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Weather & Monday Rundown:
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! We're looking at a typical January stretch here in the Burlington: this afternoon brings highs in the mid to upper 20s with a few snow flurries, though a westerly breeze picking up will make it feel more like the teens. The bigger concern comes later this evening, when lake effect snow bands currently impacting northern New York could extend our way, bringing the potential for brief snow squalls with reduced visibility and gusts up to 40 mph. The good news is these squalls tend to move through quickly. Tomorrow will be noticeably colder with highs only reaching the teens and wind chills dipping below zero, so bundle up if you're heading out. A slight warm up arrives Wednesday and Thursday, but that comes with chances for widespread light snow moving in Wednesday afternoon and lingering into Thursday. Then brace yourselves: the coldest air of the season so far looks likely this weekend, with highs possibly in the single digits, both above and below zero.
With the holiday keeping many folks home today, consider spending some quality time at ECHO by the Waterfront, which is offering free admission from 10 AM to 5 PM. You can explore their live animals, interactive exhibits, and the new Dinosaur Safari special exhibit (heads up that capacity may be temporarily limited at peak times). This evening, Saint Michael's College hosts its 34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation at 5 PM in the Dion Family Student Center, featuring UVM Professor Bindu Panikkar speaking on "Tuning in to Our Communities: Improving Our Collective Sensibilities of Humility, Care and Relationality." And if you need to burn off some energy, head to the Miller Center in the New North End for pickup dodgeball at 7 PM. It's just five bucks, no experience required, and a surprisingly fun way to meet new people on a Monday night.
Tomorrow brings some excellent options to shake off the midwinter chill despite the cold. The Monkey House hosts Jackson and the Janks with The Red Newts, doors at 7:30 PM, tickets ten dollars. Expect rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and sacred steel that'll warm you up fast. Over on Flynn Avenue, Switchback kicks off game night at 5 PM with over twenty classic board games available, from Catan to Cards Against Humanity. And Queen City Brewery on Pine Street starts the year's first trivia night at 5:45 PM if your team is feeling competitive. For runners brave enough to face the cold, there's a 5K at Pioneer Lakeside [MEETUP] in Colchester at 5:30 PM (bring your running lights). The Ladies Book Club [MEETUP] gathers at Juniper on Cherry Street at 6:15 PM to discuss Confessions of a Shopaholic as a tribute to the late author. And an 8 week winter pottery class begins tomorrow at Claude Lehman Pottery on Howard Street from 4 to 6:30 PM, with individualized instruction, open studio hours, and gorgeous high fired Asian glazes like shino, celadon, and tenmoku.
Wednesday brings a packed lineup. Start the morning at Zero Gravity for the weekly Burlington Bitcoin Meetup [MEETUP] at 9 AM, a casual hangout for crypto curious folks and veterans alike. The South Burlington Library hosts a puzzle swap from 2:30 to 5 PM where you can trade your completed jigsaws for fresh challenges. At 5 PM, head to Shelburne Farms for Mushroom Medicine with Spoonful Herbals, a workshop on the folk wisdom and science behind local medicinal mushrooms like chaga, reishi, and turkey tail. Down in South Hero, the Worthen Library hosts a free cheese making class at 6 PM with live mozzarella and ricotta demos. CVU Access in Hinesburg offers an Impressionist Palette Knife Oil Painting class from 5:30 to 7:30 PM where you'll create a "Midnight Garden" masterpiece. The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission holds a public forum at 6 PM (via Zoom or in person in Winooski) seeking input on planning projects for the upcoming fiscal year. At Main Street Landing, catch the From Rails to Trails free film screening at 6 PM, telling the story of how abandoned railroads became recreational trails and featuring our very own Island Line. The Q&A at 7:30 PM includes folks who helped create Vermont's rail trails. Burlington City Arts presents the architecture documentary The Pavilion on the Water at City Hall at 6:30 PM, exploring Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa's passion for Japanese aesthetics, again free. And Citizen Cider on Flynn Avenue hosts deaf friendly trivia night at 6:30 PM with an ASL interpreter present.
Thursday rounds out the week with some standout events. ECHO After Dark: Mario Takeover transforms the waterfront museum into an 18 plus playground from 6 to 9 PM, complete with Mario Kart competitions, live turtle encounters, minigame challenges, and a cash bar. Tickets are $25 general admission or $20 for members and college students. Over at SoulShine Downtown on Church Street, Grateful Dead Yoga features live music from Dark Star Project with instructor Megan Moon from 6 to 7:15 PM ($35). If you prefer your dancing upright, the Venetian Soda Lounge on Pine Street hosts a Kizomba Dance Class and Party starting at 6:45 PM, a smooth Angolan partner dance with beginner instruction followed by open social dancing. First class is free for new students. The Burlington Ski and Outing Club holds an info meeting at The Pines in South Burlington at 7 PM for active seniors interested in outdoor adventures year round. The Flynn welcomes Sunny Jain's Wild Wild East at 7 PM, an immersive show merging jazz and Bhangra rhythms where the audience learns Indian drumming and dances along. The Elovaters bring their Billboard charting reggae sound to South Burlington at 7 PM. For laughs, Emil Wakim, the first Lebanese American SNL cast member, performs at the Vermont Comedy Club starting Thursday at 6:30 PM and running through Saturday with multiple showtimes. And the Network of Women hosts a networking lunch at Hula on Lakeside Avenue from 12:15 to 1:45 PM, a curated "non awkward" experience with lunch provided.
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We’ve got an official Meetup group for Burlington! The city’s packed with things to do. Btown Brief highlights it, and Btown Brief IRL gets you out experiencing it with people.
Always a great turn out, ranging anywhere from 7-10 people each week! Another coffee meetup this Saturday at 10am at Zero Gravity. It’s always great seeing familiar faces, and even better meeting new ones each week. We’ll chat about Vermont living, touch on a bit of local news, and share what’s worth checking out around town this weekend. Come hang, have a coffee, and join the conversation.
If you want to connect outside of coffee meet-ups, join the Telegram chat. It’s the easiest place to see what others are up to, share ideas, and make casual plans while I keep improving how these events run. Feedback is always welcome! It’s just a one-man team so any sounding boards are great.
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Local News (All Links Clickable)
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"Thanks to the trend, 'Looking for love in 2026 looks a little more like dating in 1986,' Vossoughian said in the four-minute segment, which also features the personals listings in 'The Cut,' a New York Magazine newsletter," per Seven Days.
The segment featured two Vermont couples who found love through the paper's personals, including the Littlefields of Burlington (married since 2011) and Marcia Gauvin and Chris Leister of Bethel, who recently completed an ambitious project of gravel biking all 252 towns in Vermont. Seven Days has run personals since its first issue in 1995, and in the age of dating apps, the old school approach has caught attention from the New York Times, BBC, and now national morning television.
"All wanted to pay full price, but Beta wanted to pay even more. They wanted it real bad," per The Other Paper.
Beta Technologies has purchased three South Burlington properties since September totaling over $10 million, including the former Pete's RV Center site adjacent to its manufacturing facility for $8 million. The electric aviation company, which went public last fall and raised over $1 billion, plans to add nearly 1,000 employees in the next 18 months, with 90% based in Vermont. Company officials say the acquisitions support their goal of vertically integrating production locally.
"Let's get it back to where it's temporary, and get those investments made into permanent settings that give people that outlet — that place to go to come out of homelessness, not remain stagnant in the circumstances that they are in," per Vermont Public.
A bipartisan bill would dramatically wind down Vermont's use of motel rooms as emergency shelter over two years, redirecting funds toward shelters, transitional housing, and related services. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Eric Maguire (R-Rutland City) and co-sponsored by Rep. Theresa Wood (D-Waterbury), sets time limits on shelter stays and includes a controversial provision to pay for travel for unhoused people who wish to return to their home states. Advocates have raised concerns, noting that a 2024 investigation dispelled the narrative that Vermont's homelessness spike was driven by out of state arrivals.
"We partnered with Black River Produce who handles our beef program and came up with our own custom blend. So, we do it 30% mycelium to a 70% local ground beef," per WCAX.
The "better burger," now the default order at UVM dining halls, blends local ground beef with mushroom mycelium to reduce the carbon footprint of the university's beef program by 30%. Beyond the environmental benefits, the burgers contain less saturated fat and more B vitamins, vitamin D, and fiber. The public can try one at the Davis Center for $10.39.
"The word 'gospel' means good news, and there's no time that needs that optimism like the present," per Seven Days.
Burlington's first year round community gospel choir, led by cofounder Jonathan Ellwanger, will perform at Champlain College this week as part of MLK Day festivities. The 25 member choir welcomes singers of all backgrounds and religious affiliations, learning music by ear in a supportive environment. Ellwanger, who first heard gospel music as an infant in Birmingham, Alabama, where his Lutheran pastor father led a Black congregation, hopes audiences find "a promise of hope and empowerment."
"These graduates are much-needed and highly-qualified nurses whose dedication and expertise will help reduce some of the pressure being felt across our region due to the ongoing shortage of both bedside nurses and nurse educators," per Vermont Business Magazine.
Two partnership programs between UVM Health, Norwich University, and Vermont State University have graduated 31 students since August, with 10 earning Bachelor's degrees and 21 earning Master's degrees in nursing. The programs, supported by over $1.5 million in grant funding, allow employees to continue earning wages while studying. All graduates have committed to working locally for at least two years.
"What connects them is a shared interest in imagination and inner experiences, and how those invisible ideas take visual form," per Seven Days.
Maedeh Asgharpour, South Burlington's new city curator, has organized "The World in Our Mind," an exhibition featuring eight Vermont illustrators including Caldecott Medal winner Jason Chin. The show, on view through January 29 at the South Burlington Public Art Gallery, includes everything from encaustic to Risograph prints. Asgharpour, who moved to Vermont last year from Texas (originally from Iran), plans to also teach printmaking at BCA Studios.
"Part of MAG's mission is that they believe everyone is an artist, and they want to make art accessible to all. When I heard that, I was just super excited," per the Milton Independent.
Shea Harvie, the new executive director of the Milton Artists' Guild, brings a background spanning cosmetology, communications, and a deep personal love of art to her new role. February programming includes "Kindness & Cookies: A Valentine Celebration" and "Let It Flow: An Abstract Paint & Sip" workshop. Harvie emphasizes that membership and participation are open to anyone, not just working artists.
"Recovery residences are built on accountability, peer support, and clear expectations. These homes support women as they actively work toward stability and long-term recovery," per Vermont Business Magazine.
Vermont Foundation of Recovery, partnering with Champlain Housing Trust, has opened six new recovery residence beds and four transitional apartment beds for women in Essex Junction. The expansion brings the organization's statewide network to 79 beds, a 40% increase since September 2024. Applications for membership are now open.
"I think we have a good number in terms of the full budget and we tried to minimize the tax rate increase, which I think the voters and the taxpayers will appreciate," per The Other Paper.
South Burlington's proposed $58.5 million budget includes a 3.55% spending increase and a 3.3% tax rate bump, roughly mirroring inflation. For an average home valued at $440,000, that translates to about $79 more in property taxes. Also on the Town Meeting Day ballot: a $2.3 million vote on an addition to fire station one on Dorset Street, funded through capital assessment fees rather than taxpayer dollars.
"If it was still clear to me that I had a question whether it was a lawful or legal order, I wouldn't do it... I would resign before I would ask my soldiers and airmen to do things like that," per VTDigger.
Deputy Adjutant General Henry "Hank" Harder and Col. Roger "Brent" Zeigler, the two candidates vying to succeed Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight as head of the Vermont National Guard, both told lawmakers they would step down rather than carry out an unlawful order. The testimony comes as members of the Vermont Air National Guard have been deployed under Trump administration directives for Operation Southern Spear, which has drawn condemnation from Democratic members of Congress. The full Legislature will elect one of the two candidates on February 19.
"You're talking about taking away my only mode of transportation. I'm beyond frustrated," per Vermont Public.
The on demand shuttle program serving older adults and people with disabilities in Chittenden County has nearly exhausted its $455,000 annual budget, prompting restrictions on work and personal trips. Ridership has jumped nearly 25% this fiscal year, while costs have spiked due to fewer volunteer drivers and longer trip distances after health care consolidation. The state has set aside $265,000 to help, and some towns are considering contributing municipal funds.
Quick Hits
Burlington Electric Can Sell Renewable Energy Credits to Maine — After losing access to Connecticut's REC market due to a 2024 reporting mistake and policy changes, Burlington Electric Department has found a new buyer in Maine. The deal, made through the McNeil Generating Station, will bring in roughly $7 to $8 million annually, about the same as Connecticut and far more than the $1 million Vermont's market would yield.
Welch Joins Trump for Signing of Milk Bill — Senator Peter Welch found rare common ground with President Trump on Wednesday as he signed bipartisan legislation allowing schools to offer whole and 2% milk again. The bill, co-sponsored by Welch and Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, reverses decade-old guidance and opens new markets for dairy farmers.
Scott Administration Wants to Bring Lottery Games to Your Phone — Governor Phil Scott's administration is proposing to let Vermonters play Megabucks, Powerball, and even scratch-off tickets on their phones. Commissioner Wendy Knight estimates the digital option would raise an additional $5 million annually for the education fund after two years. Fifteen states have already gone digital, and the House government operations committee will consider the proposal in coming weeks.
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UVM Athletics: Women’s Basketball Remains Perfect at Home; Hockey Teams Secure Key Wins
The Vermont women’s basketball team improved to 7-0 at Patrick Gym this season with a 60-49 victory over UAlbany on Sunday. Jadyn Weltz led the Catamounts with 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Nikola Priede contributed 13 points and nine boards. Vermont used a strong fourth quarter to pull away, outscoring the Great Danes 23-9 in the final frame.
In men’s ice hockey, the Catamounts split a weekend series against #11 UConn. On Saturday, Vermont defeated the Huskies 4-2 behind two-point performances from Colin Kessler, Blake Steenerson, and Jens Richards. Goaltender Aiden Wright secured his fourth straight win. The victory followed a 4-1 loss on Friday night, where Jonah Aegerter scored the lone goal for UVM on the power play.
The women’s hockey team extended its unbeaten streak to six games after a successful weekend against Maine. On Saturday’s Senior Day, Ashley Kokavec scored the game-winning goal in overtime for a 2-1 victory. This followed a shootout victory on Friday after the teams tied 2-2 through regulation; Kaylee Lewis netted the shootout winner to earn the extra conference point.
In the pool, the swimming and diving team defeated Rhode Island 155.5-145.5 on Saturday. Natalie Schick won two events and reset her own varsity record in the 100 Back, while Havana Layton also picked up two individual wins. The team returned to action Sunday, falling 224-76 to UConn, where Lauren Clark earned a victory in the 200 Fly.
Rounding out the weekend, the track and field team collected seven wins at the Middlebury Classic, with Sydney Greenidge winning both the 60m and 200m dashes. On the slopes, the alpine skiing team concluded the Colby Carnival, highlighted by Cydnie Timmermann’s fourth-place finish in the giant slalom.
(Thu ⦁ 11:00am) Jan 22: 2025-26 Women's Basketball vs. UMass-Lowell
(Fri ⦁ 7:00pm) Jan 23: 2025-26 Men's Hockey vs. UMass
(Sat ⦁ 2:00pm) Jan 24: 2025-26 Women's Basketball vs. Bryant
(Sat ⦁ 7:00pm) Jan 24: 2025-26 Men's Hockey vs. UMass
Events:
Monday, January 19, 2026
General Events
10:00 AM: Free Admission Day at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain (Free)
10:00 AM: Dinosaur Safari Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center (Free w/ admission)
All Day: OPEN PLAY for all ages! at The University Mall (Check link for details)
12:00 PM: BCA Center's Exhibition, How to Say Goodbye at BCA Burlington City Arts (Free)
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Original Skiff + Oyster (Half-priced)
4:30 PM: Monday Night Bingo at Burlington Elks Lodge 916 (Various prices)
5:00 PM: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation Keynote Address at St. Michael's College (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia Monday at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling (Free)
6:00 PM: Monday Night Line Up Beginner Level at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Jct (Free)
6:00 PM: Open Mic Night at Pearl Street Pub (Free)
6:00 PM: Pickup Youth Basketball (Grades 9-12) at Shelburne Town Gym (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia with Craig Mitchell at The Monkey House, Winooski (Free)
7:00 PM: Pickup Dodgeball at Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center ($5)
7:00 PM: Spanish Chat Mondays at Three Needs (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia Monday with Top Hat Entertainment at McKee's Original, Winooski (Free)
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
General Events
8:15 AM: Shut Up & Write!® at Vivid Coffee Roasters (Free) [MEETUP]
10:00 AM: Library Outreach Specialist Office Hours at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
11:00 AM: Sing-Along with Linda Bassick (Early Learner 0-5) at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
12:30 PM: Drop-In Tech Support at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch (Free)
1:00 PM: Blood Drive - University of Vermont Health Network at 350 Tilley Dr, South Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: Insight Yin: 4-Week Series at 1 Mill St, Burlington (Check link)
3:30 PM: Build It Big! Rigamajig Workshop (Youth 5-10) at Fletcher Free Library (Free, Registration Required)
4:00 PM: Winter Pottery Class (Start of 8-Week Session) at Claude Lehman Pottery (Check Registration Price)
4:00 PM: Writing Circle at Pathways Vermont, Burlington (Free)
4:30 PM: Traditional Tuesday at Mesmer Kava ($20 flat fee or per shell)
5:00 PM: Pause-Café French Conversation at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
5:00 PM: Taco Tuesday at Four Quarters Brewing ($3.50 ea / 3 for $9)
5:00 PM: Game Night at Switchback at Switchback Brewing Company (Free)
5:00 PM: Minecraft Meet-up (Youth 5-10 & Teen) at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch (Free)
5:15 PM: Community Meditation at First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington (Free/Donation)
5:30 PM: 5K Run @ Pioneer Lakeside at Pioneer Lakeshore Cafe (Free) [MEETUP]
5:30 PM: Intro to Contemporary Dance at Lines Vermont Dance Studio (Check link)
5:45 PM: Queen City Brewery & Pizza44's January Trivia Night! at Queen City Brewery (Free)
6:00 PM: Catamount OFC's Annual Meeting at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston (Free)
6:00 PM: January Lindy 1 at Vermont Swings / North Star Community Hall (Check link)
6:00 PM: Evening Zentangle with Julia Davenport at Essex Free Library (Free)
6:00 PM: Vermont Figure Drawing Collective at 47 Maple St ($20 cash)
6:00 PM: Crafters Drop-In at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
6:00 PM: Winooski City Council FY27 Budget Meeting at Winooski City Hall (Free)
6:15 PM: Ladies Book Club - Confessions of a Shopaholic at Juniper Bar and Restaurant (Free) [MEETUP]
6:30 PM: Spanish Conversation Group at Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center (Free)
6:45 PM: Beginning Aerial Hammock for Adults at Lines Vermont Dance Studio (Check link)
7:00 PM: Trivia Tuesdays at 4 Park St, Essex Junction (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia Tuesday at On Tap Bar & Grill (Free)
7:00 PM: Caribbean Tuesdays • Salsa Dance Classes at South End Studio (Check link)
7:00 PM: Nervous System Reset: 4 Week Breathwork Immersion at 100 Dorset Street, South Burlington (Check link)
7:00 PM: January Beginning Swing at Vermont Swings / North Star Community Hall (Check link)
7:00 PM: Open Gym Basketball for Dads at Mater Christi School (Free)
Multi-day: The Great Vermont Coat Drive at 275 Kennedy Drive (Donation)
Performances
7:00 PM: All That Jazz Open Mic Comedy at The 126 (Free)
Live Music/DJ
6:00 PM: Bashment Tuesday (DJ) at Akes Place (Free)
6:30 PM: Open Mic Night at The Venetian Soda Lounge (Free)
7:00 PM: Owen Doherty, Macian Roberts at Radio Bean ($5)
7:30 PM: Jackson and the Janks w/ The Red Newts at The Monkey House ($10)
8:00 PM: Dead Is Alive with Dobbs Dead at Einstein's Tap House ($15)
9:00 PM: Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River at Radio Bean ($10)
9:00 PM: Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride at The 126 (Free)
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
General Events
9:00 AM: Burlington Bitcoin Meetup at Zero Gravity Brewery (Free) [MEETUP]
10:30 AM: Therapy Dog Mick Visit at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
11:00 AM: INTRO CLASS for everyone at Williston R.E.C. Zone (Check link)
11:00 AM: Library Littles Playgroup (Early Learner 0-5) at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
11:15 AM: The Alphabet Soup of Digital Marketing: A Trivia Game at The Flynn Center (Check link)
1:00 PM: Art Explorers (Youth 5-10 & Teen) at Fletcher Free Library (Free, Registration Required)
2:00 PM: Community Partners Desk: Howard Center at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
2:30 PM: Jigsaw Puzzle Swap at South Burlington Public Library (Free)
3:00 PM: Weekly Group Meditation & Vigil at 188 Harvest Lane, Williston (Free)
4:00 PM: Wednesday $10.00 Burger Night at Original Skiff + Oyster ($10)
5:00 PM: Optimizing Your Health in Peri/Menopause at PT 360 (Check link)
5:00 PM: LOGOS Kid's Night at College Street Congregational Church (Check link)
5:00 PM: Mushroom Medicine with Spoonful Herbals at Shelburne Farms ($22.53)
5:30 PM: Garden Planning Workshop - 4 Part Series at Gardener's Supply, Williston (Check link)
5:30 PM: Greek Conversation Group at City Market - South End (Free) [MEETUP]
5:30 PM: STEAM Space (Youth 5-10) at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
5:30 PM: Impressionist Palette-Knife Oil Painting at CVU Access, Hinesburg (Check Registration Price)
5:45 PM: Trivia for Adults & Teens at Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester (Free)
6:00 PM: Midweek Boot Scoot High Beginner Level at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Jct (Check link)
6:00 PM: Scrabble Night at The Boardroom (Free) [MEETUP]
6:00 PM: Cheese Making at Worthen Library, South Hero (Free)
6:00 PM: Champ Masters Toastmasters Club at Dealer.com (Free; preregister)
6:00 PM: Chittenden County RPC Public Forum at Winooski & Zoom (Free)
6:00 PM: Ramen Night: Adventure Dinner Cozy & Candlelit Series at Adventure Dinner Clubhouse, Colchester ($75)
6:30 PM: Deaf Friendly Trivia Night at Burlington Beer Company (Free)
6:30 PM: Trivia Night at Burlington Beer Company (Free)
6:30 PM: Citizen Cider Trivia Night at Citizen Cider (Free)
6:30 PM: Birth Chart 101 - Astrology Workshop at Ladies Social Group, Essex Jct ($10.00) [MEETUP]
6:45 PM: January Westie Wednesday Lesson & Social at Vermont Swings / North Star Community Hall (Check link)
7:00 PM: House Trivia Night at Venetian Soda Lounge (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia Night at RiRa Irish Pub (Free)
Performances
6:00 PM: 'From Rails to Trails' Film Screening & Panel at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center (Free/Donation)
6:30 PM: Architecture + Design Film Series, The Pavilion on the Water at Burlington City Hall Auditorium (Free)
8:30 PM: VCA: Standup Open Mic at Vermont Comedy Club (Free)
Live Music/DJ
6:30 PM: Green Kettle Band at Four Quarters Taproom & Brewery (Check link)
7:30 PM: Ondara at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge ($20-$26)
8:30 PM: Jazz Night with Ray Vega at Hotel Vermont (Free)
9:00 PM: Jazz Sessions at The 126 (Free)
Thursday, January 22, 2026
General Events
8:15 AM: Shut Up & Write!® at Vivid Coffee Roasters (Free) [MEETUP]
9:00 AM: Essentrics® 5-week Series at Lines Vermont Dance Studio (Check link)
10:00 AM: Susan's Place at Susie Wilson Rd, Essex Junction (Check link)
10:00 AM: Library Outreach Specialist Office Hours at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
10:30 AM: Tech Thursdays: Intermediate iPhone Class at Fletcher Free Library (Free, Registration Required)
11:00 AM: GROW Preschool Yoga (Early Learner 0-5) at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
12:00 PM: Peel & Reveal Event at 12 Pearl St, Essex Junction (Check link)
12:00 PM: Italian Conversation Group at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
12:15 PM: Networking Lunch at Hula at Hula ($41.93)
12:30 PM: Open Studio at Expressive Arts Burlington (Donation)
3:00 PM: Community Partners Desk: Burlington Electric at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
4:30 PM: 2025 Re-Cap/2026 Predictions at 68 Randall Street ($5–$15)
4:30 PM: Spanish Conversation at Fletcher Free Library (Free)
5:30 PM: CVAIP January Meeting at Acrisure, Shelburne Road (Check link)
6:00 PM: ECHO After Dark: Mario Takeover (18+) at ECHO, Leahy Center ($25)
6:00 PM: Fat Thursday - Guided Group Rides at Catamount Outdoor Family Center (Check link)
6:00 PM: Learn & Play Blood on the Clocktower at The Boardroom (Free) [MEETUP]
6:00 PM: Vermont: Intro to Tools at New Frameworks Natural Design/Build (Check link)
6:00 PM: Grateful Dead Yoga ft. Dark Star Project at 100 Church St (Check link)
6:00 PM: Country & Western Thursdays at The Venetian Soda Lounge (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia at the Cider Lab at Vermont Cider Lab, Essex Jct (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia Night at Four Quarters Brewing (Free)
6:45 PM: Kizomba Dance Class & Party at Venetian Soda Lounge / South End Studio (Check link)
7:00 PM: Thurs Night Figure Drawing! at Queen City Lodge Oddfellows Hall ($15-$20)
7:00 PM: Burlington Ski & Outing Club Info Session at The Pines Senior Living, South Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Women's Pick-Up Basketball at Allen Brook Middle School, Williston (Free)
8:00 PM: TRIVIA NIGHT at Einstein's at Einstein's (Check link)
10:00 PM: Karaoke Night at RiRa Irish Pub (Free entry)
Performances
11:00 AM: UVM Women's Basketball vs. UMass-Lowell at UVM Patrick Gym (Check link)
6:00 PM: Gone Guys Film Screening & Panel Discussion at Essex Cinemas (Pay-What-You-Can)
6:30 PM: Emil Wakim (Stand Up Comedy) at Vermont Comedy Club ($20.00)
7:00 PM: Sunny Jain's Wild Wild East at The Flynn Main Stage ($29.00)
Live Music/DJ
5:00 PM: Lincoln Sprague Rhodes & Drums at The Venetian Soda Lounge (Free)
6:30 PM: Ryan Osswald Trio w/ Paddy Reagan & Matt Saraca Duo at The Monkey House (Check link)
7:00 PM: The Elovaters at Higher Ground (Sold Out/Waitlist)
Watch for Wednesday Editions!
I hope you’re enjoying those Wednesdays editions! I have plans for a rotation of Food Deal highlights, Poll Questions, Top Reddit Posts, Volunteer Opportunities, Reader Photos, Restaurant Spotlights, Small Business Features, and Btown Explained (quick local deep dive). Or Dine Out Review, Podcast Pick, Pet of the Week (adoptable to user submitted), new local Job Highlights, a Burlington Throwback Photo or Fact, and a quick Burlington Game like “Spot That Location”, VT crossword, or unscramble popular Burlington terms.
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
Full list of restaurant reviews here.
Soon to be updated with even more Burlington food deals. View the full list of food & drink deals here.
That’s All, Burlington!
That wraps up this edition. The linked articles above are worth your time if any of the stories caught your attention. As always, supporting local journalism keeps our community informed and connected.
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