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Weather & Weekend Rundown:

Burlington woke up soggy, but the steadier overnight rain has mostly cleared by now, but there is a second act on the way. By early afternoon another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected to push through. Highs settle in the mid 70s. The reward comes later, as the storms should clear by evening and the city may even catch a few breaks of sun before sunset. The weekend looks far kinder, with Saturday partly sunny and near 80 aside from a stray afternoon shower, and Sunday shaping up as the pick of the two, mostly sunny and around 83. Soak it in while it lasts, because real summer heat and humidity start building back in next week.

If the radar cooperates, Friday night has more going on than one evening can hold. The lunch crowd gets first dibs at City Hall Park, where Vermont Folklife's youth trad ensemble Sugar in the Pan plays a free midday set. Come late afternoon the farm stands open up, and Berry Time at Paul Mazza's brings a full farmers market to the Essex location on River Road from 4 to 8, with pizza, donuts, sourdough, smoked cheddar, and roughly two dozen other vendors, plus picking that has reportedly been epic. Over on the airport rec path, the new South Burlington Farmers Market marks its 2nd week from 5 to 7, shuttle and all. Out in Shelburne, Food Truck Friday at Sisters of Anarchy pairs local eats with live music from Ryan Sweezey, also 5 to 8.

As the evening fills in, take your pick of moods. Zero Gravity on Pine Street hosts a free cookout and lot jam on the road to Frendly Gathering, DJ spinning from 5 to 9. The Burlington Area Ladies Social Group gathers for a summer foods potluck [MEETUP] in Essex Junction, while the Spanked Puppy in Colchester goes full island with a Hawaiian luau and cover band Barbie N Bones. Queen City Contras holds its regular dance at Shelburne Town Hall, where no partner or experience is needed and every dance is taught. Comedy fans can catch Myq Kaplan, of Tonight Show and Conan fame, at the Vermont Comedy Club at 7. Later still, Local Strangers brings free music to the Skinny Pancake patio, glow discs come out for Full Moon Glow disc golf in South Burlington, naturalists head to Rock Point for a moth and firefly night with s'mores included, and Sticks and Stones takes the patio at On Tap in Essex Junction.

Saturday is the big one, and the forecast mostly plays along. Early risers can start with Cars and Coffee at Bag Riders in Williston from 7 to 9, or ease into our BTown Coffee Club [MEETUP] at Zero Gravity at 10. There is a strong outdoorsy streak to the morning, with Step into your breath, a guided walking and breathing session at Catamount, the Vermont Zen Center opening its gardens for a hands on lesson in Zen gardening, the UVM Master Gardeners and Rethink Runoff installing a rain garden at Burnham Library, and a neighborhood yard sale spilling across Lakeview Terrace just north of Battery Park with more than a dozen families and plenty to hunt through. Additionally, you can also check out the free Hello Summer Party at the Vermont Teddy Bear factory in Shelburne, face painting and bouncy castle included, or the tenth anniversary Vermont Renaissance Faire at the Champlain Valley Expo, where jousting, armored combat, and a Highlander guest star await, running Sunday as well.

Downtown stays busy clear through the afternoon. The BTV Market returns to City Hall with local makers from 11 to 3, while ODD Fest takes over the Oddfellows Hall on North Avenue from noon to 8 with a delightfully offbeat lineup of ten bands and a free indoor arts and flea market upstairs, packed with handmade goods and one of a kind vintage finds, every dollar at the door going to the North End Food Pantry. Down on the waterfront, the fifteenth annual Burlington Wine and Food Festival pours hundreds of wines from around the world at Hula alongside dishes from top local restaurants, chef demos, and live jazz, with grand tasting sessions at 12:30 and 5. By evening the options multiply. The free Summer BBQ on the North Avenue lawn serves burgers and live music from 4 to 7, Citizen Cider screens the final World Cup group stage matches with smashburger and pour specials, and Boyden Farm in Cambridge hosts a community concert with a food truck and cash bar. Night owls can weigh Candlelight, a string tribute to 90s hip hop at the First Unitarian church, against the TOP FIVE comedy showcase at the Comedy Club, where the five funniest finishers from the 2025 Vermont's Funniest Comedian Contest share one stage, winner Donavin Andronaco included. Or close out the night with Deer Tick at Higher Ground at 8, where the Rhode Island rockers bring nearly two decades of rootsy bar band energy on tour behind their ninth album, Coin-O-Matic, or a late hip hop showcase at the Monkey House in Winooski starting at 9 p.m. The event features a mix of up-and-coming talent and established New England artists, including Big Homie Wes, Big Fo, Modist, and David Chief ($10).

Sunday brings the best weather of the weekend, so plan accordingly. The morning leans active, with the Gravel and Groove women's ride and silent disco at Adam's Berry Farm in Charlotte ($), or a free casual group ride from the Colchester Rec Center to Burnham Library with a creemee stop along the way. Winooski celebrates French Heritage Day at its farmers market, waiter race and all, while in Burlington People's Pride meets at Battery Park at 11 for a march and an afternoon festival. Markets and swaps round things out, between the Strange Little Market of vintage and local art on the Unitarian church lawn and a friendly summer clothing swap [MEETUP] in Essex Junction. For something different, Four Quarters in Winooski runs an open air mix of DJs all afternoon, the Strawberry Cup brings tailgate polo to Shelburne, and the Spirit of Ethan Allen sets sail for a hip hop dance cruise on the water. The Renaissance Faire keeps the jousting going for a second day too.

See Events Section for full list of events Friday-Sunday.

Champlain Parkway opens June 29th!

The Btown Brief IRL - We’re now seeing 20–30 people at our weekly events! Here is what we have coming up:

This Coming Week:

  • BTown Coffee ClubEvery Saturday @ 10:00 AM: Our favorite weekly casual social at Zero Gravity. Start your weekend right with our low-key weekly social at Zero Gravity Brewery. Just good coffee, great conversation and even furthering weekend plans.

  • Pick-up BasketballEvery Wednesday @ 5:30 PM: Come play pick up basketball with me at Pomeroy Park! My favorite hobby.

Other Upcoming Events:

  • Paddle at Oakledge BeachSunday, July 12th @ 11:00 AM: Cast off with us for a relaxing morning of kayaking and paddleboarding around the lake, followed by optional post-paddle drinks to toast our success.

  • Barbie n Bones at Snow Farm WineryThursday, July 16th @ 6:00 PM: Bring a camp chair or blanket, grab a glass of wine, and get ready to dance on the lawn to one of the best local bands around.

  • Centennial Hills Hike and Winooski CircleSunday, July 26th @ 11:00 AM: Enjoy a scenic loop through Centennial Woods (dogs welcome!), capped off with an optional lunch or beer at the Winooski Circle.

If any of those sound fun, be sure to RSVP on Meetup.com. So, be sure to stop by, everyone is welcome! Especially coffee, since 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:

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Standing on the Church Street bricks Monday, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said there's "a growing sense that Burlington is turning a corner," per Seven Days.

Fresh off council approval of her third budget, the Progressive mayor was pushing back on Democratic councilors who argue her administration has not done enough for downtown business, a fight that flared over the gross receipts tax on meals, hotel rooms and short term rentals. She pointed to construction projects finally wrapping up, new police investments and a busier events calendar as proof the worst has passed. Myself, as someone who covers Burlington news and events, I can honestly feel the difference between this summer and last. Though I wonder, how much of that is just me being thankful that the Main Street construction is finally over?

The nonprofit Building Burlington's Future agrees momentum is real but warns, "We have to keep our foot on the gas pedal," per WCAX.

The group says open drug use and a fragile local economy remain daily realities, and it has done the unglamorous work to back that up, from syringe cleanups with the Peace and Justice Center to recovery events and housing advocacy. Last fall, they collaborated with the governor's office on his 14-point public safety plan. Their message lands somewhere between encouragement and a reminder that momentum is easy to lose.

Owner Joseph Fox keeps the taps moving because when the match is on, "you don't want to be waiting for a drink," per Seven Days.

Billed as the state's first soccer focused bar, the Shelburne spot has become a clubhouse for England supporters this tournament, with ten televisions and a slider menu built for between match grazing. If you would rather watch closer to home, Citizen Cider is screening Saturday's group stage matches in our events lineup, and Rí Rá on Church Street remains the old reliable. Fox also credits a recent streak of luck, since just about every team he roots for keeps winning.

A Burlington Parks rep said the flyover will "show off the kind of homegrown innovation here in Burlington," per NBC5.

Burlington's July 3 party at Waterfront Park adds something new before the fireworks, an aerial parade pairing BETA's electric aircraft with historic planes, the first time the city has tried it. It is a tidy bit of hometown pride for the nation's 250th, and one more sign of how large BETA now looms over the local story. St. Albans goes big the following evening, so the whole region gets its share of red, white and blue.

Historian Bob Blanchard sums up the street's appeal, noting "you never know what you're gonna find on Church Street," per Seven Days.

The latest Stuck in Vermont strolls the Marketplace with Blanchard ahead of its 45th birthday this fall, tracing the route from dusty lane and horse railroad to the brick pedestrian mall we know now. It is an easy watch and a timely one, given how much of this summer's news keeps circling back to the health of those four blocks. History buffs will enjoy the detours into gas lamps, trolleys and the long gone downtown department stores. If you haven’t heard of Bob, he’s a Burlington legend, and is an admin to the FB page Burlington Area History with frequent posts about the area’s history. Listen to his full walk on Church Street here, it’s only 8 minutes long.

Police say hidden cameras caught Anthony Leclair "accessing the safe on four separate occasions," per NBC5.

The case began when a South Burlington family kept finding cash missing from a home safe and a relative installed cameras to catch the culprit. Investigators say the footage pointed to Leclair, a fire department lieutenant who has since resigned and now faces four felony burglary counts, each carrying up to 25 years. He told police he was struggling to cover his mortgage, and he is due back in court August 19.

One regional official said displays that once ran $5,000 now come with "$20,000 minimums," per Seven Days.

Two forces collided right before the 250th, with tariffs on Chinese fireworks raising costs and the longtime local provider Northstar getting absorbed by a national firm that wants $20,000 minimum per show. Hinesburg canceled its display for the first time since the 1976 bicentennial, and Bristol's fundraising drive fell well short of the gap. Expect a few towns to go shopping for a new pyrotechnics company once the holiday smoke clears.

A youth librarian put it plainly, reminding families that "your brain is a muscle," per WCAX.

The library's summer reading challenge is open to every age and dangles prizes for kids who keep at it, a low cost hedge against the learning that tends to slip away over break. The stakes are real locally, with only 31 percent of Vermont fourth graders rated proficient in reading on the latest national report card. Free, air conditioned and stuffed with books is a tough combination to beat on a hot July afternoon.

Organizers billed it as "a historic road made for an historic fundraiser," per Vermont Business Magazine.

More than 400 runners, walkers and hand cyclists got to travel the Champlain Parkway before a single car could, a fitting way to mark a project roughly six decades in the making. Proceeds went to the Committee on Temporary Shelter, which works on the very homelessness issue that has dominated downtown debate. For drivers, the practical takeaway is the timeline, with outbound lanes set to open June 29 and inbound June 30.

Owner Michael Berger sent mixed signals on downtown, saying "I've never not felt safe down here," per Seven Days.

A family business that opened in 1933 is decamping for an appointment only showroom in Colchester, and while Berger cites hiring troubles and a pivot toward wholesale, he also says clients tell him they are afraid to shop downtown. It’s tough to say how much of that is based on real experience versus just local gossip from previous years. While the mayor sees signs of a turning point for Burlington, the closure of 93-year fixture Lippa’s Jewelry highlights the lingering challenges still facing Church Street storefronts.

Engineer Alex Gagnon said the company will "go from just assembling planes to assembling structures here," per The Other Paper.

The electric aviation company has sketched a vision spanning the next decade for its South Burlington footprint, swapping a rigid 40 acre plan for a looser framework it calls Adaptive Campus Master Planning. Behind it is a steady property buying spree along Williston Road and into the Shunpike neighborhood, with the aim of pulling motor and battery production in house. An official proposal is expected in July, giving neighbors and the Development Review Board plenty to weigh.

One industry advisor warned that "the schools are way behind the eight ball on this," per VTDigger.

Interest in the trades is surging, and the Center for Technology in Essex shows the squeeze, with 681 applicants chasing 405 spots this year. South Burlington and CVU are now exploring how to bring technical classes back in house after years of trimming shop and auto programs, while a bill in Montpelier, S.313, aims at universal access.

Quick Hits

Adaptive skateboarding rolls into Burlington — Campers from the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired tried skateboarding for the first time Tuesday through an adaptive program run with Talent Skatepark. One camper called it empowering, the kind of thing he never figured he'd get to do.

Vermont Parks Forever hands out free passes to 54 groups — The state parks foundation distributed more than 12,000 day passes through its 2026 Park Access Fund, reaching all 14 counties. Local recipients include the Howard Center, Spectrum Youth and Family Services, Age Well and Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, all aimed at getting more Vermonters outdoors.

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?

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Vermont Green FC Secures Crucial Victories as Both Squads Chase Division Titles

The Vermont Green FC women’s team claimed a massive 2-1 victory over Hartford Athletic in a crucial top-of-the-table clash at Virtue Field. After falling behind in the first half, Violet Rademacher headed in the equalizer before Isabel Smith sealed the win with a stunning 70th-minute strike from outside the box. This vital result puts the Women in Green in the driver's seat for the inaugural Northeast Division title. Their path to the championship is now clear: a win in their regular-season finale this Saturday against the New England Mutiny at Lusitano Stadium will guarantee them the title, though a draw or loss could still see them lift the trophy depending on other league results. Fans looking to make the away trip can secure a ticket for the fan buses organized by the independent supporters group, The Green Mountain Bhoys.

On the men's side, Vermont Green FC continued their stellar form with a decisive 4-1 road victory against Boston City FC in Malden, Massachusetts. Despite conceding a bizarre early goal, the Green rallied with an equalizer from David Ajagbe, a brace from Jeremy Francou, and a late strike from Ryan Zellefrow. The squad, boasting an impressive record of nine wins and one draw in their first ten matches, will now prepare for a tough showdown against Black Rock FC. With the Northeast Division race remaining tight, head coach Chris Taylor's side will look to rely on Francou's hot scoring streak to secure three essential points. The Boys in Green return to Virtue Field to host Black Rock FC in their penultimate regular-season home match this Friday at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Home Games

  • Fri. June 26, 7 PM — Men vs. Black Rock FC

  • Tues. July 7, 7 PM — Men vs. Connecticut Rush

Events:

Friday, June 26, 2026

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Saturday, June 27, 2026

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Sunday, June 28, 2026

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

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

View the full list of food & drink deals here.

That’s All, Burlington!

That should be more than enough to fill a weekend, rain delays and all. Whatever you land on, throw a little support behind the farms, makers, musicians, and neighbors who keep this town worth writing about, and click through on anything above that caught your eye for the full details.

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