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Weather & Monday Update:
We open the week warm and a little sticky. Monday mixes clouds into the sunshine with a high right around 87, and while an isolated afternoon storm is possible, especially south of us, so we’ll probably stay dry, so evening plans are safe. Tuesday is interesting. It turns hazy, hot and humid with highs pushing the mid 90s in the wider valleys and a heat index flirting with 100, and once the heat has done its work, a cold front can spark strong to severe storms in the evening and overnight. Wednesday clears the whole thing out, lots of sun, mid to upper 80s, and humidity dropping through the day. Thursday settles back toward seasonable, low 80s with a chance of scattered afternoon showers. Net advice for the week, drink water Tuesday, plan the outdoor ambitions for Wednesday.
Monday itself keeps it mellow, in a good way. The night kick off at Radio Bean, where Lomelda plays with Plume Girl and Home Baker at 7:30 with doors at 7, an 18 plus show celebrating Plume Girl and Home Baker's new collaborative album "Everyday I Weave on the Great Loom". Crafters can drift into Collage Collective at Expressive Arts Burlington on Flynn Ave from 6:30 to 9, a drop in cut and paste session open to every skill level, pay by donation. Runners have the weekly Skirack Run Club, three to five casual miles rolling out of the Main Street shop at 6. And if you want to understand why your rent is what it is, former mayor Miro Weinberger talks housing progress at Burlington Beer Co. from 6 to 8 at this month's Vermont Real Estate Meetup, with data on where Vermont's shortage came from and what has changed since 2023.
Tuesday is Bastille Day, the hot one, and somehow still busy. The smartest daytime move is indoors, where Fletcher Free hosts a World Cup semifinal watch party on its 100 inch screen from 3 to 5 with snacks and drinks provided, and it runs again Wednesday for the second semi. Brave Little State turns ten at Four Quarters in Winooski from 5:30 to 7:30, where fifteen dollars gets you live bluegrass from the Wormdogs, a commemorative poster to make, and a hand in picking a future episode question, preregister. Francophones can honor the holiday properly at Wingspan Studio's Bastille soiree on Howard St from 6 to 8, thirty dollars for guided French conversation at every level, games, and hors d'oeuvres, and it caps at twelve people so email ahead. Storytellers take over Burlington Beer Co.'s Lumiere Hall for The Moth's July StorySLAM, and this month's theme is revenge, doors at 6:15 and five minute true stories starting at 7.
The rest of Tuesday spreads out nicely. Plant curious folks can catch the Farm to Medicine Cabinet herb walk at Shelburne Farms' Farm Barn from 5 to 6, an hour among the medicinal plants with folk herbalist Broni Grala, and the page showed just a few tickets left. Bike people can drop in at volunteer night at Old Spokes Home on Riverside Ave from 5 to 7, for bike related activites. Dancers get Caribbean Tuesdays at South End Studios on Pine St, a beginner salsa class at 7 and intermediate at 8, twenty dollar drop in and no partner needed. Fiber folks can settle in at Queen City Brewery for July's Knot Knite at 6. Chamber music fans should aim for Abundance at the Elley-Long Music Center in Colchester at 7:30 with a 6:45 prelude, the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival's faculty and fellows playing Glière, Dvořák, and the winner of this year's Call for Scores. And the night owls' reliable standby, Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River, holds down Radio Bean at 8:30. Comedy note, Rory Scovel's two Vermont Comedy Club shows Tuesday and Thursday are both sold out, so the town is buzzing even where you can't get in.
Wednesday is the loaded day, and the headliner is enormous. Jack White plays the Midway Lawn at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, doors at 6 and show at 7:30, with Burlington's own Rough Francis opening. It is a phone free show, so pouches at the gate, and kids 12 and under get in free with the rain or shine lawn setup. If you'd rather keep it local and free, Winooski's Downtown Block Party takes over Rotary Park from 5 to 8 with DJ Craig Mitchell until 6:30, the Seth Yacovone Band after, free face painting, giant bubbles, and food and drink for purchase. Leddy Beach Bites brings the food trucks to Leddy Park from 5 to 8 with Heather Smith & The Constants on the music and free public skating next door from 6:15 to 7:15. Out in Essex Junction, the All Night Boogie Band plays the Double E stage from 5 to 8, a free outdoor blues and soul show listed through the Forever 38 Meetup, and a camp chair is the right call, and at Sam Mazza's Farm Market in Colchester, Sticks & Stones plays the farm's summer concert series from 6 to 8 with food and drinks for sale on site.
The rest of Wednesday covers every speed. Downtown, Art Amplified keeps the BCA Center open late with Moss Cycle's modular synth set at 5 and pop soul powerhouse Thea Wren at 6:30, free. Runners can join the 5K from Foam Brewers at 5:30, a Meetup group's casual out and back that ends conveniently at a brewery. The All-Inclusive Dyke-Tacular holds down Doma Bar from 5 to 10 with feel good tunes and dancing. Shutterbugs can learn the essentials of camera at the Media Factory from 6 to 8, a free intro to focus, shutter speed, and aperture, preregister. The Craftsbury Chamber Players open their 60th anniversary season at Elley-Long at 7:30 with a 6:45 pre concert chat, playing Haydn, Derrick Skye, and Schumann. The Deaf and ASL community meets for a silent dinner and ice cream at Burlington Bay Market & Café from 6 to 8. And for something completely different, psychic medium John Edward brings Crossing Over to the Delta Hotel in South Burlington, doors at 6 and the main event 7 to 9, messages from the other side, pets included.
Thursday closes the window strong and mostly free. Party on the Bricks lands on the Leahy Block of Church Street outside Ken's Pizza and Pub from 5:30 to 8, with Red Hot Juba swinging through jazz and rock 'n' roll from 6. SB Nite Out fills Veterans Memorial Park from 5:30 to 8 with Soul Porpoise on stage at 6 and a food court running from the Skinny Pancake to Ukrainian Kitchen, plus a free kids zone. Runners can double up next door, where the Stars and Strides 5K checks in at Wheeler Homestead Pavilion on Dorset St from 5:30, run in partnership with the Vermont Air National Guard. Mountain bikers get the Social Thursday guided ride at Catamount in Williston, meet at 6 and wheels down at 6:15, first ride free and ten dollars after that. Film lovers should not miss Kurosawa's 'Throne of Blood' at the VTIFF Screening Room at Main Street Landing at 7, his Noh inflected Macbeth with Toshiro Mifune. Readers can hear journalist Jasper Craven talk his new book "God Forgives, Brothers Don't" with Garrett Graff at Phoenix Books at 7. Wine and roots rock mix at the Bob Wagner Trio's free set at Shelburne Vineyard at 7. And improv fans can close it out with King Dumb w/ the Kingdom Kids at Vermont Comedy Club at 8:30.
Walking the dog
The Btown Brief IRL - Burlington Social & Activities
The events have been popping off! Sunday’s kayak meetup, followed by the La Feti Du Fromage (cheese party) was a great time. So come join, 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, July 15th @ 5:30 PM: Competitive weekly pick-up runs at Pomeroy Park, all are welcome.
Barbie n Bones at Snow Farm Winery – Thursday, July 16th @ 6:00 PM: Live music and wine in South Hero, gates at 6 and music at 6:30, bring a camp chair or blanket for a proper golden hour on the islands.
BTown Coffee Club – Saturday, July 18th @ 10:00 AM: Btown's favorite weekly social at Zero Gravity, no agenda, no pressure, come find the big table.
Paddle or Kayak @ Shelburne Bay – Saturday, July 18th @ 1:00 PM: Drop in near the marshy end of the bay and explore Shelburne's prettiest water, with a beach break for snacks.
Other Upcoming Events:
Centennial Hills Hike and Winooski Circle – Sunday, July 26th @ 11:00 AM: A group hike on the Centennial Woods loop (dogs welcome), with an optional beer and lunch stop at the Winooski Circle after.
Lake Monsters Baseball & Fireworks – Saturday, August 8th @ 5:45 PM: The last home game of the season at Centennial Field, capped off with fireworks.
Live Music @ Maquam Winery – Thursday, August 27th @ 5:45 PM: An evening of live music at the barn and winery up in Milton, with food trucks and drinks by the glass.
In case you missed it, BTown Digital Arcade and the City Guide are out in the wild. Thirty-four new sites to explore, so take your time!
If you missed Saturday's edition, the two big projects are live. BTown Digital Arcade is a free Burlington arcade, eighteen local games with monthly leaderboards, zero ads, and nothing to download. The City Guide is a live picture of the city, with real hours for 281 restaurants and bars, a complete weather page with scores, events pulled from twenty five sources, sunset rankings, food & drink deals, jobs, housing, and way, way more. 34 new sites in total, so go check them out!
No big pitch this time. Bookmark play.btownbrief.com and guide.btownbrief.com, and go exploring.
Support the Brief to Keep it Running!
Why support? It’s a one man operation! 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!
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Local News (All Links Clickable)
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"A multibillion-dollar publicly traded company, backed by large investors such as Amazon, Beta offers unparalleled employee benefits for its now nearly 1,400 workers, including a private on-site health clinic, free lunches and free flight lessons." per The Other Paper
Beta hired 420 people between January and June, 85 percent of them Vermonters, and CEO Kyle Clark has pledged 1,000 more over 18 months following the company's stock market debut. Smaller aviation shops tell a rougher story, with Middlebury's Green Mountain Avionics losing about half its staff and J&M Avionics down from 21 employees to two since 2008, its owner now moving most of the business to North Carolina. Beta and state economic officials argue school partnerships will grow the technician pool for everyone over time, and GBIC's Frank Cioffi was blunt about the competition, so the tension between South Burlington's big fish and the small shops is one to keep watching.
"The test itself is simple: If an undergraduate program's graduates don't earn more than workers who never went to college, that program could be cut off from federal student loans. The same goes for any graduate program whose graduates earn less than someone with only a bachelor's degree." per Vermont Public
The rule comes out of last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the Education Department will start calculating graduate earnings in early 2027, with the first programs potentially losing aid eligibility in the 2028 to 2029 award year. More than 800,000 students nationally attend programs projected to fail, about half of them at for profit schools, and arts programs are squarely in the crosshairs, with 14 percent of bachelor music programs, including Juilliard, predicted to miss the earnings bar. Burlington is a college town, so how local program lists shake out once that first round of federal data lands is worth keeping an eye on.
"2,389 acres of forested land in the Champlain Valley was purchased by the Adirondack Land Trust Tuesday evening for permanent protection. The property, located in the town of Chesterfield, was privately owned and sold by timber investment company US Forest Invest for $3.38 million." per Adirondack Explorer
The parcel sits across the lake near Keeseville and includes Drake Mountain, with a 1,615 foot summit, a dozen ponds and 6.5 miles of streams running through habitat for moose, bobcats and black bears. The land trust wants to hand the tract over to New York's forest preserve, though executive director Mike Carr says that transfer could take anywhere from one to five years. Once it opens, the existing logging roads are expected to become hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross country ski trails, which would put a sizable new recreation destination within easy reach of our side of the lake.
"Megarry attended her first meeting that November. 'I don't remember the book, but I do remember the people and how kind they were,' she said." per Seven Days
Fran Megarry, now 84, went looking for a remote book club during the pandemic and landed on the Lanpher Memorial Library group in Hyde Park, which she initially assumed was the neighborhood in Chicago. Three and a half years of third Tuesday meetings later, the group had mailed her baked goods, knit hats and $250 in cash to help Minneapolis neighbors who were afraid to leave their apartments during heavy ICE activity, and in May she finally walked into the library in person, greeted with pizza and, at the following meeting, a round of happy birthday. A sweet reminder of how far a small town Vermont library's reach can stretch.
"Over approximately one year, I personally saw only three residents move into apartments. If my observation is representative, that should concern everyone." per VTDigger
Derek Thomas, a South Burlington resident, spent close to a year at Champlain Place in Burlington and writes that discharges happened constantly, sometimes during dangerous winter weather, with residents' mail and belongings lost along the way. His own discharge is now the subject of legal proceedings, and he is calling for an independent review of how Vermont's low barrier shelters measure success. This is one resident's vantage point in an opinion piece, but the question he raises about how many people actually exit to permanent housing sits right at the center of Burlington's long running shelter debate.
"Last year, the base rate of pay was $24.41 an hour for a dispatcher and $28.66 for a patrol officer. In the new contract, which went into effect July 1, those wages increase to $29 and $35 an hour." per the Shelburne News
The deal came down to the wire, finalized June 29, one day before the old contract expired. The new rates put Shelburne roughly even with Hinesburg, where officers start at $34 an hour, and closer to Williston, South Burlington and Richmond, which start between $34.15 and $36.95. Taxpayers get something back too, since the town will now cover 83 to 94 percent of health insurance premiums instead of the full 100, a change the selectboard has repeatedly flagged as a savings lever as it eyes looming capital costs.
Gov. Scott names new secretary of commerce and community development as Kurrle exits for Vermont Gas
"Lindsay Kurrle, who has served as the agency's secretary for seven years, will leave her position July 24 to lead Vermont Gas. The current deputy secretary, Tayt Brooks, will take up the agency's top role." per VTDigger
The Agency of Commerce and Community Development oversees economic growth, housing development and tourism, so this seat matters well beyond Montpelier. Kurrle will succeed Neale Lunderville as president and CEO of Vermont Gas, while Brooks has been in Scott's orbit since 2017, first as director of affordability and economic initiatives and then as Kurrle's deputy starting in 2021. With housing and business retention dominating the state conversation, how much of Kurrle's agenda carries over under Brooks is the thing to watch.
"Gov. Phil Scott issued an executive order Wednesday that included a number of measures to decrease health insurance regulations in an effort to lower costs, including implementing age-based insurance premiums." per VTDigger
The order follows Scott's veto of S.190, the Legislature's most robust healthcare cost bill this year, and would let the Department of Financial Regulation adjust commercial premiums up or down by as much as 20 percent from what an age neutral rate would be, leaving Medicare and Medicaid untouched. Vermont has been one of only two states that bars age rating, and the state's health care advocate Mike Fisher warns the change raises costs for older Vermonters to lower them for younger ones, while options that pull small businesses out of the Affordable Care Act pool could destabilize it for everyone who stays. Small business groups see real relief in it, and the NFIB's Vermont chapter welcomed the order for its proposed Small Employer HRA Tax Credit, an individual market reinsurance program, and a possible return of association health plans, per Vermont Business Magazine.
"Over 200 applications were made, and about 100 are yet to close, according to Vermont's Chief Recovery Officer Douglas Farnham." per NBC5
The update lands as Vermont marks a third straight July shadowed by flood anniversaries. In Plainfield, which lost dozens of properties in 2023 and 2024, a community nonprofit is pushing the East Village Expansion Project that could add 20 housing units over the next few years, and Barre voters have already approved a bond for flood resilient apartments downtown. Farnham admits the pace is frustrating but says FEMA has been working hard in recent months, so the count of closed buyouts is the number to watch as recovery grinds on.
"Between the 2023 and 2024 floods, 39 housing units were damaged or destroyed, and about 40 residents were displaced. The owners of 28 properties have applied for buyouts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but only three — all from the 2023 flooding — have been approved." per Seven Days
Eva Sollberger's episode 771 returns to the village where the Great Brook demolished the Mill Street Bridge and most of the apartment building locals call the Heartbreak Hotel in July 2024. The wreckage still hangs over the brook and many residents are still living in damaged homes while they wait, but the Plainfield Community Development Corporation has secured $5.2 million from HUD to build 20 homes, 14 of them affordable, on land 40 to 50 feet above the floodplain. Paired with the FEMA buyout numbers above, it is a vivid picture of how slowly the federal side moves and how much of the recovery is running on local grit.
Quick Hits
Welch joins Climate Action Campaign for hearing on the impacts of climate change and extreme weather
Sen. Peter Welch and Rep. Becca Balint joined an Extreme Weather People's Hearing at Barre's Old Labor Hall, where farmers, small business owners and public health experts testified about the 2023 and 2024 floods. Welch is pushing his Disaster AID Act and Rural Recovery Act to speed federal disaster help to small towns.
VermontBiz released its second annual 91 Influencers list, the number a nod to Vermont's 1791 statehood, and the class is thick with Burlington area names, from Beta's Kyle Clark and UVM president Marlene Tromp to Seven Days publisher Paula Routly and Front Porch Forum's Michael Wood-Lewis.
Seven Days devoted its annual Cartoon Issue to history, with new state cartoonist laureate Stephen R. Bissette planning a full history of Vermont cartooning and a cover by Ezra Veitch riffing on Bissette's Tyrant T. rex. It even includes an illustrated history of Burlington's freshly opened Champlain Parkway.
Bill Lutz, who trained at New York's School of Visual Arts, sketches between customers at the South Burlington Staples, takes commissions of everything from pet dogs to Viking superheroes, and is finishing a 500 page graphic novel he hopes to publish next year.
Melissa Pasanen and Emily Rhain Andrews tell the story, in comic form, of a new historic marker honoring the Italian immigrant families who settled in Colchester in the early 1900s and how four of those families built a farming legacy that continues a century later.
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
Vermont Green FC Women Are Headed to the National Final
The believing paid off. The Vermont Green FC women beat Asheville City SC 1-0 in the USLW National Semifinal Saturday night in front of another sold-out Virtue Field, and the club's first-ever women's season now runs all the way to the National Final. Emily Mara delivered the winner about ten minutes into the second half, collecting a feed from Tess Barrett, driving into the box, and curling one into the top corner for her fifth goal of the summer and her third of the postseason. Olivia Shippee and the backline did the rest, stretching the team's streak without conceding past 420 minutes as the Green closed out a sixth consecutive win, a run in which they have scored 21 goals and given up exactly one.
The final sends the undefeated Women in Green to Seattle to face Salmon Bay FC on Saturday, July 18, with a national trophy on the line. Back home, the men's playoff run kicks off right after, with a Round of 32 doubleheader at Virtue Field on July 17 and a Round of 16 match on July 19, tickets on sale soon.
Upcoming Home Games
July 17 — 2026 USL2 Playoffs Round of 32 doubleheader at Virtue Field (ticket sale starts soon)
July 19 — 2026 USL2 Playoffs Round of 16 at Virtue Field (ticket sale starts soon)
Events:
Monday, July 13, 2026
General Events
8:00 AM: Get Hip: Liberate Your Pelvis at Chace Mill, Burlington
5:00 PM: Vermont Adult Learning Book Club
5:45 PM: Skirack's Run Club at Skirack, Burlington
6:00 PM: Monday Night Open Mic at Pearl Street Pub, Essex Junction (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia Monday at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex (Free)
6:00 PM: Burlington Elks Bingo at Burlington Elks Lodge (Various prices)
6:00 PM: Anime Group at Pathways Vermont Morgan's Place Peer Support Center, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Novice Monday: Group MTB Ride at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston
6:30 PM: MEDITATION CLASS: Living a Meaningful Life Meditations at 173 North Prospect St, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:30 PM: Collage Collective at Expressive Arts Burlington (Free; donations accepted)
6:30 PM: Heather Layne: Night of Music and Testimony at Daybreak Community Church, Colchester
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)
7:00 PM: Monday Night Live at Outright Vermont, Burlington (Free; donations accepted)
7:00 PM: Cancer New Moon Circle at Flynn Ave, Burlington — MEETUP.com
7:00 PM: Monday Evening Singing Circle in the South End, Burlington
7:00 PM: Play Dodgeball — Every Monday Night!, Burlington
Times Vary: Afternoon Tech Help at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall (Free; preregister)
Times Vary: The Ribbit Review Open Mic & Jam at Lily's Pad, Burlington (Free)
Times Vary: Mandarin Conversation Circle at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall (Free)
Times Vary: Solarpunk Book Club & Game Night at Peace & Justice Center, Burlington (Free)
Times Vary: Cruise aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III at Spirit of Ethan Allen, Burlington
Times Vary: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
Times Vary: Industry Day at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington
Times Vary: The Ultimate Chocolate Tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington
Times Vary: Trolley tours at Perkins Pier, Burlington
Times Vary: Skiff Oyster Hour at Hotel Champlain, Burlington
Performances
6:00 PM: Movies for Makers: 'Pitch Perfect at Partizanfilm, Burlington ($10.17-12.84)
Live Music/DJ
7:30 PM: Lomelda, Plume Girl & Home Baker at Radio Bean, Burlington ($20/$25)
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
General Events
10:00 AM: Senior Strength Class, Colchester
12:30 PM: Drop-In Tech Support at Fletcher Free Library New North End Branch, Burlington (Free)
2:00 PM: Creative Cards with Noreen at Essex Free Library, Essex Junction (Free)
3:00 PM: Burlington Watches Together: Semi-Finals at Fletcher Room, Main Library, Burlington
3:00 PM: ONE Farmers Market (weekly), Burlington
4:00 PM: Writer's Circle at Pathways Vermont Morgan's Place Peer Support Center, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: Pause-Café Mardi at Burlington Bay Market & Café (Free)
5:00 PM: Farm to Medicine Cabinet Herb Walk at The Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms ($17.35)
5:00 PM: Super Smash Tuesdays at RiRa Irish Pub, Burlington
5:00 PM: Volunteer Night at Old Spokes Home, Burlington
5:15 PM: Community Meditation at First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington (Free; donations accepted)
5:30 PM: Brave Little Birthday Bash at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski ($15; preregister)
6:00 PM: Crafters Drop-In at Main Reading Room, Main Library, Burlington
6:00 PM: Cancer Caregiver & Partners Group
6:00 PM: Grief Literacy Workshop
6:00 PM: Wingspan Studio Bastille Day Fete & Convo, Burlington
6:00 PM: July Knot Knite at Queen City Brewery, Burlington
6:00 PM: Tuesday Trail Running Series at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston
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)
7:00 PM: Vermont's Freedom & Unity Chorus at Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Michael's College, Colchester (Free)
9:00 AM: Burlington Bitcoin Meetup - @ Zero Gravity at 716 Pine Street (Zero Gravity), Burlington — MEETUP.com
7:00 PM: Caribbean Tuesdays: Salsa Dance Classes at 696 Pine St, Burlington
7:00 PM: JULY StorySLAM at Burlington Beer Company
7:00 PM: July Beginning Swing! at 20 Crowley St, Burlington
7:00 PM: July Charleston! at 20 Crowley St, Burlington
Times Vary: 802SDAY (Aussi ton Mardi)/7302/) at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington
Times Vary: Sandbox - Free Sewing Class for beginners at The Sandbox, Burlington
Times Vary: Vermont Figure Drawing Collective at Karma Bird House, Burlington
Performances
7:00 PM: Rory Scovel at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington (SOLD OUT)
Live Music/DJ
6:00 PM: King Me at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex (Free)
6:00 PM: Bashment Tuesday at Akes' Place, Burlington (Free)
7:30 PM: Festival Artists Series: 'Abundance at Elley-Long Music Center, Saint Michael's College, Colchester ($35-50)
7:30 PM: Nick Granelle, Andriana & the Bananas, Danny & the Parts at Monkey House, Winooski (Free)
8:00 PM: Dead Is Alive with Dobbs' Dead at Einstein's Tap House, Burlington ($15)
8:30 PM: Honky Tonk Tuesday with Wild Leek River at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10)
9:00 PM: Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride at The 126, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Local Dork Vinyl DJ Night at Foam Brewers, Burlington
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
General Events
10:00 AM: Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference at Courtyard Marriott Burlington Harbor (Free; preregister)
10:00 AM: Nature Journaling at Rock Point Center, Burlington (donation)
10:30 AM: Therapy Dog Mick Visit at Main Reading Room, Main Library, Burlington
11:00 AM: Wild Card Wednesday at Bay & Brisket, Colchester
12:00 PM: Summer Seafood Fest, Shelburne
3:00 PM: Burlington Watches Together: Semi-Finals at Pickering Room, Main Library, Burlington
3:30 PM: Crafternoon at the Winooski Library at Winooski Memorial Library, Winooski
4:00 PM: Native Planting at Rock Point Center at Rock Point (20 Rock Point Rd), 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: Downtown Block Party at Rotary Park, Winooski (Free)
5:00 PM: Wednesday Wine Down Farmers Market at Shelburne Vineyard (Free)
5:00 PM: Leddy Beach Bites Food Festival with Heather Smith & The Constants at Leddy Park Beach, Burlington
5:00 PM: Summer Sketchbook Club at 34 Church St, Burlington
5:30 PM: 5K Run @ Foam Brewers at Foam Brewers, 112 Lake Street, Burlington — MEETUP.com
5:30 PM: Spritz & Stem at The 126 at The 126, Burlington ($35.00)
5:30 PM: Pick-up Basketball at 31 Booth St, Burlington — MEETUP.com
5:30 PM: FOTW Trail Clinic - Saxon Hill at Saxon Hill Trailhead, Essex Junction
5:30 PM: Pick-Up Basketball at Pomeroy Park, 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: The Essentials of Camera at The Media Factory, Burlington (Free; donations accepted; preregister)
6:00 PM: Community Cooking at Outright Vermont, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Scrabble Night @ The Boardroom at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, 3 Mill St, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: Presentation: How to Use AI with WordPress Right Now at Fletcher Free Library, 235 College Street, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: The Sewist Social at Zero Gravity Brewery, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: The One-Night Stand: an Evening Clinic in Bicycle Care at Old Spokes Home, Burlington
6:00 PM: Learn & Play U-Boot at The Boardroom, Burlington
6:00 PM: ASL Silent Dinner & Ice Cream! at Burlington Bay Market & Café
6:00 PM: Champ Masters Toastmasters Meeting at Dealer.com, Burlington
6:00 PM: Get Tricky: AKC Trick Dog Class, Williston
6:30 PM: Crafterevening: Vegetable & Fruit Print Tote Bags at Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston (Free; preregister)
6:45 PM: Swing Dance Open Practice at 20 Crowley St, Burlington
7:00 PM: Trivia at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Trivia at Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge, Burlington (Free)
8:30 PM: Standup Open Mic at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington (Free)
Times Vary: Pub Hour at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington
Times Vary: Watch Party at Switchback Brewing Co., Burlington
Times Vary: Wednesday $10.00 Burger Night at Hotel Champlain Burlington, Curio Collection by Hilton
Times Vary: USASA Veterans Cup soccer tournament (through Jul 19) at Tree Farm Rec Park, Essex
Performances
7:00 PM: VCA: Coached Ensembles! at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington
7:00 PM: Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward at Delta Hotels by Marriott, South Burlington
Live Music/DJ
5:00 PM: Art Amplified featuring Thea Wren and Moss Cycle at BCA Burlington City Arts (Free)
5:00 PM: All Night Boogie Band at Double-E Stage (FREE) at 21 Essex Way, Essex Junction — MEETUP.com (Free)
6:00 PM: Sam Mazza's Summer Concert Series: Sticks & Stones at Sam Mazza's Farm Market, Colchester
6:30 PM: Town of Shelburne Concert Series at Shelburne Farms (Free; donations accepted)
6:30 PM: Bluegrass & Pizza at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski (Free)
6:30 PM: Halvorson's Courtyard Music Series: The Third Wheel at Halvorson's Upstreet Cafe, Burlington (donation)
7:00 PM: Melissa Chilinski & Elijah Berlow at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10)
7:30 PM: Jack White at Midway Lawn, Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction ($69.50; free for kids 12 and under)
8:30 PM: Historically Close Friends Presents: Le Jazz Hot! at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10/$15)
8:30 PM: Jazz Night with Ray Vega at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM: Jazz Sessions at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Thursday, July 16, 2026
General Events
11:00 AM: Bay & Brisket Trivia Thursday, Colchester
1:00 PM: Friendly Game of Bridge at Heineberg Senior Center, Burlington (Free)
12:00 PM: Italian Conversation Group at Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
12:30 PM: Duplicate Bridge Games at Burlington Bridge Club, Williston ($6)
2:00 PM: Knit for Your Neighbors at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall (Free)
5:00 PM: Thursday Happy Hour at Lincoln's in Burlington at Lincoln's, College St, Burlington — MEETUP.com
5:30 PM: Circus Arts with Rob Crites at FlynnZone (The Flynn), Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Savor the Summer: Herbal Syrups, Shrubs & Spritzers with Spoonful Herbals at Market Garden at Shelburne Farms ($27.72)
5:30 PM: Party On The Bricks at Church Street Marketplace, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Stars and Strides 5K Run/Walk at 1100 Dorset St, South Burlington
6:00 PM: Women's Pickup Flag Football at University of Vermont Rugby Pitch, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia at Einstein's Tap House, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski (Free)
6:00 PM: Create a Title Sequence With After Effects at The Media Factory, Burlington (Free; donations accepted; preregister)
6:00 PM: Peer Support Dungeons & Dragons at Morgan House, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Vermont Sleep Center Grand Opening & Free Sleep Screening Event at Chittenden Dental + Wellness, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Learn & Play Grinivil at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, 3 Mill St, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: American Mah Jong at The Boardroom, Burlington
6:00 PM: Social Thursday: Guided Mountain Bike Ride at Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston
7:00 PM: Jasper Craven at Phoenix Books (Burlington) (Free; preregister)
7:30 AM: BTV Clean Up Crew at Top of Church St., Burlington (Free)
9:00 AM: Celebrate Summer With WBON at Maple Tree Place, Williston (Free)
7:00 PM: Thursday Night Figure Drawing with Emanata Art Collective at 1416 North Ave, Burlington
8:00 PM: Learn to Skate with Green Mountain Roller Derby at Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction
Times Vary: Hot Dog & A Can Thursdays at Citizen Cider, Burlington
Times Vary: SB Nite Out #4 with Soul Porpoise at South Burlington Parks & Rec
Performances
7:00 PM: Rory Scovel at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington (SOLD OUT)
7:00 PM: Throne of Blood at The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington ($6-12)
8:30 PM: King Dumb w/the Kingdom Kids at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington
Live Music/DJ
6:00 PM: The Devon McGarry Band at Red Square, Burlington
6:00 PM: Blues Jam at Sparky's Bar & Grill, Essex Junction
6:30 PM: McMaple at Bayside Beach, Colchester
7:30 PM: Jeff Wilson at The Monkey House, Winooski
10:00 PM: DJ GAYBAR at Einstein's Tap House, Burlington
10:00 PM: Thirsty Thursday at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Thursdays by the Lake: Blues Over Easy at Union Station, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: On the Door Radio at The Pinery, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Summer Concert Series on the Patio at Folino's Pizza - Williston (Free)
6:00 PM: Vinyl Thursdays at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Bob Wagner Trio at Shelburne Vineyard (Free)
11:00 PM: Thursday Night Social Club: Kate Kush & skipipop at Radio Bean, Burlington
Times Vary: Compa & Friends Summer Residency! - ft. Rob Compa, Cotter Ellis, & Chuck Jones at Radio Bean, Burlington
Ongoing All Week – Exhibits, Films & Daily Attractions
America 250 at Shelburne Museum at Shelburne Museum
Belonging: A New Collections Gallery at Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont, Burlington
Dinosaur Safari' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington (Regular admission, $17-23; free for members and kids 2 and under)
Eyes Ahead at Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery, Shelburne
Highly Curated at Gaston Weed Company, Essex
Investigating Child Labor at Heritage Winooski Mill Museum
Mosaic of Marks, Words, Material' Exhibit at Winooski School District (Free)
Norman Rockwell: At Home in Vermont at Shelburne Museum
On Point: Needlework from the Garthwaite Family Collection at Shelburne Museum
Pièce de Résistance at The SEABA Center, Burlington
Al Larsen at Champlain College Art Gallery, Burlington
Anna McNeary at Extra Special With Cheese, Burlington
Art at City Hall: Caleb Kenna at Burlington City Hall
Art at the Airport: Matt Larson at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, South Burlington
Art at the Airport: Mike Sipe at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, South Burlington
Art at the Airport: Natasha Bogar at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, South Burlington
Art at the Hospital: Becky Chappell at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington
Art at the Hospital: Francois de Melogue at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington
Art at the Hospital: Greg Nicolai at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington
Art at the Hospital: Julie Dunigan at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington
Art at the Hospital: Nancy Chapman at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington
Art at the Hospital: Todd Cummings at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington
Ashley Stagner at Artspace 106 at the Men's Room, Burlington
Glass Factory and Storefront Open !! at AO Glass, Burlington
Leah Barranco at BCA Center, Burlington
Marian Wilmott at The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Burlington
Marion Huse at J. Kenneth Fine Art, Shelburne
Nikki Laxar at Foam Brewers, Burlington
Rachel Rodi and A Fellow Traveler at Flynndog Gallery, Burlington
Vermont Watercolor Society Hub Show at Winemakers Gallery at Village Wine and Coffee, Shelburne
Veronica Pham at BCA Center, Burlington
Will Kasso Condry at BCA Center, Burlington
Here are some of my favorite BtownBrief links:
The full list of things to do around town, always waiting for you when you need a plan: Things To Do in Burlington
Every restaurant and bar in town, with their real hours, so you can see what's actually open right now: Open Right Now
Every happy hour, daily special and cheap-night I've gathered so far: Food & Drink Deals
And if you'd rather just have one link for all of it: the guide, the arcade, the whole lot hub.btownbrief.com
That’s All, Burlington!
That's the week, folks. Squeeze the most out of Monday night and Wednesday, treat Tuesday like the heat advisory it basically is, and if you're headed to the Expo Wednesday night, enjoy a few hours without your phone, it will survive the separation. If the Btown Brief helps you love this city a little more, you can keep it running through Ko-fi or Venmo (@btownbrief), every bit helps and means a lot. 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 on, Burlington.
If you like what I do, help support the newsletter by buying me a coffee using the link below. Or, right to our Venmo @btownbrief. Or, buy an advertising spot for your business.
