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Weather & Monday Update:
If you still have tomatoes or potted herbs out on the porch, this is the week to bring them inside. Monday turns breezy and cooler behind this morning's cold front, with a high around 58, gusts near 30, and a chance of a passing shower this afternoon. Tuesday is sunny but chilly, topping out around 55, and both Monday and Tuesday nights dip to around 39 in town, with Wednesday morning the best shot at frost. Wednesday bounces back to around 61 with plenty of sun and a gusty south wind, and Thursday is the warmest day of the stretch, with a high near 64 and a chance of showers later in the day. Friday and Saturday look mostly sunny with highs near 60 and 57. Track it all week, with patio, swim, and sunset scores, at Burlington Right Now.
Monday starts out at the Intervale, where Fair Share needs volunteers from 2:30 to 6:30 to help run the free CSA that feeds over 350 families, and helpers can take home produce while it lasts. The Elks Lodge on North Avenue gets its weekly Monday Night Bingo going at 4:30 with a $1,000 jackpot game, and Pearl Street Pub in Essex Junction hosts its free Monday Night Open Mic at 6. At 7, Burlington's play reading group The Neighbors opens its 137th season at a home on North Prospect Street, where guests sit in the audience while members read a surprise play, so email ahead to reserve a seat. Also at 7, pickup dodgeball at the Miller Center needs no team, just $5 a game, Underdog Pinball runs its Target Matchplay tournament at The Archives, and the Forever 38 crew heads to Essex Cinemas for Verity [MEETUP], the new Colleen Hoover adaptation with Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway. Nashville singer songwriter Katie Pruitt brings her Fools for the Fleeting Tour to the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge at 7:30, with Next of Kin opening.
Tuesday starts early. Vermont's tech crowd gathers over waffles and coffee at Zero Gravity for Tech Tuesdays breakfast [MEETUP] from 8 to 10, and The Network of Women hosts its monthly networking coffee for women at Hula at 8:30. From 9 to noon, Common Roots in South Burlington wants volunteers to plant next season's garlic, with fall treats to share after. At 5, French speakers and learners meet at Burlington Bay Market & Café for Pause-Café Mardi, and Fletcher Free Library hosts Writing for Healing, a drop in hour of meditation and writing with no experience needed. From 6 to 8, Dad Guild starts Mending Men, a new monthly workshop at the Soda Plant where dads and masculine identifying caregivers learn visible mending from Sophie Hood of Little Bird Sewing Studio, RSVP required, while the library's Crafters Drop-In welcomes anyone with a knitting, crochet or embroidery project. Main Street Landing's free classic film series shows 'Pet Sematary' at the Film House at 7. At 7:30 the big shows split up, with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Ann Wilson of Heart, the voice behind "Barracuda" and "Crazy on You," at the Flynn and Canadian vintage pop band Bombargo in the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge. Dancers can finish the night at North Star Community Hall, where Vermont Swings hosts its weekly DJ dance from 8 to 9:30.
Wednesday means our own Pick-up Basketball [MEETUP] back at Gutterson for indoor hoops at 5:30 ($12 day pass) so come get some runs in. Earlier in the day, Queen City Cat Lounge on North Avenue adds a morning cat yoga class at 10 with the adoptable cats and kittens, capped at eight so sign up first, and Skirack opens gear intake for its Winter Swap from 10 to 6 through Friday, so fill out the online form before dropping off your used winter gear on Main Street. At 5, Tibetan scholar and Dalai Lama translator Geshe Thupten Jinpa talks about finding happiness through gratitude at St. Michael's College, free, and the Vermont Green Building Network gathers at Four Quarters in Winooski for Building Science and Beer, free with registration. At 6, Bluehouse Group hosts ChatBTV [MEETUP], quick talks and demos on what's working with AI with food and drinks provided, Old Spokes Home teaches a one night bike care clinic ($37.50-$60) covering flats, wheels and drivetrain care, and Phoenix Books' Trash for the Trope book club takes on Kate Clayborn's Georgie, All Along. At 6:30, VTIFF unveils this year's lineup at its free festival preview at the Main Street Landing Film House, with light bites from Bramble first, and Vermont Comedy Arts holds its $5 improv night at the Vermont Comedy Club with an open jam after. Adventure Dinner in Colchester screens the PBS film Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World at 7, opening with a reading by Vermont poet laureate Bianca Stone, and Lily's Pad on North Avenue hosts its free open mic and community potluck from 7 to 10.
Thursday gets going in Shelburne, where OLLI's Why Birds Sing talk with Lisa Zinn runs from 1:30 to 3 at St. Catherine of Siena Church Hall, with registration closing Wednesday. ArtSpark's Creative Cousins, a free BIPOC centered open mic, runs from 5 to 7 at Pingala on North Avenue, and everyone is welcome to listen. In the Old North End, the monthly ONE Community Dinner serves a special Eritrean and Ethiopian meal from guest chef Mulu Tewelde from 5:30 to 6:30 at 20 Allen Street, with curried lentils, spicy mushrooms and injera, free with donations welcome and everyone invited. It's a great way to meet your neighbors. Over on North Street, the Peace & Justice Center's Solarpunk Book Club & Game Night starts at 5:30, and Wild Meadows Books in Williston hosts a bring your own project Craft Night from 6 to 8. Goose drummer Cotter Ellis leads improvised sets recorded live in front of a small audience at Tank Recording Studio for Cotter & Friends at 6 and 8, and New York comic David Drake starts a four show run at the Vermont Comedy Club at 6:30. At 7, the Burlington-Honfleur Sister Cities Committee screens The Mystery of Satie free at BCA Studios with filmmaker Bastien Loukia there in person, Cirque Alfonse brings La Noce to the Flynn, a 1970s wedding party told through acrobatics and live music, and Standing Stone Wines in Winooski hosts Make It a Monologue, a free open mic for monologues. Benjamin Tod & Lost Dog Street Band close out the night in the Higher Ground Ballroom at 8:30, with Candi Jenkins opening.
Scroll down to Events Section for full list of events. Or check my events page.
Summer’s not over til it’s over.
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, October 7th @ 5:30 PM: The weekly outdoor run at Pomeroy Park in the Old North End, always free.
BTown Coffee Club – Saturday, October 10th @ 10 AM: Coffee and conversation at Zero Gravity, come find us.
Apple Picking + Cider Donuts at Shelburne Orchards – Saturday, October 10th @ 11 AM: Meet near the orchard store, pick some apples, then regroup for cider donuts and fresh cider.
Pub Crawl II: South End Breweries – Saturday, October 10th @ 1 PM: Starts at Switchback and works its way to Burlington Beer Co. and Citizen Cider, join for one stop or all of them.
Other Upcoming Events:
Ali T Live at J Ski's with Social Pulse – Thursday, October 15th @ 7 PM: A free indoor show from local favorite Ali T at J Ski's on Main Street, with free snacks and pizza while they last.
Movie Night: You Can See Everything – Friday, October 16th: We're catching the new Elizabeth Holmes documentary together at the Majestic 10 in Williston, showtime posted once tickets go on sale.
BTown Coffee Club x Social Pulse – Saturday, October 24th @ 10 AM: A special edition of Coffee Club at Zero Gravity.
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Local News (All Links Clickable)
"The collection also contains physical items related to Vermont’s music scene, such as the ladle from Nectar’s and the door from 242 Main," per Vermont Business Magazine.
James Lockridge founded Big Heavy World in 1996, and for nearly two decades it saved interviews, radio shows, recordings, performances and posters from the state's music scene, including performance recordings of Phish, Anaïs Mitchell, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Big Joe Burrell and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra at the Flynn. Big Heavy World closed its space in 2025, and Lockridge offered the collection to the Vermont Historical Society, which will fold it into its existing holdings and make it accessible to scholars, musicians and listeners. VHS Director of Collections and Access Amanda Kay Gustin says the collection will have a home with the society for the benefit of future generations.
"It’s a real high priority for us to get people on there as quickly as possible," per Seven Days.
The Winooski Valley Park District bought the 2.7 acre parcel at the very end of North Avenue for $960,000, along with the whole fleet of kayaks and historic photos, and the Lake Champlain Land Trust holds the conservation easement. Charlie Auer Jr. and his sister, Christine Auer Hebert, ran a bait shop, snack bar and boat rental there for decades until it closed when Charlie died in 2021, and the families listed the property last fall for $2.5 million. It stays closed to the public for now, with an opening probably sometime in the spring.
"It’s not typically known that, you know, two-thirds of the surveillance infrastructure for ICE nationally is just in this one town of 10,000 people," per VTDigger.
Shut Down ICE VT's week of action, Oct. 4 to 9, aims to halt operations at Williston's two ICE facilities, the Law Enforcement Support Center, home to the agency's national tip line, and the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center in White Cap Business Park. The week mixes civil disobedience with skills trainings, art activities and community meals, and the biggest public event is a rally at the Law Enforcement Support Center on Thursday, Oct. 8, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Attorney General Charity Clark recently charged 13 protesters arrested at the White Cap facility in July, a move Gov. Phil Scott praised, after Chittenden County State's Attorney Sarah George repeatedly declined to press charges against ICE protesters.
"It was an impactful, stressful, difficult deployment," per WCAX.
Vermont National Guard Commander Maj. Gen. Hank Harder told WCAX that the Green Mountain Boys were tasked with taking out Iranian air defenses during their recent Middle East deployment and came under attack, though the Guard took no casualties. A dozen F-35s deployed and most are back, with a handful left behind with the unit that replaced them, and Harder says none were completely lost but wouldn't say whether any were damaged, citing operational security. The Guard is now offering returning airmen and women mental health resources and other help transitioning back to civilian life.
"In Vermont, we have been focused on affordability, and these policy changes move us in the opposite direction," per Seven Days.
An estimated 235 Vermonters were expected to lose Medicaid on October 1 over restrictions tied to immigration status, the first wave of changes from the federal budget law President Donald Trump signed last year, and starting January 1, work requirements and twice yearly reviews phase in for an estimated 49,000 low income adults as they renew. Most can qualify by showing at least $580 a month in household income, 80 hours a month of work, education or community service, or half time enrollment as a student, with exceptions for pregnant people, some parents and caregivers, and the medically frail. Health care advocate Mike Fisher expects most people to meet the rules and worries more about eligible Vermonters getting dropped because they can't keep up with the extra paperwork and deadlines. At the state's Ferrisburgh town hall on the changes, not a single Medicaid enrollee showed up.
"Because a cellphone is property, our precedents establish that the government does not need to have reasonable suspicion before searching a traveler’s cellphone at the border," per VTDigger.
The 2nd Circuit ruling, written by Judge Steven J. Menashi, applies at every port of entry in the court's jurisdiction, including Vermont's border with Canada, and covers manual searches, which generally means an agent scrolling through your phone while you're present. If you won't hand it over unlocked, officials could confiscate it and extract data with digital tools, says Scott Wilkens of the Knight First Amendment Institute, and the judges didn't rule on whether that deeper search needs any suspicion. Wilkens worries the ruling could embolden more searches in Vermont, and he says the Supreme Court will likely take up the issue in some capacity in the coming years.
"We didn’t budget another 80-plus-thousand dollars, you know, in fuel," per WCAX.
That's Jon Mabee, transportation director for South Burlington Public Schools, and with AAA putting Vermont diesel at $6.40 a gallon, the Champlain Valley School District is on track to spend $200,000 more than budgeted, about $16,000 to $20,000 extra a month. South Burlington's buses travel a combined 300,000 miles a year at 5 to 7 miles to the gallon, and its 6 all electric buses are limited by range. If prices keep rising, the district may cancel trips and ask parents to drive students to athletic events.
"Sometimes it’s choosing between, you know, medical necessities for my kids, or gas in the car, or food," per Vermont Public.
In the Vermont Public 2026 Poll, 20% of people surveyed in September said they had been late or come up short on rent or mortgage payments in the past year, and another 12% almost fell behind. Younger Vermonters are hit hardest, with 27% of those 18 to 44 struggling compared with 9% of people over 65. The median primary home sold for $379,000 last year, up more than 91% from a decade earlier, and the share of Vermont renters who could afford a median priced home fell from nearly a third in 2021 to 6% two years later.
"This floor is just something we had to preserve, it’s from Shelburne and Redstone quarries. Local stonemasons in 1925 put this together," per WCAX.
Green Castle Group's Bruce Baker is turning the old downtown Y, vacant from 2019 until construction began in 2025, into 79 apartments from studios to four bedrooms, each with its own heating and cooling, plus a 24 hour gym, balconies and community spaces. Crews are wrapping up exterior finishes and working on interiors from the top floor down, aiming to get the last utility connections in before winter. Construction should finish next spring, 20% of the units are already leased, and residents are on track to move in June 1, 2027.
"It doesn’t seem like that Easter-egg mentality we saw during peak COVID, where it felt like whoever found it first was going to get it," per Seven Days.
The Vermont Association of Realtors counted nearly 3,000 active listings statewide last month, the most since 2020, and the median home now spends 17 days on the market, up from a low of 6 in 2022, so even in Chittenden County homes with more than a few offers are the exception. Buyers are back to demanding inspections and appraisals, and realtors are advising sellers to cut asking prices if offers don't come within the first couple of weeks. Agents don't expect prices to fall, with Vermont's median at $450,000 as of August, which means covering a $2,800 monthly mortgage and coming up with a $90,000 down payment at 20%.
"I don’t know how many more rich people we have to lose in Vermont, but we’ve lost quite a few," per WCAX.
A Vermont Public poll found 57% approve of taxing second homes and 28% oppose, and Democrat Amanda Janoo says the tax could free up housing for Vermonters, with the highest rates aimed at private equity and large corporate owners. Gov. Phil Scott signed off on a new second home tax classification as part of a legislative compromise but calls the push a knee jerk reaction by the Legislature, and both candidates agree any new tax must exclude deer camps or camps owned by working Vermonters. About 14% of the state's housing stock, or 50,000 homes, counts as seasonally vacant, and the Legislature has not yet set a rate.
QUICK HITS
Locked Out of the YMCA, a Teacher Holds Class Outdoors — When the Greater Burlington YMCA's lockdown switch was accidentally activated one Saturday morning, longtime instructor Wendy Ross-Atwood held her 8:30 Strength and Burn class on the sidewalk, leading 17 people through push ups, lunges and planks with music thumping from her husband's Tesla. She weighed more than 200 pounds in college, and she carries her old size 20 photos to show students who say there's no way they could do what she does.
BTV launches first nonstop Baltimore flight in 16 years — Breeze Airways now flies nonstop between Burlington and Baltimore/Washington International on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, with advertised fares as low as $49, and the same plane continues on to Vero Beach, Florida. Airport director Nic Longo says the 100 seat inaugural was about 90% full.
Jersey Mike's to open third Vermont location on Shelburne Road — Chittenden County's third Jersey Mike's is coming to the Gateway Shopping Center on Shelburne Road, in the former Subway, joining the shops at University Mall and in Williston. A sign on the building says it's hiring.
UVM Ranked #1 LGBTQ-Friendly College — The Princeton Review's 2027 edition of The Best 392 Colleges ranked UVM the most LGBTQ friendly college, based on student perceptions of a culture of equality on campus. The Prism Center's Dr. Jorge Castillo says 42% of the incoming class identify as not cisgender or not heterosexual.
Burlington cat lounge recovers after front window is smashed — A man broke a window panel at Queen City Cat Lounge in the Ethan Allen Shopping Center, and none of the cats inside were hurt. He was cited and ordered to stay away from the shopping center, and a GoFundMe set up by a Queen City Cats board member has raised more than $8,000 for security improvements.
Vermont Coyotes announce final season in Barre after contract talks stall — The Vermont Coyotes basketball team is leaving Barre after this coming season, only its second, after contract talks with the city fell through, and the team says it wants more access to the Barre Auditorium court than the city can offer. The team hasn't said where it will move.
Attendance numbers for 2026 Champlain Valley Fair show mixed results — The 2026 fair scanned 116,616 attendees, with general admission up about 3,000 over 2025 and concert ticket sales down about 2,000 after Bret Michaels cancelled at the last minute and John Waite joined Night Ranger in his place. Overall attendance was essentially flat, and the 2027 fair runs Aug. 27 through Sept. 5.
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: Women's Hockey Shuts Out No. 7 Duluth as Swimming Makes History
Women's hockey opened its season by shutting out No. 7 Minnesota Duluth 3-0 on Friday morning at Gutterson. Morgann Skoda, Stella Retrum and Kaylee Lewis scored, and Tara Bach made 36 saves in her Catamount debut for her first shutout in green and gold. It was only the second season opening win over a ranked opponent in program history, the other a 3-1 win over No. 7 North Dakota in 2014. Saturday's rematch went to overtime, where Josie St. Martin scored exactly one minute in to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 win. Natalie Zarcone scored and Hilary Wilkin got her first career goal in the loss. The Cats are 1-1 and play at Franklin Pierce on Friday at 7 and Saturday at 4, streamed on FloCollege.
The men came back to beat Brock 4-2 from 2-0 down in Saturday night's exhibition at Gutterson. Logan Renkowski and Ethan Burroughs tied it in the second, Andoni Fimis put Vermont ahead with a wrist shot 5:23 into the third, and Michael Hagens hit the empty net with 21 seconds left. The regular season starts Friday at 7 at Bentley on FloHockey.TV and WVMT, and Boston University visits the Gut on October 16 and 17 at 7 on ESPN+.
No. 12 men's soccer drew 1-1 with NJIT on Saturday at Virtue Field and stayed unbeaten at home at 5-0-2. Diogo Rebelo put the Highlanders ahead in the fifth minute, and Philipp Schmidtke answered in the 60th off a David Ismail through ball for his fourth goal of the season. The women beat Maine 2-1 on Sunday, and the Black Bears were picked first in the America East preseason poll. Madeline Gardner scored in the 27th minute off a Sophia Kling goal kick, Kling's first collegiate assist, and then set up Eleni Stowell's fifth goal of the year in the 63rd to move the Cats to 2-0-1 in conference play. Both teams travel this weekend, the men to UMBC on Saturday at 7 and the women to Bryant on Sunday at 1, both on ESPN+.
Field hockey lost its America East opener 1-0 in overtime at New Hampshire on Friday. Vermont answered by routing Queens 8-0 at home on Sunday. Alicia Battistelli scored a hat trick, her second of the season, and Veerle Nijhuis and Fiona McMahon scored twice each. Queens never got a shot off, Vermont took 38, and its 18 penalty corners set a program record. The Cats host UMass Lowell on Friday at 3 in the America East Spread Respect game on AmericaEast.TV, then Appalachian State on Sunday at 11, both during alumni weekend.
Swimming and diving beat Northeastern for the first time in program history, 158-123, on Saturday at Forbush Natatorium, after starting 0-15 all time against the Huskies. Vermont won 10 events, two each from Ariel Indrisano in the breaststroke and Robyn Tonomura-MacDonald, who swept the diving for the first time in her career. The program's 50th anniversary team store is open through October 12. Cross country runs the New England Championships in Hopkinton, N.H., on Friday and hosts the Fall Foliage Invite in St. Albans on October 18, and men's basketball plays a home exhibition against Holy Cross on October 17 at 4. And on Friday night the UVM Athletic Hall of Fame inducted seven honorees at the Davis Center.
Oct 9: Field Hockey vs. UMass Lowell (Fri ⦁ 3:00pm)
Oct 11: Field Hockey vs. Appalachian State (Sun ⦁ 11:00am)
Oct 16: Men's Ice Hockey vs. Boston University (Fri ⦁ 7:00pm)
Oct 17: Men's Soccer vs. New Hampshire (Sat ⦁ 1:00pm)
Oct 17: Men's Basketball vs. Holy Cross (Sat ⦁ 4:00pm)
Oct 17: Men's Ice Hockey vs. Boston University (Sat ⦁ 7:00pm)
Oct 18: Field Hockey vs. Yale (Sun ⦁ 12:00pm)
Oct 18: Cross Country Fall Foliage Invite in St. Albans (Sun ⦁ 12:30pm)
Events:
This is the curated cut. The full calendar, 25 sources refreshed twice a day, lives at Burlington events.
Monday, October 5, 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: Glass Factory and Storefront Open !! at AO Glass, Burlington (Free for all, come on in!)
11:30 AM: Shelburne Farms Tour 2026 at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($15)
11:30 AM: ASL Silent Lunch at City Market, Burlington
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: The Ultimate Chocolate Tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington ($16)
2:30 PM: Volunteer at Fair Share (Intervale Center free CSA) at Intervale Center Community Barn, Intervale Road, Burlington
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Original Skiff + Oyster, Burlington
4:30 PM: Monday Night Bingo at the Elks Lodge at Burlington Elks Lodge #916, Burlington
6:00 PM: Dinner with Archbishop Abraham Yel Nhial of South Sudan at St. Timothy Anglican Church, 30 Morgan Parkway, Williston
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)
7:00 PM: Archives October Target Matchplay at The Archives, Burlington
7:00 PM: Spanish Chat Mondays at Ben & Jerry's, Church Street, Burlington
7:00 PM: Pickup Dodgeball at the Miller Center at Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center, Gosse Court, Burlington ($5 per game)
Performances
7:00 PM: The Neighbors Play Reading Group: 137th Season Opener at a home on N Prospect St (reserve by email), Burlington
7:00 PM: Movie Night - Verity at Essex Outlets Cinema, Essex Junction — MEETUP.com
Live Music/DJ
6:00 PM: Trivia Monday at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex (Free)
7:00 PM: Katie Pruitt w/ Next of Kin at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington ($30)
7:00 PM: South End Singing Circle at Tall Grass, The Media Factory (or the Oakledge Earth Clock if weather permits), Burlington (Free, donations welcome)
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, October 6, 2026
General Events
8:00 AM: Tech Tuesdays: Breakfast at Zero Gravity Brewery, Burlington — MEETUP.com
8:00 AM: Mini Clean Up Crew at Burlington City Hall Park, Burlington (Free.)
8:30 AM: October Networking Coffee for Women at Hula at Hula, Burlington ($13.39)
9:00 AM: Common Roots Farm Volunteer Day: Garlic Planting at Common Roots Farmstand, Farm Way, 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 - @ Zero Gravity at Zero Gravity Brewery, Burlington (Free) — MEETUP.com
10:00 AM: Glass Factory and Storefront Open !! at AO Glass, Burlington (Free for all, come on in!)
10:00 AM: Clean Up Crew at Maple Tree Place, Williston (Free.)
11:30 AM: 802SDAY (Aussi ton Mardi) 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 2026 at Shelburne Farms Inn, Shelburne ($15)
2:00 PM: The Ultimate Chocolate Tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington ($16)
3:30 PM: Games Galore at Brownell Library, Essex Junction (Free.)
4:00 PM: From Seed to Centerpiece at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne ($35)
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Original Skiff + Oyster, 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: Spanish Conversation at Pickering Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: Super Smash Tuesdays at RiRa Irish Pub, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: Writing for Healing (Gateless method, drop-in) at Fletcher Free Library, College Street, Burlington
5:00 PM: The Mizrahi Table: High Holiday Cooking Class with Elliot Sion of The Wise Fool at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, Burlington ($18-$90 sliding scale; class full)
5:00 PM: Special Olympics Vermont and lululemon Run Club at Lululemon, Burlington (Free) — MEETUP.com
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: Mindful Yoga at Shelburne Museum, Shelburne ($12.83-$18.33)
5:30 PM: 5K Run @ Howl Bier in Winooski at Howl Bier, Winooski — MEETUP.com
5:30 PM: Cookbook Club at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free)
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: Mending Men: Dads' Sewing Workshop at The Soda Plant, Burlington
6:00 PM: Library Perks: Intro to Transparent Language at Fletcher Room, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Bashment Tuesday at Akes' Place, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Crafters Drop-In at Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
6:30 PM: Open Studio at Expressive Arts Burlington, Burlington (Donation-based)
7:00 PM: Ethan Tapper: The Forest Year book launch at Phoenix Books, Burlington (Free; RSVPs sold out)
7:00 PM: Dads' Night Out: Board Game Night at The Guild Hall, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
7:00 PM: All That Jazz Open Mic Comedy at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Performances
7:00 PM: 'Pet Sematary' at Film House, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington (Free)
Live Music/DJ
7:00 PM: Bombargo w/ Fudge at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington ($20-$35)
7:00 PM: Luis Betancourt, Mike P at Monkey House, Winooski ($10)
7:00 PM: Trivia Tuesday at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
7:00 PM: Vermont's Freedom & Unity Chorus at Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Michael's College, Colchester (Free.)
7:30 PM: Ann Wilson of Heart & Tripsitter at The Flynn, Burlington ($52.75-$105.25)
8:00 PM: Dead Is Alive with Dobbs' Dead at Einstein's Tap House, Burlington ($15)
8:00 PM: Weekly Tuesday DJ Dance at North Star Community Hall, Burlington
9:00 PM: Big Easy Tuesdays with Jon McBride at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
General Events
8:00 AM: Town Fair at DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington (Various prices; preregister.)
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: Vermont Global Exchange: 'Resilience in a Shifting Global Landscape' at Hula, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
9:15 AM: Dance, Paint, Write! at Expressive Arts Burlington, Burlington (Cost: $35 per session or $120 for the 4-part series)
10:00 AM: Glass Factory and Storefront Open !! at AO Glass, Burlington (Free for all, come on in!)
10:00 AM: Morning Cat Yoga at Queen City Cat Lounge at Queen City Cat Lounge, Burlington
10:00 AM: Skirack Winter Swap Gear Intake at Skirack, 85 Main St, Burlington
10:30 AM: Advanced and Beginner Irish Language Conversation Groups at Fletcher Free Library — Fletcher Room, Burlington (Free)
10:30 AM: OLLI Talk: Finding Your Spunk in Your 60s, 70s and 80s at St. Catherine of Siena Church Hall, Shelburne ($35)
12:00 PM: Wine Down Wednesday at Ken's Pizza & Pub, 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: The Ultimate Chocolate Tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington ($16)
3:00 PM: Pub Hour at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Original Skiff + Oyster, Burlington
4:00 PM: Wednesday $10 Burger Night at Original Skiff + Oyster, Burlington
5:00 PM: Geshe Thupten Jinpa at St. Edmund's Hall, Saint Michael's College, Colchester (Free.)
5:00 PM: Free STI Testing Clinic at University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: 'Building Science and Beer' Autumn Gathering at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski (Free; preregister)
5:00 PM: Empty Bowls Dinner at Dudley H. Davis Center, University of Vermont, Burlington ($80; preregister.)
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.)
5:30 PM: Pick-up Basketball at Pomeroy Park, Burlington (Free) — MEETUP.com
5:30 PM: East End Walk/Bike Forum at Schmanska Park Barn, 63 Grove Street, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Test & Protect: Soil Sampling Made Simple at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Vermont Women's Mentor Training at Mercy Connections, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: The One-Night Stand: Evening Bike Care Clinic at Old Spokes Home Community Workshop, 664 Riverside Ave, Burlington ($37.50-$60 sliding scale)
6:00 PM: Trash for the Trope: A Romance Lovers Book Club at Phoenix Books, Burlington (Free; RSVP)
6:00 PM: Dragonheart Vermont Prospective and New Member Meeting at Faith United Methodist Church, South Burlington
6:00 PM: RainGarden Workshop at Fletcher Free Library — Fletcher Room, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: ChatBTV: AI software development meetup at Bluehouse Group, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: Scrabble Night @ The Boardroom at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: Champ Masters Toastmasters Club at Dealer.com, Burlington (Free; preregister.)
6:00 PM: Recovery Dharma at First United Methodist Church, Burlington (Free.)
6:00 PM: Community Cooking at Outright Vermont, Burlington (Free.)
7:00 PM: Lily's Pad Open Mic Night & Community Potluck (The Ribbit Review) at Lily's Pad, 1999 North Avenue, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Ward 3 NPA: The Future of Public Transit (panel) at Burlington City Hall, Church Street, Burlington (Free)
8:30 PM: Standup Open Mic at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington (Free)
Performances
6:30 PM: 2026 Vermont International Film Festival Preview at Main Street Landing Film House, Burlington (Free)
6:30 PM: VCA: $5 Improv Night! at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($5)
7:00 PM: Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, Screening and Poetry Gathering at Adventure Dinner Clubhouse, Colchester ($5-$10)
Live Music/DJ
12:30 PM: Live in the Orchard: The Meatpackers at Shelburne Orchards, Shelburne (Free)
6:00 PM: Oteil Burbridge & LaMP at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington ($45-$55; waitlist only)
6:00 PM: Bluegrass Nights at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Jason Dea West at Radio Bean, Burlington
7:00 PM: Venetian Trivia Night! at The Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington (Free!)
7:00 PM: Trivia at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington (Free)
7:30 PM: Briscoe w/ Noah James at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington ($20-$25)
8:00 PM: Karaoke Night at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
8:30 PM: Jazz Night with Ray Vega at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM: Jazz Jam at The 126, Burlington (Free)
Thursday, October 8, 2026
General Events
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)
10:00 AM: Glass Factory and Storefront Open !! at AO Glass, Burlington (Free for all, come on in!)
10:00 AM: Skirack Winter Swap Gear Intake at Skirack, 85 Main St, Burlington
10:30 AM: OLLI Talk: U.S. Presidency with Former UVM President Tom Sullivan at St. Catherine of Siena Church Hall, Shelburne ($25)
11:00 AM: Crochet Workshop for Adults at Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester (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)
12:00 PM: Italian Conversation Group at Fletcher Free Library, 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: OLLI Talk: Why Birds Sing at St. Catherine of Siena Church Hall, Shelburne ($30)
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)
3:30 PM: AIO, GEO, SEO: Getting Your Website Found in the Age of AI Answers at Ladies Social Group, Essex Junction ($20; free for members and first-time attendees)
4:00 PM: Half Priced Oysters at La Reprise at La Reprise, Burlington
4:00 PM: Skiff Oyster Hour at Original Skiff + Oyster, Burlington
4:00 PM: Free Wine Tasting at La Reprise, Burlington (Free!)
5:00 PM: Creative Cousins: A BIPOC Centered Open Mic at Pingala Cafe & Eatery North Ave, Burlington (Free)
5:00 PM: 25th Annual VBSR Awards Ceremony & Dinner at The Essex Resort & Spa, Essex Junction ($0-$188.58)
5:00 PM: Riley Goodrich at Osher Center for Integrative Health, Burlington (Free.)
5:30 PM: Solarpunk Book Club & Game Night at Peace & Justice Center, Burlington (Free)
5:30 PM: Drop-In Needlecraft Night at Essex Free Library, Essex (Free)
5:30 PM: ONE Community Dinner at O.N.E. Community Center, 20 Allen St, Burlington (Free, donations appreciated)
6:00 PM: Blood on the Clocktower Beginners Night at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: Wingspan Lovers Unite at The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe, Burlington — MEETUP.com
6:00 PM: Peer Support Dungeons & Dragons at Morgan House, Burlington (Free.)
6:00 PM: Vinyl Thursdays at Hotel Vermont, Burlington (Free)
6:00 PM: Craft Night at Wild Meadows Books & Café, Williston
7:00 PM: C.N. Crawford at Phoenix Books (Burlington), Burlington (Free; preregister)
7:00 PM: Make It a Monologue at Standing Stone Wines, Winooski (Free)
7:00 PM: Figure Drawing (18+) at Odd Fellows Hall, Burlington ($15-$20 suggested donation)
10:00 PM: Thirsty Thursday at Rí Rá Irish Pub & Whiskey Room, Burlington (Free)
Performances
6:30 PM: David Drake at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($25)
7:00 PM: Free Film Screening: The Mystery of Satie, with filmmaker Bastien Loukia at BCA Studios Community Room, 405 Pine Street, Burlington (Free)
7:00 PM: Cirque Alfonse: 'La Noce' at The Flynn, Burlington ($24.75-$63)
7:30 PM: Dakar 2000 at Main Street Landing, Burlington ($34-$54)
Live Music/DJ
6:00 PM: TRS Live Presents: Cotter & Friends (6 & 8 PM shows) at Tank Recording Studio, Burlington ($25)
6:00 PM: Trivia Night at Four Quarters Brewing, Winooski
6:00 PM: Trivia Night at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction (Free)
6:00 PM: Trivia at Vermont Cider Lab, Essex Junction (Free)
7:00 PM: Margo Cilker & Lilly Hiatt at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington ($20-$25)
7:00 PM: Three Piece Meal at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
8:00 PM: Karaoke Night at Park Place Tavern & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
8:00 PM: Karaoke in the Alley at Red Square, Burlington (Free)
8:30 PM: Benjamin Tod & Lost Dog Street Band w/ Candi Jenkins at Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington ($32.50-$37.50)
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
Pick up a hobby this place is built for at Vermont Hobbies. Every one comes with a local way in.
That’s All, Burlington!
That's the week. Bring the porch plants in before Tuesday night's chill, then enjoy a sunny Wednesday and the warmest day of the stretch on Thursday, keeping an umbrella handy for showers later that day. 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.
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.
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