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Weather & Weekend Rundown:
One day late but it’s well, welllll worth it. Here I am at 4:21 a.m., finishing up, even though we have coffee at 10! Lots of work, we’ll talk more about that later. Anyway, this weekend is about as clean as July gets. Friday shook off the last of the clouds, and Saturday might be the best day of the whole stretch with wall to wall sun, low humidity, another 81, ideal for a market run in the morning and a night at the ballpark. Sunday stays sunny and dry and nudges up to 84. Soak it up now, because early next week turns genuinely hot, with Monday flirting with 90 and Tuesday looking like mid 90s before the next shower chance creeps in Tuesday night.
Saturday's lineup really capitalizes on that gorgeous forecast, and the sports slate alone is huge. The headline is Vermont Green FC's women hosting Asheville City SC in the USL W League National Semifinal at 7 PM, after playoff wins over Long Island and Eagle FC. Fair warning, tickets for the match at UVM's Virtue Field were listed as sold out as of Friday, so if you're not holding one already, find a friend who is. Green Mountain Roller Derby's Summer Jam brings Vermont's Grade A Fancy up against the Bay State Brawlers at the Champlain Valley Expo, 4 to 8. The Lake Monsters game goes Star Wars with fireworks after, and the Forever 38 group has reserved grandstand seating from 6 to 10 if you want built in company. Soccer watchers can catch Norway against England in the World Cup quarterfinal at Citizen Cider, 5 to 7:30 with 5 dollar pours and 10 dollar smashburgers.
Saturday daytime belongs to the morning people. Our BTown Coffee Club settles into Zero Gravity from 10 to 12 as always, usually 15 to 30 of us, come find the big table. The Burlington Farmers Market fills 345 Pine Street with 70 plus vendors from 9 to 2, garden people get the annual plant sale at the UVM Hort Farm in South Burlington from 10 to 1, and the Winooski Gardening Group spruces up the rotary from 8:30 to 11 if you'd rather dig than shop. Car folks have a charity Cars and Coffee at OnLogic from 7:30 to 9:30 expecting 75 to 100 plus cars, free with donations going to local charities. The truly ambitious can preregister for Pasture Songs at Shelburne Farms, a sunrise soundmapping experience that really does run 4:30 to 6:30 in the morning. Downtown, Quartet Hops drops festival string quartets somewhere new on the Marketplace at the top of every hour from 10 to 4, free, while Spotlight Vermont 250 packs City Hall Park with 30 plus museums and historical societies from 11 to 2 for the state's 250th. That should be a really, really fun one to add to your weekend plans. Then, Mad Pride marches its 10th anniversary down Church Street at noon with a free festival back at the UU Church from 1 to 3. Families can do the hike and ice cream combo at Red Rocks Park from 12 to 2, and readers can bring "Atmosphere" by Taylor Jenkins Reid to the Burlington Brewery Book Club at Burlington Beer Company from 2 to 4.
Saturday night keeps rolling. VT Cider Lab throws its three year anniversary party in Essex, open 1 to 9 with free admission and live music on the green from 4 to 9, Lloyd Tyler then King Me. Made In Iron celebrates 20 years of being Vermont's Iron Maiden tribute with an all ages 8 PM show at Higher Ground, 15 dollars in advance. And Essex Junction gets a late one with Luau Night at On Tap, The Kwame Vibe spinning 90s to now from 9 to midnight.
Sunday winds down easy. Early birds can hit free lululemon yoga at Waterfront Park from 8 to 9, then free chamber music at the BCA Center from 10 to 11 as the festival's eight fellows play the gallery. Readers get a silent book club at Howl Bier in Winooski from 12 to 2, no assigned book and no discussion pressure, just a quiet reading hour with a beer. Sweet tooths can join the vegan ice cream social at Ben and Jerry's on Church Street from 1:30 to 3. Then it's our own La Fete du Fromage at Oakledge from 2 to 8, a bring a cheese potluck picnic with grills on site, bound to be a good time so come join us! For pure novelty, there's a Sunday polo match at Amdez Polo Club in Shelburne, gates at 2:30 and play at 3, ten to twenty dollars, tailgate style with food vendors at most matches. Music closes the weekend with Myra Flynn's soul and R&B set at Foam at 6, 22 to 27 dollars, and Nashville indie rockers WILLIS, the band behind "I Think I Like When It Rains", playing an all ages Higher Ground show with doors at 7:30, 25 dollars in advance. The Lake Monsters close the weekend with Make-A-Wish Night at 5:05, celebrating local wish families, 12 for adults and 6 for kids.
Beauty on the lake
I said 10-15 games… There are 18 games!!
A few days ago I showed you Church Street Runner and FILED!, and I mentioned I had a whole vault of other concepts waiting to be built. Flappy Champ, Pothole Patrol, a few more. The vault is empty. BTown Games is officially open, and it’s a real arcade now: eighteen free Burlington games, still zero ads, still zero cost, still no app to download. The new part is leaderboards. They reset on the 1st of every month, and whoever’s on top when they do gets named right here in the Brief. So there is now a legitimate, public reason to be extremely good at Creemee Drop.
🐉 Flappy Champ: Fly Champ through the schooner sails. (Told you it was coming.)
🕳️ Pothole Patrol: Patch the streets before mud season swallows them.
🍁 Tap the Maple: Sugaring season, Knife-Hit style. Don’t hit the taps.
🍦 Creemee Drop: Catch the swirls and stack Vermont soft-serve to the sky.
🐦 Champlain Glider: Dive the hills, ride the sunset, and outrun the night.
🟩 BTown Wordle, 🪜 Trivia Ladder, 📍 Where in BTown? and 🗞️ News Quiz: A fresh one every single day.
📰 Real or Fake, ⏳ Earlier or Later, 📊 Higher or Lower and 🔢 Rank What You Know: Find out how well you actually know this place.
💬 Caption This: Swipe on this week’s captions. The winner runs in the Brief.
📚 The Archives: Every Brief ever written, searchable, for when you’d rather read than play.
& Stay Awhile: Skip the small talk and ask questions that actually matter. 300+ deep questions for a night worth staying out for. Play in-person.
And the City Guide grew up. With 16 new INCREDIBLE pages!
The guide used to be a list of good spots. Now I created a live picture of the city that updates itself all day long. Open Right Now knows the real hours of 281 restaurants and bars, so at 10:40 on a Tuesday night it can tell you who is still serving food. Events pulls from twenty-five different sources so that you don’t have to check twenty-five different sources. Tonight’s Sunset scores the sky out of 10, tells you when to leave the house, and tells you where to stand. And Burlington Right Now has the lake temperature, which beaches are open today, and whether it’s worth going outside at all.
There’s more underneath. And I created every single one of these! Food & Drink Deals has a growing list of happy hours, daily specials and cheap-night ideas. Burlington Pulse shows what the town is talking about right now, with rise-and-fall arrows on each topic, so you can watch something catch fire before it ever reaches the news. Then there’s the newest jobs posted around town this week, every property manager in Burlington so you can stop refreshing Zillow at midnight, volunteer shifts sorted by how much time you’ve actually got, and Since You Checked, which does exactly one job… to tell you what changed in Burlington since the last time you looked.
And some of it is yours, not mine.
A few of these are empty rooms until people walk into them. So consider this the invitation. They only work if you actually show up.
💬 Community Chat: The BTown Brief Telegram group. Locals swapping finds, asking the quick questions, and working out what’s actually open in a storm.
& General Life Chat: I really wanted a city-wide group chat for those that just want to talk about random, everyday, Burlington-living; without blowing up the main Meetup Group chat. Who knows, maybe this will get some spicy memes and inside jokes.
📸 Community Photos: Burlington through your lens. We take so many photos (and don’t use Instagram) sunsets, pets, gardens, street scenes. Send one in and see what others are posting! Like IG, but for grown-ups.
🎵 Community Playlist: Share a song, upvote the week’s list, and find Vermont artists you’d never have found on your own.
🏃 Clubs & Groups: Run clubs, board games, book clubs, pickup sports. The most reliable way I know to meet people in this town.
🛠️ Local Projects: Other people building things for Burlington. That page exists to point at them, not at me, so add yours.
One link for all of it.
I’ve made a lot of stuff and it was getting genuinely hard to find. So it all now lives in one place: hub.btownbrief.com. The newsletter, the guide, the arcade, the merch. One page, every link. That’s the one to bookmark.
It’s all free, it’s staying free, and it is all still just one guy in Burlington. So if something’s broken, or you’re sitting on the idea for game #19, hit reply and tell me. And help support other project I have in mind!
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:
BTown Coffee Club – Saturday, July 11th @ 10:00 AM: Btown's favorite weekly social at Zero Gravity, no agenda, no pressure, just coffee and conversation with 15 to 30 friendly folks.
Vermont Do Good Fest – Saturday, July 11th @ 1:30 PM: A group trip to the festival at National Life in Montpelier, music and good causes with good company.
Paddle at Oakledge Beach – Sunday, July 12th @ 11:00 AM: Bring a board or kayak and cruise the lake with the crew before the cheese feast.
La Fete du Fromage – Sunday, July 12th @ 2:00 PM: The cheese potluck picnic at Oakledge, bring a cheese to share and stay as long as you like.
Pick-up Basketball – Wednesday, July 15th @ 5:30 PM: Competitive weekly pick-up runs at Pomeroy Park.
Barbie n Bones at Snow Farm Winery Thursday, July 16th @ 6:00 PM: Live music and wine in South Hero, a proper golden hour out on the islands.
BTown Coffee Club – Saturday, July 18th @ 10:00 AM: Same table, same time, new faces always welcome.
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.
Other Upcoming Events:
Centennial Hills Hike and Winooski Circle – Sunday, July 26th @ 11:00 AM: A group hike on the Centennial Woods loop with an optional beer and lunch stop at the Winooski Circle after.
Lake Monsters Baseball & Fireworks – Saturday, August 8th @ 5:45 PM: Group seats at Centennial Field with fireworks after the game.
Live Music @ Maquam Winery – Thursday, August 27th @ 5:45 PM: An evening of live music at the barn and winery up in Milton.
Support the Brief to Keep it Running!
Why support? This is my side gig. I work 48 then 36 hours a week at GlobalFoundries working nights. Every week, I sort through TONS of local sources: Seven Days events, Front Porch Forum calendar, Facebook events, Hello Burlington, Meetup.com, Eventbrite, Church St Marketplace calendar, Flynn, Higher Ground, Vermont Comedy Club, and then news stations like VTDigger, Seven Days, WCAX, WPTZ, Vermont Public, Community News Service, VT Cynic, The Other Paper, Vermont Business Magazine, Williston Observer, MyChamplainValley, The Charlotte News, to keep you connected. It takes a long time to curate and write about all this local content, so if this lengthy newsletter saves you time, or has introduced you to new experiences in Burlington, then definitely consider chipping in!
Become a Monthly Supporter: [Here] – Tiers start at $5. $10+ tiers get fresh Btown Brief merch!
One-Time Donation: [Here] – Buy me a coffee for the late-night editing sessions. Can also choose ANY monthly donation amount here.
Shop the Merch Store: [Here] – 15+ cool, Burlington-inspired designs on Comfort Colors tees.
Local News (All Links Clickable)
There’s a new 60 second Btown Brief News Quiz! Win monthly Btown merch by reading with intention.
"This is greenery and forest that people so badly need as a break from streets and sidewalks. And dogs like it, too." per WCAX
Phase 2 of City Center Park is officially done, with the new shared-use boardwalk tying together Barrett, Iby, Market and Garden streets. It doubles as part of the Safe Routes to School network, and the path now has a new main sign on Market Street plus signage on native birds, wetlands and a story walk. Worth a wander this weekend while the weather is behaving.
"We were in shock, and it was devastating," she said of learning that the district had sent a large amount of money to a fraudulent account. "It was horrible, and there's no manual for this." per VTDigger
Scammers posing as the project's construction company made off with more than 3 million dollars in January, and the FBI managed to claw back 2.27 million of it. That keeps the new recycling plant, funded largely by the 22 million dollar bond county voters passed in 2022, on schedule for a January testing phase and a spring 2027 opening. Executive director Sarah Reeves' takeaway is worth repeating, report scams immediately and skip the shame, because speed is what made the recovery possible.
"Nearly two-thirds of Vermonters ages 18 to 34 say they're likely to leave the state within five years in search of adventure or a cheaper place to live, according to a poll from the University of New Hampshire." per VTDigger
That 63 percent figure is the highest of any New England state surveyed, more than double New Hampshire's 28 percent, and housing costs and taxes are the main drivers. Researchers note a real boomerang effect of natives returning later as higher earners, and one analyst points out that young people are always the most mobile group in any poll. Still, with 86 percent of Vermonters calling the state at least somewhat unaffordable, the workforce math gets uglier every year this holds.
"Over the course of 61 years, the parkway has been reimagined and redesigned a dozen times to meet the demands of South End residents; rerouted to avoid a Superfund site; and delayed by environmental studies, 10 lawsuits, and shifting federal, state and city priorities." per Seven Days
The definitive history of how a 1960s four-lane highway dream became an 84 million dollar, 2.8 mile, 25 mile per hour parkway. Former public works director Steve Goodkind calls the finished road "a monument to ignorance" while the current administration frames six decades of redesigns as the public process working. The part to watch is the final piece, the proposed 55 million dollar Railyard Enterprise Project connecting Pine to Battery Street, which has only 20 million lined up and hinges on land negotiations with Vermont Rail System that should get a city council update this summer.
"Garcia built his business in a state that has some of the loosest regulations for bodyworkers and massage therapists in the country. Vermont is one of a handful of states that does not require bodyworkers to demonstrate any certifications or competency to practice, even though state data indicates that the profession has a high rate of complaints for sexual misconduct." per Vermont Public
Gregory Garcia ran Bodywork Architectures out of the Chace Mill, claimed more than 600 clients, and performed an "internal work" technique on women that the field's own credentialing bodies call flatly out of bounds. Because he had never registered with the state, regulators initially could only fine him 1,000 dollars for unauthorized practice, and it took two years from the first complaint before an administrative judge upheld the state's refusal to let him practice at all. He is appealing again, and the piece will fuel the licensure debate that lawmakers have so far sidestepped in favor of a lighter registration rule for bodywork establishments.
"The new legislation requires that artificially generated media that 'injures the reputation of a political candidate' carry a disclosure stating the media is fake, if it is published within 90 days of an election." per VTDigger
Vermont's brand-new AI election law is getting its first real courtroom test, and the test case is a video of Rep. Becca Balint being dropped into a dumpster by an excavator. Brattleboro streamer Hank Poitras says the video is obvious satire protected by the First Amendment, while the attorney general's office says all it wants is a disclosure caption and offered to drop the probe if he adds one. With the August 11 primary inside the law's 90 day window, a federal judge may end up deciding how far Vermont can go in policing fake political media just as the election heats up.
"Closures indicate that Cyanobacteria blooms are present in 'levels potentially dangerous for health', according to the Burlington Parks, Recreation and Waterfront beach closure tracker." per Local 22/44
With a hot, sunny weekend on deck, this is your public service announcement. No Burlington beaches are closed right now, but several have opened and closed already this season, and staff check for blooms daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The blooms can look like pea soup or spilled paint and can cause rashes, stomach trouble, and worse, so give the city's beach closure tracker a ten second glance before you commit to a swim. Or just check my site!
"The most common reaction we heard was, 'Are you sure this is non-alcoholic?'" per Vermont Business Magazine
The employee-owned South End stalwart is making its hazy non-alcoholic IPA a permanent fixture after it became one of the most talked-about pours at the Beer Garden. Switchback is currently the only brewery producing non-alcoholic beer onsite in Vermont, and the company has quietly become an East Coast production partner brewing N.A. beer for other brands too. A good one to know about before a three day weekend of patios.
"The commission said the plan violates Essex's steep-slope protections, which discourage building on grades of 20% or more because of environmental concerns." per NBC5
The District 4 Environmental Commission denied the developer's final motion, upholding its earlier ruling against the subdivision and access road the project needed. It is a clear win for the Alliance of Concerned Residents Envisioning Solutions, the local group that organized against the plan. The developers and the town have 30 days to take it to Vermont Superior Court, so watch for an appeal before early August.
"The International Association of Chiefs of Police will help whittle the group down to five candidates before the hiring committee, which includes representatives from city government, city council, the police commission and the community, chooses two finalists." per Seven Days
Burlington finally has a real pipeline to replace interim Chief Shawn Burke, who has led the department since Jon Murad's departure in early 2025. The 12 person committee spans councilors, the police commission, both city unions, the Howard Center, King Street Center, and a Church Street business owner, a lineup that says plenty about how downtown safety is framing this search. Interviews run through July and August, and the mayor promised an update at the July 13 council meeting.
Quick Hits
Barely a week after opening, crews were already covering graffiti on more than a dozen new light poles. The city asks residents to report tags through SeeClickFix or by calling Public Works at (802) 863-9094.
WCAX's companion piece on the chief search, with residents telling the station they want the next chief focused on First Amendment protections and better services for the homeless population.
The Buffum Family Foundation's permanent endowment will fund scholarships, adaptive equipment and instructor training so the waterfront's adaptive sailing and diversity access programs keep growing.
South End cartoonist Glynnis Fawkes sketches the new roads and paths reshaping how her neighborhood moves. The perfect chaser to the parkway history above.
Taco Truck All Stars chef Adam "Wingnut" Hineman opened a smash burger and fries spot at 2026 Williston Road, generally Friday through Monday from noon to 11, with creemees and fried Oreos on the roadmap.
Alberto Alejandro Castro Guaman's Main Street spot dishes encebollado, ceviche and papipollo, with a bar coming by the end of July and weekend karaoke on the way.
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 Men Secure Division Title as Women Prepare for National Semifinal
Vermont Green FC has officially clinched back-to-back titles as the 2026 USL2 Northeast Division Champions following a decisive victory. The squad secured the trophy by hitting 37 points on the season with a commanding 6-2 win over Connecticut Rush. The match was highlighted by a record-breaking performance from striker Jeremy Francou, who netted a single-match club record of five goals. Samson Kpardeh added the sixth goal, while Alex Hall provided a hat-trick of assists to solidify the historic win.
Following their championship-clinching match, the Boys in Green concluded their regular season with a 4-2 victory against the Western Mass. Pioneers. This road win cemented a second straight undefeated regular season with a 13W-1D-0L record, extending head coach Chris Taylor’s unbeaten streak to 37 matches. Francou finished the regular season with 15 goals, while Will Sawin notably scored a goal off the bench in an eventful appearance. The team will now look ahead as USL2 Playoffs return to Virtue Field, with Vermont Green set to host an Eastern Conference Quarterfinals doubleheader on Friday, July 17, and the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Sunday, July 19.
On the women’s side, the undefeated Vermont Green FC squad is gearing up for a monumental showdown in the USLW National Semifinal against Asheville City SC. The Green, who have scored 36 goals this summer without conceding a single one in their last 280 minutes of postseason play, will face the Southern Conference Champions in a sold-out clash. The women's team will host this highly anticipated matchup at Virtue Field this Saturday.
Upcoming Home Games
July 11 — 2026 USLW National Semifinal (Vermont Green Women vs Asheville City SC)
July 17 — 2026 USL2 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (Vermont Green FC Men vs TBD)
July 19 — 2026 USL2 Eastern Conference Semifinal (TBD vs TBD)
Events:
Saturday, July 11, 2026
General Events
4:30-6:30 AM: Pasture Songs: A Creative Soundmapping Experience at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne (Free; preregister)
7:30-9:30 AM: Charity Cars & Coffee at OnLogic HQ, South Burlington (Free; donations encouraged)
7:30 AM: THCo. Public Auto Auction at 298 James Brown Dr, Williston
8:00 AM: BHS/BTC Community Tours at Burlington High School / Burlington Technical Center, Burlington
8:30-11:00 AM: Winooski Gardening Group — Saturday Morning Gardening (Winooski)
9:00 AM-2:00 PM: Burlington Farmers Market at 345 Pine St, Burlington (Free)
9:00 AM-12:00 PM: Board Game Brunch at Old Town Cafe & Comics, Williston — MEETUP.com (Free)
9:00 AM-12:00 PM: Tracy Drive Popup Market at Tracy Drive (New North End), Burlington
9:00 AM-1:00 PM: Summer Haiku Workshop at Vermont Zen Center, Shelburne
9:00 AM-3:00 PM: Happy Birthday, Library! — 100th Anniversary Celebration at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free)
10:00 AM-12:00 PM: BTown Coffee Club at Zero Gravity Brewery, Burlington — MEETUP.com (Free)
10:00-11:00 AM: 'Natives in New England' at Gardener's Supply Company, Williston (Free; preregister)
10:00-11:30 AM: Common Roots Flower Arranging Workshop at The Farm at South Village, South Burlington
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Tending Rock Point: Trail Maintenance & Rare Plants at Rock Point, Burlington (Free; preregister)
10:00 AM-1:00 PM: Annual Plant Sale at the Hort Farm at UVM Hort Farm, South Burlington
10:00 AM: Auditions — Williston One Acts 2026 at The Rep, 179 Commerce St, Williston
10:00 AM: In-Water Boat Show at Bay Harbor Marina, Colchester
10:00 AM-12:00 PM: Breakfast Club at Pingala Cafe (Chace Mill) at Pingala Cafe & Eatery, 1 Mill St, Burlington — MEETUP.com (Free)
10:30-11:30 AM: French Conversation for All at Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston (Free; preregister)
10:30-11:45 AM: Community Phenology at Rock Point at Rock Point, Burlington
11:00 AM: Chess Club at South Burlington Public Library & City Hall, South Burlington (Free)
11:00 AM: Saturdays Are For The Classics — car meet at 127 East Shore Drive, Colchester
11:00 AM-2:00 PM: Spotlight Vermont 250 at Burlington City Hall Park, Burlington (Free)
12:00-2:00 PM: Family Series — Hike & Ice Cream at Red Rocks Park, South Burlington
12:00-3:00 PM: Mad Pride 2026 — 10th Anniversary March & Celebration at First Unitarian Universalist Church, Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: VT Cider Lab Three-Year Anniversary Party at VT Cider Lab, Essex
1:00-3:00 PM: The Poetry Experience at Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
1:00-3:00 PM: New Member Orientation at The Media Factory, Burlington (Free; donations accepted; preregister)
2:00-4:00 PM: 'Atmosphere' — Burlington Brewery Book Club at Burlington Beer Company, Burlington — MEETUP.com (Free)
2:00-3:00 PM: Guided Tours at Merrymac Animal Sanctuary ($25)
3:00-4:30 PM: 'A System Map' Presentation at Monkey House, Winooski (Free)
4:00-5:00 PM: Artist Lecture — Carl D'Alvia: mono(LITHS) at Pizzagalli Center, Shelburne Museum, Shelburne (Free with museum admission)
4:00 PM (bout 5:00 PM): Green Mountain Roller Derby Summer Jam at Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction ($10-20; kids 5 and under free)
5:00-7:30 PM: World Cup Watch Party at Citizen Cider, Burlington
5:00-7:00 PM: World Cup Watch Party at Switchback Brewing Co., Burlington (Free)
6:05 PM: Vermont Lake Monsters — Star Wars Night at Centennial Field, Burlington ($7.50-19.50)
6:00-10:00 PM: Lake Monsters and Fireworks! (Forever 38 group outing) at Centennial Field, Burlington — MEETUP.com (game ticket not included)
7:00 PM: Vermont Green FC Women vs. Asheville City SC — USL W League National Semifinal at Virtue Field, UVM, Burlington
7:00-9:00 PM: Sisterhood Campfire at Leddy Park, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM: On Tap Luau Night at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction
Performances
10:00 AM-4:00 PM: Quartet Hops — Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival at Church Street Marketplace, Burlington (Free)
4:00 & 7:00 PM: 'Pompei: Below the Clouds' at The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing, Burlington ($6-12)
5:00 PM (doors 4:30): Good Clean Fun — All-Ages Improv at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($5 kids/$10 adults)
7:00 & 9:00 PM: Adam Cayton-Holland & Ben Roy at Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington ($25)
Live Music/DJ
11:00 AM: Porch Sessions: The Discussions at The SEABA Center, Burlington (Free)
2:00 PM: Matt Hagen at Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, Essex Junction (Free)
6:00-8:00 PM: Sundown Sessions at The Pinery, Burlington (Free)
6:30 PM: Mountain of Woe, Clew of Theseus, INURED, Poverty Line at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction ($10)
7:00 PM: Dead Men Strumming at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free)
7:00 PM: Mr Cheng, DJ Aras, Raul, Matt P at Red Square, Burlington (Free)
7:30 PM: Little Slugger, Erin Cassels-Brown, Charlie Hill at Radio Bean, Burlington ($10/$15)
8:00 PM (doors 7:30): Made In Iron — 20th Anniversary Show at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington ($15)
8:00 PM: Emerald Ground Water, Bruiser and Bicycle, Vega at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
8:00 PM: Torpedo Rodeo, Nowhere Washington at The Monkey House, Winooski ($10)
8:00 PM: Los Songoros at Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington ($15)
9:00 PM: Doll Spirit Vessel, Francie + Jon at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington ($12/$15)
9:00 PM: Old North End, Worm, Kettle Mouse at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction ($10)
10:00 PM: Live DJ at Rí Rá at Rí Rá Irish Pub, Burlington
11:30 PM: missandri at Light Club Lamp Shop, Burlington ($10)
Sunday, July 12, 2026
General Events
8:00-9:00 AM: Lululemon Summer Series: Yoga at Waterfront Park at Waterfront Park, Burlington (Free; preregister)
8:00-10:00 AM: 'What's the Buzz With Grazing?' at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne (Free; preregister)
9:00-10:00 AM: Sensory-Friendly Sunday at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington (Free; preregister)
10:00 AM-2:00 PM: Winooski Farmers Market at Winooski Falls Way, Winooski (Free)
10:30 AM: Mustang Bay Day Meet and Cruise at 1000 Dorset St, South Burlington
12:00 PM: Feel The Stride Run Club at 31 Church St (start), Burlington
12:00 PM: Sunday Funday at 1st Republic Brewing, Essex Junction (Free)
12:00-5:00 PM: LGBTQIA+ Mixer — location TBA on the event page — MEETUP.com (Free)
12:00-2:00 PM: July Silent Book Club Meet-Up at Howl Bier, Winooski
12:15-3:15 PM: Dungeons & Dragons Group A at Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free; preregister)
1:00 PM: Duplicate Bridge Games at Burlington Bridge Club ($6)
1:30-3:00 PM: Vegan Ice Cream at Ben & Jerry's at Ben & Jerry's, Burlington (Free; cost of food)
2:00-8:00 PM: La Fete du Fromage — cheese potluck picnic at Oakledge Park, Burlington — MEETUP.com (Free)
3:00-5:00 PM: Food For Talk Cookbook Club — Bayou at Fletcher Free Library, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM (gates 2:30): Sunday Polo Match at Amdez Polo Club, Shelburne ($10-20)
4:00-6:00 PM: Pétanque at Calahan Park, Burlington (Free)
5:00-7:00 PM: Womxn's Pick-up Soccer at Starr Farm Park, Burlington — MEETUP.com (Free)
5:05 PM: Vermont Lake Monsters — Make-A-Wish Night at Centennial Field, Burlington ($7.50-19.50)
5:30-6:30 PM: New Mindfulness Meditation Gathering at Hood Plant, Burlington (donation)
6:00-7:45 PM: New Leaf Sangha Mindfulness Practice at Hot Yoga Burlington, Burlington (Free)
9:00 PM-2:00 AM: Karaoke Sundays! at Einstein Tap House, Burlington (Free)
Performances
10:00-11:00 AM: Sunday Classical: Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival at BCA Center, Burlington (Free)
3:00 PM: 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' at The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing, Burlington ($6-12)
Live Music/DJ
10:00 AM: Sunday Brunch Tunes at Hotel Vermont, Burlington
1:00-3:00 PM: Acoustic Brunch at Foam Brewers, Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: Cluckin' & Pluckin' at Switchback Beer Garden & Smokehouse, Burlington (Free)
1:00-4:00 PM: Summer Concert Sundays at Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington (Free)
1:00 PM: Motel 6 at 74 S Park Dr, Colchester
5:00 PM: Kyle Stevens at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
5:00 PM: Wine & Jazz Sundays at Shelburne Vineyard, Shelburne (Free)
6:00 PM (doors 5:30): Myra Flynn at Foam Brewers, Burlington ($22/$27)
8:00 PM (doors 7:30): WILLIS, the booyah! kids at Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington ($25)
9:00 PM: DJ Kwame at On Tap Bar & Grill, Essex Junction (Free)
Ongoing All Weekend – Exhibits, Films & Daily Attractions
'Champ: America's Lake Monster' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center, Burlington (10 AM-5 PM) ($17-23 admission)
'Dinosaur Safari' Exhibit at ECHO Leahy Center, Burlington (through Sept. 7) ($17-23 admission)
ECHO 3D Films daily 'Wild Rescue', 'Shark Kingdom', 'Dinosaurs of Antarctica', 'Backyard Wilderness' at ECHO, Burlington ($3-5 plus admission)
Will Kasso Condry: 'Everything Is Everything' at BCA Center, Burlington (opens this weekend, through Sept. 12; reception Fri 5-7 PM)
Leah Barranco: 'Color & Scale' at BCA Center, Burlington (July 10-Sept. 12)
Veronica Pham: 'Dream / Mộng' at BCA Center, Burlington (July 10-Sept. 12)
Marian Wilmott: 'Seed to Bone' at The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Burlington (through Aug. 1)
'Pièce de Résistance' at The SEABA Center, Burlington (through Aug. 1)
'Highly Curated' at Gaston Weed Company, Essex (opens Fri with 710 Celebration, 11 AM-7 PM; through Sept. 10)
Rachel Rodi and A Fellow Traveler at Flynndog Gallery, Burlington (through July 17)
Anna McNeary: 'Hand Me Down' at Extra Special With Cheese, Burlington (through July 25)
Al Larsen: 'This is not a dinosaur' at Champlain College Art Gallery, Burlington (through July 26)
Vermont Watercolor Society Hub Show at Winemakers Gallery, Village Wine and Coffee, Shelburne (through July 30)
Marion Huse at J. Kenneth Fine Art (through Aug. 1)
'Eyes Ahead' at Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery, Shelburne (through Aug. 1)
Art at the Hospital six artists at UVM Medical Center, Burlington (through Sept. 30)
'Norman Rockwell: At Home in Vermont' at Shelburne Museum (through Oct. 25)
'On Point: Needlework from the Garthwaite Family Collection' at Shelburne Museum (through Oct. 25)
'America 250 at Shelburne Museum' at Shelburne Museum (through Oct. 25)
'Mosaic of Marks, Words, Material' at Winooski School District (through Aug. 15) (Free)
'Belonging: A New Collections Gallery' at Fleming Museum of Art, Burlington (ongoing)
Ashley Stagner: 'The Cowboy Series' at Artspace 106 at the Men's Room, Burlington (ongoing)
'Investigating Child Labor' at Heritage Winooski Mill Museum, Winooski (ongoing)
For artists: Art Hop Registration (through July 31) and SEABA Artist Residency applications (through Aug. 23)
Daily attractions: Trolley Tours, Spirit of Ethan Allen III cruises, The Ultimate Chocolate Tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Glass Factory & Storefront open at AO Glass (Fri & Sat), and Shelburne Farms tours: Welcome Center tour, Sun to Cheese Tour, House & Garden Tour at the Inn
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 weekend, folks. Get outside while the humidity behaves, catch a match or a market or a 4:30 sunrise if you're built that way, and cheer loud enough Saturday night that they hear it in Asheville. 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 Monday, 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.
