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Weather & Monday Update:
If you have outdoor plans today, aim for the morning. Scattered showers give way to a more organized line of showers and likely thunderstorms this afternoon into the evening, with a high near 80 and plenty of humidity but nothing severe in the forecast. Tuesday is the rebound, mostly sunny and drier with a high around 82. Wednesday stays warm at 82 with some light showers possible after 2, far from a washout. Thursday clears out mostly sunny near 79, and the nights turn crisp from there. Track it all week, with patio, swim, and sunset scores, at Burlington Right Now.
Monday and Tuesday ease you into the week. Tonight brings a potluck style Connect Over Food [MEETUP] gathering in Essex Junction at 6:30, and Essex Cinemas has Spider-Man Brand New Day on $5 movie night [MEETUP] at 7. Tuesday, runners can lace up for a 5K from Folino's in Williston [MEETUP] at 5:30, which happens to land on dollar wing night, and mountain bikers get the Fellowship of the Wheel Enduro at Sleepy Hollow in Huntington, the final race of their casual series with racing from 5:30. The social calendar holds a Meet the Junior League night at Shelburne Vineyard from 6 to 8, where prospective members can learn about the League's leadership and volunteer work, and film lovers can catch a free screening of A Streetcar Named Desire at Main Street Landing's Film House at 7. Radio Bean stacks the night with Americana from Noah Guthrie and Jeff Wilson at 7 and Honky Tonk Tuesday with the Queen City Cut-Ups at 8:30, and Vermont Swings runs a beginning swing class at North Star Community Hall at 7.
Wednesday I love, since it is pick-up basketball [MEETUP] night at Pomeroy Park from 5:30. Elsewhere, the marquee show is The Mountain Goats at Higher Ground ($45) at 8, and it is close to selling out, so move fast if you want in. Shelburne Vineyard hosts its Wednesday Wine Down Farmers Market from 5 to 9, the Passeggiata stroll takes over Church Street at 6, and an ASL Silent Dinner gathers at the Olive Garden in South Burlington at 6, a dinner conducted in American Sign Language. Essex Junction's First Congregational Church hosts its August 3 Summer Evenings concert at 5:30, the outdoor industry mingles at a summer networking event at Burlington Surf Club from 3 to 6, and Colchester's Burnham Library hosts an author talk on the history of Vermont's poor farms at 5:15. One more that matters, the Red Cross is short on blood and Hula hosts a blood drive from noon to 5.
Thursday is totally stacked. The Intervale's Summervale celebration runs 5 to 8 with live music, local food, and a hundred trees going in along the Winooski River. South Burlington Rec's Bubble Run 5K foams up Farrell Park, check-in at 6 and the run at 6:30, and anyone age 2 and up can hit Leo's Lap, a brain freezer relay race at Rock Point School at 4:30, frozen push pops between legs, in support of Outright Vermont. Dogs and their people get Bark & Brew at the Humane Society ($20 with two drinks), opening its eleventh season at 5:30, and the Catamounts men's soccer team hosts George Mason at Virtue Field at 6.
The Thursday music and nightlife lineup goes deep too. West Virginia singer songwriter Charles Wesley Godwin plays Higher Ground at 8, Williston's Maple Tree Place concert series closes out with Bon Poison, a Bon Jovi and Poison double tribute, from 6 to 8, and the Vermont Comedy Club's KING DUMB improv showcase ($5, students free) hits at 7. VTIFF screens Spike Lee's 25th Hour at 7, Winooski's Standing Stone Wines hosts the Through Being Cool DJ listening night at 7, and the Media Factory invites you to bring one song to the WBTVLP Listening Lounge from 6 to 8. David Schein's Queen City Songs, his musical tour of Burlington at Off Center, enters its final week at 7:30. A reader also passed along the CWEEL New England happy hour at Zero Gravity from 5 to 7, a free networking night for women and allies in energy and environmental work, open to anyone. And out in South Hero, Snow Farm Vineyard hosts a free lawn concert [MEETUP] with Ultra Violet at 6, blankets encouraged.
Scroll down to Events Section for full list of events this week.
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.
This Coming Week:
Pick-up Basketball – Wednesday, August 19th @ 5:30 PM: The Wednesday evening run at Pomeroy Park, outdoors and free, all skill levels welcome.
BTown Coffee Club – Saturday, August 22nd @ 10 AM: The weekly no pressure hang at Zero Gravity, grab a coffee and find us at the big table.
Other Upcoming Events:
Trivia Night at J Skis — BTown Brief × Social Pulse – Thursday, August 27th @ 6 PM: Collab with South Burlington’s Social Pulse. A team trivia night at the J Skis factory, come with a crew or join one there. Free pizza!
Version 2 of The Pulse is out! The new thing: a LIVE view. Prop your phone up next to your coffee and the headlines cycle through on their own. Every card rotates on its own clock. Tap a story to hold it, tap again to read it. There's a freeze button when something catches your eye, a pace dial if it's moving too fast, and a Surf mode that wanders between topics for you. So now there are two ways in: the original scroll-and-swipe feed, or this lean-back watch-and-tap board.
If you missed last week's launch: The Pulse is my answer to doomscrolling with more satisfaction: every headline worth knowing, local and national, on one screen, refreshing every 10 minutes all day long. Seven Days, VTDigger, WCAX and r/burlington hold down the local side, the big national outlets run underneath, and I'm talking 1,700 headlines in the catalog so far. There are tabs for Reddit, local podcasts, other worthy newsletters, and 78 hand-picked YouTube channels. Swipe a headline right to save it, swipe left on a story you wish had more coverage, hold one down to mute a source. Bookmark both: https://guide.btownbrief.com/pulse.html
or for the LIVE view: https://guide.btownbrief.com/live.html
or if you just want to hit the digital arcade: https://play.btownbrief.com/
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.
Shop the Merch Store: [Here] – 15+ cool, Burlington-inspired designs on Comfort Colors tees.
Local News (All Links Clickable)
"It's so much nicer than any school I've been in before," per incoming first-year Wynnie McConnell, on WCAX.
Five years after PCBs pushed BHS students into the old downtown Macy's, the new building is ready, with a gym, an auditorium, soundproof music rooms, and an accessible balcony added from public feedback. It holds 1,100 students, comfortably ahead of the 960 currently enrolled across the high school and tech center. The ribbon-cutting is this Saturday, August 22, and the district is running free public tours if you want a look inside.
"The election was close everywhere else in the state, but she built up this huge margin in Burlington and Winooski, and that saved the day for her," per former Vermont political reporter Chris Graff, in VTDigger.
Janoo, an economist who had never run for office, took last week's primary 49.1 to 46.5 in unofficial results despite trailing Aly Richards in money and endorsements, and now faces Gov. Phil Scott in November. Analysts credit her plain talk on economic inequality and her read as the authentic change candidate, while a pro-Richards PAC's ad blitz, funded mostly from out of state, may have backfired. The margin was built right here. She won Burlington by 16 points and Winooski by 40.
"Sneakers Bistro has been a Winooski breakfast and lunch staple since 1980. Now, it's keeping the lights on late with the launch of Sneakeasy, an upstairs cocktail lounge set to host its grand opening on Thursday, August 27," per Seven Days.
Bar manager Yassen Zech and lead bartender Rachel Mutino designed the menu and the thrifted decor lounge together, with drinks like a clarified Bloody Mary martini and bar bites that nod to Belizean fry jacks. A series of soft openings leads up to the launch, and daytime service stays exactly as it was.
"It's a lot of fun to see how they interpret the categories, and it's a lot of fun to see what stuff comes in," per fair art superintendent Dave Dall, in the Colchester Sun.
The fair's art exhibition (August 28 through September 6) is getting a gallery style refresh this year, with featured linocut printmaker Lauren McCabe and the Essex Art League carving and painting live for fairgoers. Around 500 public submissions get juried into categories that this year include Haunted and Just Desserts. If you want in, free online entry closes this Thursday, August 20, with drop-off the following weekend.
"This initiative is about championing our business community and harnessing our collective action to create change and restore confidence in downtown Burlington as a premier place to live, work, and invest," per Lake Champlain Chamber president and CEO Catherine Z. Davis, in Vermont Business Magazine.
The Chamber's new advocacy division is meant to give downtown businesses a dedicated voice with city and state leaders as the core wrestles with public safety and economic uncertainty. It wants an advisory board seated by October 1 and is hiring a Downtown Advocacy Manager to track ordinances and represent businesses before the city council. Worth watching as budget season and the fall political calendar heat up.
"The first four days, our dad was involved, helping us make the creemees, but now we've taken the reins. We don't need help anymore," per 13-year-old co-owner Malachi McMillan, in Seven Days.
The scoop shop at 34 Park Street in Essex Junction is run by three brothers, 13-year-old twins Malachi and Messiah and 14-year-old Jaleel, who co-own it with their dad. They handle the scooping, the marketing, and the operations themselves, with ice cream from Woodstock's Mountain Creamery. Open daily 3 to 9 through October.
"I would love nothing more than to see this happen quickly, to see that happen amicably, to see it happen collaboratively with the property owners," per council vice chair Andrew Chalnik, in The Other Paper.
The city council is starting eminent domain proceedings for a road right-of-way on the 36-acre Long Property on Spear Street, where a 12-townhome Habitat for Humanity project is planned. The review board had to deny the application in July because the landowner would not include an easement for a future road the official city map requires, which started a 120-day clock for the city to act. City officials say the relationship is not adversarial, and negotiations continue while the legal process runs.
"Ask an LLM the same question five times and you can get five different answers, which is fine for creative work but not for deciding how a budget gets spent," per Fluency SVP of Product Eric Picard, in Vermont Business Magazine.
The Burlington ad-tech company says its platform now drives $3 billion in annual ad spend across a quarter million monthly campaigns, with AI generating the creative while a deterministic layer keeps actual budgets inside advertiser guardrails. The company raised a $40 million Series A last year and just made the Inc. 5000 a fourth straight time. Granted, those are Fluency’s own numbers, but seeing a local Burlington tech company hit that kind of scale is huge.
"We're not overperforming. It's that people need to discover us," per former Montréal Gazette critic Lesley Chesterman, in Seven Days.
Seven Days sat down with the Gazette's longtime restaurant critic, then built a 30-hour Montréal eating itinerary from her tips, from pastries at Rhubarbe to rotisserie chicken at La Lune to dinner at Le Violon. There is also a restaurant-history exhibit she helped instigate at the McCord Stewart Museum, running through October 18. If you have been meaning to make the drive north, this one doubles as your planning cheat sheet.
"The rents couldn't be high enough to pay these astronomical construction costs right now," per owner Mark Bove, on WCAX.
The Bove family has pulled its permits to replace the old Pearl Street restaurant with a six-story, 25-unit housing building, citing interest rates, construction costs, and the wave of other housing projects underway in Chittenden County. The building has sat vacant since 2015 and ranks among the city's ten most non-compliant properties, but a city ordinance bars tearing down historic buildings without a redevelopment plan. The property is back up for sale, so the next move belongs to a future buyer.
"You think you know something about gardening until you take the course. Then you realize how much you don't know, but you learn," per Master Gardener Sue Stanne, in the Williston Observer.
The Observer profiles Sue Stanne, a 23-year veteran of the program and one of 442 Master Gardener volunteers statewide, who spends Thursdays fielding plant mysteries on the Extension Helpline. Her projects run from the Vermont Respite House gardens to a donation plot at the Williston Community Garden to a new community gardening shed at The Farm at South Village. The helpline runs April through October if your tomatoes are acting up.
"Even what we call ugly has beauty in it and has storied meaning in it. The stories are so rich right where we are," per writer-director Samantha Davidson Green, in Seven Days.
Believed to be the first feature film shot entirely in the Upper Valley, Valley Transit is filming with an all-local cast and crew as the centerpiece of a summer intensive that pairs students with professionals. The story follows a soon-to-be 80 man and a new high school grad who meet on a Valley Transit bus. Locals have lent homes and filled extra roles, and the project drew a grant from Vermont's film production pilot program, with festivals eyed for this winter.
QUICK HITS
Incumbent Dan Gamelin, first elected in 2022, turned back challenger Kevin Bloom in the Democratic primary for county sheriff. With no Republican in the race, he is expected to win in November.
South Burlington police are putting officers on bikes along the rec paths, Market Street, and other busy pedestrian areas, pitching the patrols as greener and more approachable.
Police found a man with stab wounds early Saturday morning behind the 175 to 199 Main Street block near the Church Street intersection, and he later died at UVM Medical Center. Detectives are investigating it as a homicide, and anyone with information can reach Detective Moyer at (802) 540-2326.
The Princeton Review put UVM's Sustainable Innovation MBA at No. 2 in the country for a second straight year, and the accounting program separately landed in the top 2 percent nationwide on CPA exam performance.
The South Hero mainstay has closed after more than two decades, with owners Mandy and Phoebe citing a perfect storm of circumstances in their goodbye post. No word yet on what comes next for the Route 2 spot.
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
UVM Athletics: No. 13 Men's Soccer Opens at Home Thursday as Field Hockey Is Picked to Win America East
The men's soccer team enters the fall ranked No. 13 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, the program's fourth straight year in the preseason top 25 after a 2025 season that brought a second consecutive America East championship, an unbeaten regular season, and the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed, a first for any UVM program in any sport. The league's coaches picked Vermont second in the America East preseason poll behind Bryant, with Niklas Herceg and David Ismail earning preseason All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season. Herceg returns for his junior year after being selected 16th overall by FC Dallas in the MLS Draft, tying the highest draft pick in program history. The Catamounts open their home slate Thursday at 6 PM against George Mason at Virtue Field.
The field hockey team was picked to win America East in the conference's preseason coaches' poll, the first time the Catamounts have been the preseason favorite in program history, coming off a 2025 season that earned a share of their first regular season title. Alicia Battistelli, Consu De Castro, and Veerle Nijhuis all earned preseason All-Conference honors, with Battistelli coming off a team best nine goals and Nijhuis off an America East Rookie of the Year campaign.
On the pitch, women's soccer opened its season with a hard fought 2-2 draw against Merrimack at Virtue Field on Wednesday night, with Farrah Yaacoub and Abby Ballinger supplying the goals. The Catamounts then fell 2-0 to Sacred Heart on Sunday afternoon despite five saves from Sydney Slusser, with the Pioneers breaking a scoreless match in the 54th minute and adding a second goal seven minutes later.
Elsewhere, Adam Krug was named associate head coach for men's hockey, and women's basketball will travel to Puerto Rico to play in the Puerto Rico Clasico.
Aug 20: Men's Soccer Season 2026 vs. George Mason (Thu ⦁ 6:00pm)
Aug 23: Men's Soccer Season 2026 vs. Colgate (Sun ⦁ 1:00pm)
Aug 28: Field Hockey Season 2026 vs. Northeastern (Fri ⦁ 3:00pm)
Aug 28: Men's Soccer Season 2026 vs. Charlotte (Fri ⦁ 6:00pm)
Events:
This is the curated cut. The full calendar, 25 sources refreshed twice a day, lives at Burlington events.
Monday, August 17, 2026
General Events
9:00 AM: Trolley tours at Perkins Pier, Burlington (Prices $35 Adults Veterans $30 Senior Citizen $30 Children under 12 $15 Children Under 5 years free Student Groups minimum of 10)
9:00 AM: Farm-to-School Professional Learning Workshop at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne (Free; preregister.)
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!)
10:00 AM: Library Closed-Bennington Battle Day at Fletcher Free Library — Main Reading Room, Burlington (Free)
10:00 AM: 'Champ: America’s Lake Monster' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington
11:30 AM: Shelburne Farms Tour 2026 at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($15)
11:30 AM: Industry Day at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
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)
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Hotel Champlain, Burlington
5:00 PM: Vermont Adult Learning Book Club at Vermont Adult Learning, 77 College St, Burlington
6:00 PM: BHS/BTC Community Tours at Burlington High School / Burlington Technical Center, 110 Institute Rd, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Guided Mountain Bike Rides: Novice Mondays and Social Thursday at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston
6:00 PM: Burlington Elks Bingo at Burlington Elks Lodge, Burlington
6:00 PM: Monday Night Open Mic at Pearl Street Pub, Essex Junction (Free)
6:00 PM: Anime Group at Pathways Vermont Morgan's Place Peer Support Center, Burlington (Free)
6:30 PM: Connect Over Food at Celeste's Home, Essex Junction — MEETUP.com
7:00 PM: Spanish Chat Mondays at Three Needs (back patio), Burlington
Performances
7:00 PM: Spider-Man Brand New Day at Essex Cinemas at Essex Cinema, Essex Junction — MEETUP.com
Live Music/DJ
7:00 PM: South End Singing Circle at Tall Grass, 208 Flynn Ave (or Oakledge Earth Clock, weather permitting), Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment at McKee's Original, Winooski (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia with Craig Mitchell at Monkey House, Winooski (Free)
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
General Events
9:00 AM: Cisco CCNA Training & Certification Program in Burlington, VT at 1068 Williston Rd, South Burlington
9:00 AM: Trolley tours at Perkins Pier, Burlington (Prices $35 Adults Veterans $30 Senior Citizen $30 Children under 12 $15 Children Under 5 years free Student Groups minimum of 10)
9:00 AM: Burlington Bitcoin Meetup at Zero Gravity Brewery, Burlington — MEETUP.com
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!)
10:00 AM: 'Champ: America’s Lake Monster' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington
11:30 AM: Shelburne Farms Tour 2026 at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($15)
11:30 AM: 802SDAY (Aussi ton Mardi)/7302/) at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
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)
1:30 PM: House & Garden Tour at the Shelburne Farms Inn at Shelburne Farms Inn, Shelburne ($15)
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: Opening Day for the ONE Farmers Market at Dewey Park, Spring St, Burlington
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Hotel Champlain, Burlington
4:00 PM: Writer's Circle at Pathways Vermont Morgan's Place Peer Support Center, Burlington (Free)
4:30 PM: Traditional Tuesday at Mesmer Kava, Burlington
4:30 PM: Fellowship of the Wheel Enduro at Sleepy Hollow Ski & Bike Center, Huntington ($15-20; preregister)
5:00 PM: Super Smash Tuesdays at RiRa Irish Pub, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: Volunteer Night at Old Spokes Home at Old Spokes Home Community Workshop, 664 Riverside Ave, Burlington
5:00 PM: Pause-Café Mardi at Burlington Bay Market & Café, Burlington (Free.)
5:15 PM: Community Meditation at First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, Burlington (Free; donations accepted.)
5:30 PM: FFL's Fictional Book Club: Clear at Fletcher Free Library — Pickering Room, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: 5K Run @ Williston Folino's at Folino's Pizza Williston, Williston — MEETUP.com
5:45 PM: Shelburne Farms Garden Walk (4.8 miles) at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne — MEETUP.com
5:45 PM: Shelburne Farms Viewpoint Walk (2.3 miles) at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: BHS/BTC Community Tours at Burlington High School / Burlington Technical Center, 110 Institute Rd, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Meet the Junior League at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free; preregister)
6:00 PM: Tuesday Trail Running Series At Catamount OFC at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston
6:00 PM: Protecting Our Elections: VT Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas at Pierson Library, Old Town Hall, Shelburne
6:00 PM: Local Dork at Foam Brewers on a Tuesday at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Vermont Figure Drawing Collective at Karma Bird House, Burlington ($20 (cash))
6:00 PM: Crafters Drop-In at Fletcher Free Library — Main Reading Room, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Bashment Tuesday at Akes' Place, Burlington (Free)
6:30 PM: Spanish Conversation Group, Burlington
7:00 PM: Trivia Tuesday at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
7:00 PM: All That Jazz Open Mic Comedy at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Performances
7:00 PM: August- The Tranky Doo! at North Star Community Hall, Burlington
7:00 PM: August Beginning Swing! at North Star Community Hall, Burlington
7:00 PM: 'A Streetcar Named Desire' at Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington (Free.)
Live Music/DJ
7:00 PM: Noah Guthrie, Jeff Wilson at Radio Bean, Burlington ($15)
7:00 PM: The Spine Stealers, Eastern Mountain Time at Monkey House, Winooski (Free)
7:00 PM: Vermont's Freedom & Unity Chorus at Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Michael's College, Colchester (Free.)
8:00 PM: Dead Is Alive with Dobbs' Dead at Einstein's Tap House, Burlington ($15)
8:30 PM: Honky Tonk Tuesday with Queen City Cut-Ups at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10)
9:00 PM: Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
General Events
9:00 AM: Trolley tours at Perkins Pier, Burlington (Prices $35 Adults Veterans $30 Senior Citizen $30 Children under 12 $15 Children Under 5 years free Student Groups minimum of 10)
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!)
10:00 AM: MagnaTile Masterpieces at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington (Free)
10:00 AM: 'Champ: America’s Lake Monster' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington
11:00 AM: Wild Card Wednesday at Bay & Brisket, Colchester
11:00 AM: Read to a Dog at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington (Free)
11:30 AM: Shelburne Farms Tour 2026 at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($15)
12:00 PM: BHS/BTC Community Tours (noon session) at Burlington High School / Burlington Technical Center, 110 Institute Rd, Burlington (Free)
12:00 PM: Hula Blood Drive at Hula Lakeside, 50 Lakeside Ave, Burlington (Free)
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)
1:30 PM: House & Garden Tour at the Shelburne Farms Inn at Shelburne Farms Inn, Shelburne ($15)
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)
2:00 PM: Howard Center: Community Partners Desk at Fletcher Free Library — Main Reading Room, Burlington (Free)
2:30 PM: Legal Services Vermont: Community Partners Desk at Fletcher Free Library — Main Reading Room, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Summer Networking Event at Burlington Surf Club at Burlington Surf Club (WND & WVS), Burlington (Free-$30)
3:00 PM: Pub Hour at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Lake Champlain Memory Café at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington (Free)
3:30 PM: Tending Rock Point - Biweekly Volunteering at Rock Point, 20 Rock Point Rd, Burlington (Free)
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Hotel Champlain, Burlington
4:00 PM: Wednesday $10.00 Burger Night at Hotel Champlain Burlington, Curio Collection by Hilton, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: The All-Inclusive Dyke-Tacular at Doma Bar, Burlington (Free; cost of food and drink.)
5:00 PM: Yarn Crafters Group at Must Love Yarn, Shelburne (Free.)
5:00 PM: Wednesday Wine Down Farmers Market at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free.)
5:15 PM: Author Talk: The History of Poor Farms in Vermont at Burnham Memorial Library, Main St, Colchester (Free)
5:30 PM: Shelburne Museum on a Platter: Mara Superior's New Collection Plaque at Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education, Shelburne Museum, Shelburne (Free)
5:30 PM: 3 Summer Evenings - August Session at First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, Essex Junction
5:30 PM: Pick-up Basketball at Pomeroy Park, Burlington (Free) — MEETUP.com
5:30 PM: Spanish Class at Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free; preregister)
5:30 PM: Fellowship of the Wheel Trail Build at Saxon Hill Trailhead, Essex Junction (Free; preregister)
6:00 PM: BHS/BTC Community Tours at Burlington High School / Burlington Technical Center, 110 Institute Rd, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Scrabble at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: ASL Silent Dinner at Olive Garden, South Burlington
6:00 PM: Wednesday Mountain Bike Series at Catamount OFC at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston
6:00 PM: Community Advocate Training (Steps to End Domestic Violence) at Steps' shelter (address provided on registration), Burlington
6:00 PM: Passeggiata at Church Street Marketplace, Burlington (Free.)
6:00 PM: Recovery Dharma at First United Methodist Church, Burlington (Free.)
6:00 PM: Champ Masters Toastmasters Club at Dealer.com, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
6:00 PM: Community Cooking at Outright Vermont, Burlington (Free.)
6:30 PM: Deaf Friendly Trivia at Citizen Cider, BURLINGTON (Free)
7:00 PM: Venetian Trivia Night at Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: The Ribbit Review Open Mic & Jam at Lily's Pad, Burlington (Free)
8:30 PM: Standup Open Mic at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington (Free)
Performances
6:45 PM: July and August Open Practice at North Star Community Hall, Burlington
7:00 PM: VCA Presents: $5 Improv Night! at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($5 (free for students))
8:00 PM: Repertory Wednesday Series: 'Santa Sangre' at Partizanfilm, Burlington ($9.50-12.)
Live Music/DJ
6:30 PM: Town of Shelburne Concert Series at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne (Free; donations accepted.)
7:30 PM: Live Music! Jaded Ravins at 4 Quarters Brewing, Winooski (Free)
7:30 PM: Craftsbury Chamber Players at Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael's College, Colchester ($10-25; free for kids 12 and under.)
8:00 PM: The Mountain Goats at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington ($45)
8:00 PM: Improvement Movement, Daffodil-11 at Radio Bean, Burlington ($18/$25)
8:30 PM: Jazz Night with Ray Vega at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM: Jazz Jam at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Thursday, August 20, 2026
General Events
5:45 AM: Sculpt HIIT & Flow at SoulShine Power Yoga Downtown, Burlington
7:30 AM: South Burlington Rotary Speaker Meeting at Senior Center, 180 Market St, South Burlington
7:30 AM: BTV Clean Up Crew at Top of Church St., Burlington (Free.)
9:00 AM: Trolley tours at Perkins Pier, Burlington (Prices $35 Adults Veterans $30 Senior Citizen $30 Children under 12 $15 Children Under 5 years free Student Groups minimum of 10)
9:45 AM: Baby & Me Class at Greater Burlington YMCA (Burlington), Burlington ($10; free for members.)
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!)
10:00 AM: 'Champ: America’s Lake Monster' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington
11:00 AM: Bay & Brisket Trivia Thursday at Bay & Brisket, Colchester
11:00 AM: Mandarin Conversation Circle at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free.)
11:30 AM: Shelburne Farms Tour 2026 at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($15)
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)
12:00 PM: Hot Dog & A Can Thursdays at Citizen Cider, BURLINGTON
12:00 PM: Italian Conversation Group at Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
12:15 PM: Networking Lunch at Hula with the Network of Women at Hula, Burlington ($41.93)
12:15 PM: Caterpillars Up Close at Rock Point, 20 Rock Point Rd, Burlington (Free)
12:30 PM: Duplicate Bridge Games at Burlington Bridge Club, Williston ($6.)
1:00 PM: Friendly Game of Bridge at Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington (Free.)
1:30 PM: House & Garden Tour at the Shelburne Farms Inn at Shelburne Farms Inn, Shelburne ($15)
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)
2:00 PM: Knit for Your Neighbors at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free.)
3:00 PM: Pub Hour at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Burlington Electric: Community Partners Desk at Fletcher Free Library — Main Reading Room, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Healthy Start with Champlain Valley Head Start at Fletcher Free Library — Fletcher Room, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Teacher Appreciation Event at Wild Meadows Books & Café, Williston (Free.)
4:00 PM: Old and Getting Gray at Burlington Farmers Market, Burlington
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Hotel Champlain, Burlington
4:00 PM: De Maison Wine Takeover at La Reprise, Burlington (Free)
4:00 PM: Free Wine Tasting at La Reprise, Burlington (Free!)
4:30 PM: Leo's Lap: Brain Freezer Relay Race at Rock Point School, Burlington (Free; $5 suggested donation to Outright Vermont)
5:00 PM: Co-op Summer Harvest featuring Tomatoes and Corn at City Market South End Store, Burlington ($30-$44.52)
5:00 PM: Thursday Happy Hour at Lincoln's at Lincolns, Burlington — MEETUP.com
5:00 PM: Summervale at Intervale Center, Burlington (Free; donations accepted; cost of food and drink)
5:00 PM: 3rd Annual CWEEL-NE Distributed Happy Hour at Zero Gravity Brewing, 716 Pine St, Burlington (Free; register)
5:30 PM: FlynnZone Family Night: 'Songwriting for Everybody' — two free sessions, 5:30 & 6:20 PM at Flynn Main Stage, Burlington (Free; preregister)
5:30 PM: Bark & Brew at HSCC at Humane Society of Chittenden County, Kindness Court, South Burlington ($20 (includes 2 drinks))
5:30 PM: Aquatic Plant Ramble at Red Rocks Park, South Burlington (Free; preregister.)
6:00 PM: George Mason University Men's Soccer at University of Vermont, Burlington
6:00 PM: BHS/BTC Community Tours at Burlington High School / Burlington Technical Center, 110 Institute Rd, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Bubble Run 5K at Farrell Park, 95 Swift St, South Burlington ($10 pre-race / $15 day-of (+$5 non-SB residents))
6:00 PM: Burlington Garden Club Speaker Meeting at Vermont Garden Park at Wheeler Nature Park, South Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: The Sheep (board game night) at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: American Mah Jong at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: Vinyl Thursdays at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Peer Support Dungeons & Dragons at Morgan House, Burlington (Free.)
6:30 PM: Ward 5 NPA: Community Budgeting & BBQ at Oakledge Park, Lower Pavilion, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Miciah Bay Gault at Phoenix Books (Burlington), Burlington (Free; preregister)
7:00 PM: Through Being Cool at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski (Free)
7:30 PM: Therapy Dog Academy Class (Essex Junction), Essex Junction
10:00 PM: Thirsty Thursday at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington (Free)
Performances
7:00 PM: 25th Hour at Vermont International Film Festival, Burlington ($6-12)
7:00 PM: Falsettos at Main Street Landing Blackbox, Burlington ($14-35)
7:00 PM: KING DUMB with The Kingdom Kids (and Friends) at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($5; free for students)
7:30 PM: Queen City Songs at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington ($15-20 suggested donation)
Live Music/DJ
4:00 PM: Flatbread Friday at The Wheeler Homestead, South Burlington
5:30 PM: Blake Matteson at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: On the Door Radio at The Pinery, Burlington (Free.)
6:00 PM: Maple Tree Place Summer Concert Series: Bon Poison at Maple Tree Place, Williston (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia Night at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski (Free)
6:00 PM: WBTVLP Listening Lounge at The Media Factory, Burlington (Free; donations accepted; preregister)
6:00 PM: Snow Farm Vineyard Free Concert at Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero (Free) — MEETUP.com
7:00 PM: Don Mahogany Third Thursday Trivia at Butter Bar and Kitchen, Burlington (Free)
8:00 PM: Charles Wesley Godwin at Higher Ground, South Burlington
8:00 PM: Karaoke in the Alley at Red Square, Burlington (Free)
8:30 PM: Compa & Friends Summer Residency! - ft. Rob Compa, Chuck Jones, & Jack McChesney at Radio Bean, Burlington
9:00 PM: Funk Jam at The 126, Burlington (Free)
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
Hiring or hunting? The jobs page gathers the newest postings from thirteen local boards, every link to the original listing.
That’s All, Burlington!
That wraps up this one. Get your errands done this morning before the storms roll through, then enjoy the stretch of good weather behind them. If the Btown Brief makes your week a little easier, you can support it at ko-fi or on Venmo (@btownbrief), and it genuinely helps keep 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.
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