weekly Bird Walks at Rock Point Center at 20 Rock Point Rd, Burlington, VT, Burlington (Free)
10:30 AM: Sensing the Season / Community Phenology at Rock Point at Rock Point Center, 20 Rock Point Road, Burlington (Free)
2:00 PM: Rik Palieri at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free)
6:00 PM: Dan Bishop at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington
7:30 PM: MOMDAD, the Leatherbound Books, Andriana & the Bananas at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10/$15)
8:00 PM: Sundown Sessions at The Pinery, Burlington
8:00 PM: Remi Russin, Young Laidy, the War Turtles at Monkey House, Winooski ($10)
9:00 PM: Sneaky Miles at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM: Matt Avery Quartet at The 126, Burlington (Free)
10:00 PM: Live DJ at Ri Ra! at RiRa Irish Pub, Burlington (Free)
Sunday, August 9, 2026
General Events
8:00 AM: BHS/BTC Community Tours! at 110 Institute Rd, Burlington (Free)
8:00 AM: 20th Anniversary Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival at Waterfront, Burlington, Burlington ($0-60; preregister)
9:00 AM: Summer Forest Bathing: shinrin-yoku at Farm Barn, Shelburne ($35)
9:00 AM: Sensory-Friendly Sunday at ECHO at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington (Free for Families with Sensory-Processing Differences)
10:00 AM: Winooski Farmers Market at Winooski Farmers Market (Champlain Mill, Winooski Falls Way), Winooski (Free)
10:00 AM: Tree ID and Natural History Tour at Ethan Allen Park, Burlington ($10-15; preregister.)
11:00 AM: Motorcycle Sunday at Bay & Brisket, Colchester
11:30 AM: Shelburne Farms Tour 2026 at 1611 Harbor Rd, Shelburne ($15)
12:00 PM: LGBTQIA+ Mixer, Burlington ($6) — MEETUP.com
1:00 PM: Helen Whybrow at Phoenix Books (Burlington), Burlington (Free; preregister)
1:00 PM: Motel 6 at 74 S Park Dr, Colchester, Colchester
1:30 PM: House & Garden Tour at the Shelburne Farms Inn 2026 at Shelburne Farms Inn, Shelburne ($15)
2:00 PM: Dan Parks at The Spanked Puppy at The Spanked Puppy, Colchester
3:00 PM: Craft & Skillshare Afternoons! (Crafternoons) at Queen City Lodge Oddfellows Hall, Burlington
3:00 PM: Food For Talk Cookbook Club: Portugal at Fletcher Room, Burlington (Free)
6:45 PM: Casual sunset bike + creemees at Leddy Park, Burlington — MEETUP.com
7:45 PM: Sunset at Red Rocks Park at Red Rocks Park, South Burlington — MEETUP.com
Performances
6:30 PM: Swing Dancing - Dance Nights aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen at Waterfront, Burlington, Burlington
9:30 PM: Israeli Dancing at Temple Sinai, South Burlington (Free; donations accepted)
Live Music/DJ
10:00 AM: Sunday Classical: Vermont Brass Trio at BCA Burlington City Arts, Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: Acoustic Brunch: Reid Parsons, Ivamae at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: Summer Concert Sundays: Robin Gottfried at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
8:00 PM: Save Ferris at Higher Ground, South Burlington ($20; doors 7:30 PM)
9:00 PM: Karaoke Sundays! at Einstein Tap House, Burlington (Free!)
Times Vary: Wine & Jazz Sundays at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free)
Times Vary: Sunday Brunch Tunes at Hotel Vermont, Burlington
Here are some of my favorite BtownBrief links:
The full list of things to do around town, always waiting for you when you need a plan: Things To Do in Burlington
Every restaurant and bar in town, with their real hours, so you can see what's actually open right now: Open Right Now
Every happy hour, daily special and cheap-night I've gathered so far: Food & Drink Deals
And if you'd rather just have one link for all of it: the guide, the arcade, the whole lot hub.btownbrief.com
Looking for your people? Clubs & Groups lists run clubs, board games, book clubs, and pickup sports around town.
That’s All, Burlington!
That is your weekend. Sneak the outdoor plans into Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, keep an umbrella within reach Saturday, and know that every city beach is open and testing clean if the heat sends you to the water. If the Brief helps you figure out your weekend, you can toss a few dollars in the tip jar on ko-fi or Venmo @btownbrief, it genuinely keeps this thing running. Got a tip, a favorite haunt, or an event we should have on our radar? Send it our way, we are always listening. See you later, Burlington.
Missed an edition? Every Brief ever written is searchable.
