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Friday hands Burlington a generous head start, with a comfortable mix of sun and clouds holding through the first half of the day and highs settling into the mid 60s. By early afternoon, showers start pushing into the area, and the atmosphere could turn unstable enough for an isolated thunderstorm. Things get breezy too, with gusts of 20 to 30 mph likely along the lake. The rain hangs around through the evening and overnight, heavy at times, before clearing out early Saturday. Saturday afternoon should brighten up nicely as the sun returns, though cooler air settles in and keeps highs in the upper 40s to low 60s, so a jacket earns its keep. Sunday is the warmest of the bunch, partly sunny with highs reaching the upper 60s to low 70s, at least until afternoon showers drift down from the north and linger into the evening. The unsettled pattern carries into early next week with a few more rounds of showers, but a real warmup is waiting in the wings for the back half of the week, with temperatures climbing toward the 70s and low 80s.

Today's centerpiece is the Burlington Trout Parade, the annual send off for the Sustainability Academy fourth graders releasing the trout they raised from eggs. Gather under the Flynn marquee at noon, step off at 12:15, and follow the puppets and costumes up to Battery Park for the Trout Pageant around 1:35, with one eye on those afternoon clouds. If you would rather eat than march, August First hosts a free Community Night from 4 to 8 p.m. with hot dogs, tacos, a DJ, and Zero Gravity on tap. Dressier plans await at the Humane Society's Best Friends Benefit at the Essex Resort and Spa starting at 6:30 p.m., where The Grippo Funk Band plays and every dollar goes to Chittenden County animals. Small group diners can grab one of the few seats at the Burlington Dinner Club at Rí Rá at 7 p.m., an evening built around turning strangers into friends while supporting local nonprofits. On stage, Off Center for the Dramatic Arts runs Pet Store, a live sitcom about a scrappy family pet shop facing down a national chain, at 7 p.m. Higher Ground hands the mic to the next generation with the Sonic Futures youth showcase at 7, Vermont Comedy Club has Last Comic Standing winner Josh Blue through Saturday, and the Monkey House in Winooski throws open its drag stage for Cherry Pop at 8 p.m. for the 21 and up crowd. Foam Brewers, meanwhile, gets a jump on Discover Jazz Fest with four nights of free music running all weekend, and poets have until Sunday to send tiny verses to the Intervale's Poetry Path.

Saturday is a great day too. Early risers can join the Bird Monitoring Walk at the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington at 7:30 a.m. Closer to home, the Heineberg Senior Center's Walk of Ages takes over the Burlington High School track from 9 to 11 a.m. to raise money for free meals and programs for older neighbors, while the fourth annual Good Grief 5k steps off at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in South Burlington, with a free scoop of Ben and Jerry's for every finisher. Green thumbs get a double feature at the UVM Horticulture Farm, where the Master Gardener Plant Sale runs the morning and a guided Rhododendron Walk tours the 50 year old collection at 10 a.m. Little Bird Sewing Studio on Pine Street teaches you how to hem almost anything from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Fletcher Free's New North End branch holds a two dollar book sale until 2, and Wards 2 and 3 host a neighborhood clean up at the Sustainability Academy and Integrated Arts Academy from 10 to 2:30. Shelburne offers a free group walk and ride from its farmers market at 10, the Instrument Petting Zoo at ONE Arts lets kids try real instruments at 10, and Pet Food Warehouse pairs adoptable pups with shopping at its adoption event until 2. The Community Sailing Center opens its season on the waterfront with a free afternoon of sails, food trucks, and kids' activities from noon to 6. Two casual meetups round things out, we have out BTown Coffee Club [MEETUP] gathering at Zero Gravity for coffee and hanging out. And there’s a Breakfast Club [MEETUP] sampling the tiny Grey Jay on Pearl Street, both from 10 to noon. Then at 3:05 p.m. the Vermont Lake Monsters open their season at Centennial Field, where the first 750 fans through the gate snag a magnet schedule. When the sun sets, Saturday keeps right on going. Vermont Ballet Theater fills the Flynn main stage with its Celebration of Dance at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Four Quarters in Winooski turns its lot into a free open air country music fest from 2 to 9:30, headlined by Houston Bernard with free axe throwing in the mix. Higher Ground fires up the grill for the Grateful Dead tribute Dead Sessions, with a backlot BBQ included with your ticket from 5 and music at 7:30. And the SEABA Center hosts Burlington's own Los Sóngoros, blending Cuban and Brazilian rhythms at 8:30, with an optional dance class beforehand and the Forever 38 [MEETUP] group heading over together.

Sunday eases off without going quiet. Winooski's farmers market adds a Service Carnival from 10 to 2 to connect neighbors with local volunteer groups. The Forever 38 [MEETUP] crew plays disc golf at the new Awasiwi Woods course before fried chicken at Switchback, Connecting Colchester leads an easy ten mile group bike ride with a creemee stop from 1 to 3, and the Amdez Polo Club in Shelburne hosts the family friendly Maple Syrup Cup match at 3. Quieter souls can bring any book to Silent Book Club on the Hotel Vermont terrace from 2 to 4, then catch live original music at Abstract VT at the Venetian Soda Lounge from 5 to 7. Four Quarters keeps the party rolling with its free Sunday Sessions DJ kickoff from noon to 8, and Zachary's in South Burlington toasts its new taproom with a glow party grand opening from 4 to 7. Running all weekend, Essex marks its fourth annual Pride celebration, with Saturday's main festival at Maple Street Park bringing live music, drag, more than 90 vendors, and free gender affirming haircuts.

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

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:

Why support? Every week, I sort through 24+ local sources: 12 event calendars, some of those being Seven Days, Front Porch Forum, Facebook events, plus 9 others and 12 news stations, from VTDigger to WCAX to Vermont Public to Community News Service, plus 8 others, to keep you connected. If this lengthy newsletter saves you time, or has introduced you to new experiences in Burlington, then definitely consider chipping in!

About Me

South Burlington's City Center Transformation Continues

In under a decade a dirt road area has become a downtown with 946 new homes and more than 87,000 square feet of commercial space, and the pace is not letting up. A bike and pedestrian bridge over I-89 breaks ground this summer, Garden Street pushes through to Williston Road, and zoning changes now allow buildings of twelve to fourteen stories near Dorset Street. The University Mall area is also eyeing a mixed use redo, which would reshape how the whole corridor feels for the long haul.

As UVM Students Move Out, 'Hippie Christmas' Leaves Burlington With the Cleanup

This is the annual rite playing out on your street right now, with couches, cookware, and free finds piling up as leases turn over. The flip side is the trash, with haulers describing multiple loads a day and the city able to fine illegal dumping up to $500. UVM and the city point students toward thrift stores, reuse centers, and transfer stations, so if you spot a good chair on Buell Street, you know the deal!

Vermont State University Class of 2026 Graduates 1,531

The class spans 227 Vermont communities, and most graduates stay to live and work in the state after commencement. More than a third earned degrees in healthcare fields like nursing, paramedicine, and dental hygiene, with another 400 coming out of education programs. In a state wrestling with workforce shortages in exactly those areas, that pipeline is the quiet headline here.

Lawmakers Pass Bill Targeting Health Care Costs

S.190 speeds up reference based pricing, a system that ties what insurers pay hospitals to a benchmark, usually Medicare rates, and now heads to Gov. Scott's desk. For the coming year it would apply to public school employee plans and to people buying through Vermont Health Connect, with projected savings of roughly $36 million for the school plans alone. This matters in a state with some of the nation's highest premiums and property taxes, especially as UVM Health has told lawmakers it is losing around $460,000 a day. Whether Scott signs it is the open question, since a policy that once drew bipartisan support is now facing resistance.

Increased Police Presence Aims to Improve Safety in Downtown Burlington

The department is leaning on a mix of officers, detectives, community service officers, and its returning beach and park patrol of college students to cover the busiest blocks as the season ramps up. Burke framed much of the work around the unhoused population and people drifting away from behavioral health or substance use treatment, with the city also using outreach teams and the Howard Center to connect folks with services. With Burlington still recruiting to fill open positions, expect patrols to keep shifting toward wherever calls for service cluster.

Staff Say Burlington Childcare Center Expanded Too Quickly

The state suspended ONE Arts Community School's license on May 14 after an investigation documented unattended children and serious injuries, and former staff trace the breakdown to a rapid expansion that absorbed families from the shuttered Frog & Toad center. Burlington has now lost at least sixty childcare spots in recent months, so the roughly seventy slots at ONE Arts hang over a lot of local families. Staff had pushed for years for better ratios and conditions, even voting to unionize, and that contract fight may now stall. Worth noting for parents, ONE Arts still runs the Garden Street site hosting some of this weekend's family events.

Migrant Justice and Vermont Way Foods Launch Organic Cheese

This is the first food product to carry the Milk With Dignity logo on its label, the program that sets wage, housing, and safety standards for dairy workers. Made by Middlebury's Champlain Valley Creamery, the farmer cheese sold its first run fast and is already on shelves at both City Market locations in Burlington. The brand is co owned by four food hubs including the Intervale Center, giving the effort deep local roots and a clear story for shoppers who want to know where their food comes from.

House Speaker Krowinski Won't Seek Reelection; Gov. Scott Will

The surprise here is Krowinski, the Burlington Democrat who has represented the Old North End since 2012 and led the House since 2021, stepping away after fourteen years in the building. Scott, meanwhile, filed for a sixth term that would make him the longest serving governor in state history if he completes it. Democrats Aly Richards and Amanda Janoo have lined up to challenge him, but the bigger near term shuffle is the open speakership and an open Burlington seat heading into the August 11 primary.

Poorhouse Pies' New Cambridge Café Is Deliciously Cozy

The beloved pie maker outgrew its Underhill shop and opened a second spot in Cambridge on March 20, this one with sit down dining, espresso, and a menu that ranges well past pie into salads, sandwiches, and doughnuts. The kitchen is led by a former Bleu Northeast chef, and the front of house is run by a master sommelier, which is a lot of pedigree for a place that prides itself on being casual and family friendly. With roughly 3,000 pies going out weekly, it is a feel good local growth story worth a short drive.

Three Burlington Concerts Seek to Unite Listeners Through Jewish Music

Two of these performances land this very weekend, with the Vermont Choral Union presenting "Sim Shalom (Grant Us Peace)" on Saturday at College Street Congregational Church and Sunday at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. The program surveys four centuries of Jewish sacred music and centers Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, with organizers shifting the emphasis toward peace in light of events in the Middle East. If you want a timely, reflective counterpoint to the weekend's festival energy, this is it.

Charlotte Artists Open Their Studios

The piece is a warm look back at Vermont's annual Open Studio Weekend, which sent visitors wandering through four artists' spaces near the Old Brick Store in Charlotte. Alongside Joyner, the story features abstract painter Jessica Scriver and the woodworkers of Vermont Handworks, a reminder of how much creative work is tucked into the towns just outside Burlington. A nice nudge to keep these studios in mind even after the official weekend has passed.

Earth Prime Comics, Quarterstaff Games Move to Burlington Square

The two shops, longtime Church Street fixtures founded by the late Christine Farrell in the 1980s, have merged and reopened at 130 Bank Street in the new Burlington Square development. The move solves real problems, since the old upstairs gaming space was not accessible and had no room to host Magic or Pokémon events, both of which the new store can now run. It is also a small bright spot amid Church Street vacancy worries, with a beloved local institution landing fully accessible digs just a couple blocks away.

Dog stolen in Burlington back home safe — A black and white pointer collie taken from the Market 32 Plaza on Tuesday has been recovered after two bystanders spotted the dog with a woman on Shelburne Road. A quick, happy ending to a stressful couple of days for the owner.

South Burlington woman charged over March 11 ICE protest — Vermont State Police have cited Connie Anania, 53, with simple assault, disorderly conduct, and grossly negligent operation tied to the large Dorset Street ICE operation in March, alleging she drove toward police and protesters on a closed stretch of road.

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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The Vermont Green women’s team will compete in their first-ever Maple Cup this week, hosting Lakeshore SC at Virtue Field. Sitting just behind Hartford Athletic for second place in the Northeast Division, the Women in Green enter the match with a strong track record against Québec opponents, having previously bested FC Laval and AS Blainville. Their opponents, Lakeshore SC, travel from the Montreal suburb of Kirkland as the reigning Ligue2 Féminine Champions and currently hold a 1-2-5 record in Ligue1 play. The cross-border friendly aims to celebrate the enduring friendship between the Vermont and Québec soccer communities, with the winner taking home a gallon of maple syrup and a custom ambrosia maple wood trophy. The Green will host this friendly Maple Cup matchup today, May 29 at 7 p.m.

Head Coach Abby Carchio’s roster recently expanded with a quartet of new additions who could make their debut in the match. Three Québecois sophomores from the University of Memphis—forwards Elise Perron and Alex Mackay, along with defender Evelyn Mackay—bring serious collegiate firepower, with all three having earned All-Conference honors for the Tigers last season. Rounding out the new faces is local talent Grace Johnson, a South Burlington native and University of Maine player who previously scored a crucial conference championship goal at Virtue Field. Matchday attendees can expect a lively concourse featuring local food vendors and free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Ongoing / All Weekend

Recurring attractions

Art exhibitions

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

Full list of restaurant reviews here.

View the full list of food & drink deals here.

Whatever you get up to this weekend, from a trout puppet to a polo pony, there is no shortage of ways to wander into something good. Dress in layers, keep an umbrella close on Friday and Sunday, and think about clicking through to anything that caught your eye, since most of these are run by neighbors and nonprofits who would genuinely love to see you walk in.

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