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New Wednesday Editions! Monday and Friday are reserved for news and events. Wednesdays are for everything else worth highlighting.
Podcast Picks of the Week:
Sometimes you don’t want to read, you want to listen (or watch). Check out this week’s podcast picks:
Vermont Talks sat down at Brio Coffeeworks on Pine Street with Darius and Taylor of the Burlington Night Council, the crew behind Wizard Night and the other costumed bar crawls that keep turning up on Church Street and on r/burlington. Clown Night is when it broke containment, with 30 to 40 clowns downtown and a pile of Reddit posts, and their apology to anyone who got spooked was "maybe only a little sorry." The costumes are cheap on purpose. A wizard hat is cardboard, duct tape and the cheapest acrylic paint you can find, plus a bathrobe, because their motto is "the crawl is for all." They do it downtown instead of at a house party because they want to use the city's shared public spaces, and they pick bars with no cover so people who aren't drinking don't pay $10 to stand there. The rules are "have fun, be nice, tip well," and if your costume calls for a weapon, bring a banana instead of a toy gun. To find the next one, watch for posters, since the crew gathers on the Three Needs patio around 9, and they're teasing a Wrestling Night and a Ghost Night. Go ahead and check out the 30 minute listen.
Second podcast pick this week:
Vermont Edition spent part of its September 10th hour with Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth on what the Radio Bean meant to Burlington, two days after it closed. Lee Anderson saw an empty storefront on North Winooski Avenue in December 2000 and started maxing out credit cards to open it. Farnsworth called the closing "pure insurance," where Nectar's and Metronome were more about rent. What made the room special was that nobody ever asked a band for its social media numbers before booking it, and Robber Robber, Lily Seabird and Greg Freeman all got their start there. Some incredible moments include birthday parties that ran from 8 AM to 2 AM, a packed and loud room going quiet as a movie theater for Michael Chorney's band, and the send off, a Brass Balagan funeral procession to Church Street that Grace Potter joined. Farnsworth says the Lee Anderson era is done, but a version of the Bean could come back. The rest of the hour is novelist Daniel Mason on Country People, his comic novel about a California family that moves to southern Vermont, where the most autobiographical character is the dog.
Local Podcast Roundup
Four weeks of Vermont podcasts this time, so here's the full catch up. The Vermont Conversation had Attorney General Charity Clark on suing Trump and winning $92.7 million from Meta, filmmaker Bess O'Brien on her documentary Every Day: Big and Small, Hisham Awartani the week a jury convicted Jason Eaton in the North Prospect Street shooting, and novelist Richard North Patterson on his book Tripwires. 802 News with Mark Johnson also sat down with Bess O'Brien, calling the film her love story to Vermont, and Vermont Talks, besides the Night Council, recorded at Uncommon Coffee in Essex with Mima Tipper, author of Channeling Marilyn.
Vermont Edition ran fifteen episodes in the window. Three of the clergy arrested at the Williston ICE facility talked about the protest and their faith, Carhartt's archivist explained when farm clothes became high fashion, and Adjutant General Hank Harder talked about the 158th Fighter Wing coming home from deployment. There was a Hispanic Heritage Month hour with DJ Adru's new Sunday radio show, an hour on mushroom hunting, the annual fall gardening show with Charlie Nardozzi, the Bennington Museum's Vermont Vice exhibit with Thea Lewis's new book, the Town by Town series in Lemington, the making of Vermont Public's 2026 election poll, and interviews with the candidates for Attorney General and Secretary of State. The Frequency followed the Eaton trial from opening day to the guilty verdict, along with UVM Health cutting about 200 jobs, a new Spanish language radio hour, flood buyout money finally coming through, a promising leaf peeping season, the push to keep buses rolling, the Attorney General charging ICE protesters, the poll showing a tight governor's race, what Vermonters think about taxing second homes, data centers, help for nesting turtles, and why home heating fuel costs more this season. Vermont This Week covered the Brattleboro birthing center reversal, the UVM Health and Dartmouth Health layoffs, the protester charges and the Eaton verdict, and the new poll. Brave Little State asked whether private equity is taking over Vermont's veterinary market, and But Why hit its 300th episode and then explained growing pains.
Over on The Morning Drive, Cathy Davis explained the Lake Champlain Chamber's new Downtown Business Alliance, Drive Electric Vermont talked EV programs, Mark Redmond of Spectrum previewed the Empty Bowl dinner, and Governor Phil Scott, Amanda Janoo, Molly Gray and a long line of legislative candidates came through the studio, while Vermont Viewpoint on WDEV ran its own daily lineup of candidates. There's No "A" in Creemee opened its third season with bears and candidate poetry, then had Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers and weird campaign foods, and Charity Clark on the Williston ICE protester arrests. Net Zero Energy, Burlington Electric's own show, talked with NESEA about why the new all electric Burlington High School matters. VCET's Start Here had Rachael Floreani of Burlington Bio on turning discarded food into affordable food and Omari Bouknight of Resonant Link Medical on wireless charging for medical implants. Rumble Strip told the story of Montpelier best friends Rob Mermin and Bill Morancy in The Last Chapter. Happy Vermont visited Main Street in Jamaica and the stone chapel behind the von Trapp Family Lodge, Abstract VT posted three live sets recorded at the Venetian Soda Lounge, and The Octagon opened its third season with a 2026 ski and gear review.
Find all the different podcasts by visiting this page I made of local Vermont podcasts

It’s always gorgeous
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Volunteer Opportunities of the Week: Carve Winooski's 1,000 Pumpkins
Winooski needs help carving 1,000 jack-o-lanterns, and almost nobody has signed up.
Every Halloween, Downtown Winooski fills Rotary Park with about 1,000 community carved pumpkins, and somebody has to scoop all of them. The carving shifts run Tuesday through Thursday, October 27th to 29th, one hour at a time from 10 AM into the evening at the Winooski Senior Center on Barlow Street, which has a free lot. When I checked on Wednesday, 7 of the 52 carving slots were taken and all of Wednesday the 28th was still empty. Kids under 18 need to come with an adult, and walk ins are welcome, though signing up helps them plan. Your work lights up Halloween night in Rotary Park, more on that in the radar below.
The Community Sailing Center is putting the fleet to bed.
The Community Sailing Center on Lake Street has two ways to help close out the season, and you don't need to be in their volunteer program to join. The Great Fall Fleet Day on Monday, October 19th from 4 to 7 brings the boats in and winterizes everything, from moving and storing gear to prepping the waterfront, with no experience required. And if you'd rather stay dry, they're stuffing envelopes for their year end mailing on Monday and Tuesday, October 12th and 13th, from 5 to 8. Sign up on their registration calendar.
The Intervale's last gleaning shifts of the year are wide open.
Gleaning means harvesting the surplus produce left in partner farm fields. The Intervale's shift sheet runs two hour shifts for five people each, mostly 9 to 11 AM or 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Some shifts are at farms elsewhere in Chittenden County, so check the location on the slot. City Market members who put in four hours at the Intervale get the 12% monthly member discount, per the Intervale's volunteer page.
Check out this volunteer page for links to find volunteer opportunities all around Burlington.
"Best of" Burlington Eats: Best Breakfast
Someone in town for a wedding asked r/burlington "where's the best breakfast spot?" They wanted a sit down spot with a good stack of pancakes and got 105 comments. Rankings are based on the net upvotes of recommending comments. Here's what I tallied:
Top Recommendations:
Sneakers Bistro (Winooski): 138
Henry's Diner: 129
Deep City: 99
Handy's Lunch: 57
Parkway Diner (South Burlington): 34
Athens Diner took 29, Cafe Mamajuana 28, Pinwheel in Essex 24 and the Dutch Mill in Shelburne 23. Henry's had the single biggest comment in the thread, calling it a classic American diner that just celebrated 100 years, and the replies said the food is still great under the new owner. Sneakers won on volume, with people dreaming out loud about its eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles and chocolate chip pancakes. The best side plot was someone wishing for a time machine back to Penny Cluse, and a reply pointing out that Deep City is run by the Penny Cluse crew with a lot of the same menu. Despite the pancake request, the thread turned into a full diner list. Check out the post here for every answer: Link
Bonus Round: Best Hot Toddies
On a dreary day, someone wanted "a bar with a warm drink and a book" and the feel of a pub in Ireland. Only 17 comments, but the right season for it, tallied the same way:
Top Recommendations:
Devil Takes a Holiday: 42
Farmhouse Tap & Grill (the basement bar): 30
The Whiskey Room: 26
The 126: 9
Leunig's and Juniper at Hotel Vermont: 4 each
Devil Takes a Holiday won on total votes, though both comments recommending it warned the music runs loud, which matters if you're bringing a book. The biggest vote for any one bar went to a comment that just said "Basement of the farmhouse," and a reply added the October bonus that it's haunted. One extra tip from the thread, try green chartreuse in your toddy. Check out the post here for every answer: Link
Check out the previous polls I tallied: ”Best of” Btown Eats Polls Archive
Do you agree? If not, send me your favorite recommendation by replying to this email!
Eating Out On A Budget (Food & Drink Deals)
This Week’s Food & Drink Picks
Monday: 25% off food all day at Vermont Pub & Brewery on College Street if you work in a bar or restaurant, near or far. Just tell them.
Tuesday: Kids eat free with an adult entrée, dine in, at Moe's Southwest Grill in South Burlington, per the Kids VT dining out guide.
Wednesday: $5.99 sushi rolls at City Market, select rolls all day.
Thursday: Half price wings and $5 pints of Mansfield IPA at the Switchback Beer Garden on Flynn Avenue, noon to 9, with the kitchen closing at 8.
Friday: $2 off martinis at Ken's Pizza & Pub on Church Street, from our deals list.
View the full list of food & drink deals here.
Have corrections? Email me at [email protected]
202+ Things to Do in Burlington
Five for the stretch between peak color and Halloween, when the good stuff starts closing for the season. Book a Queen City Ghostwalk, where the Darkness Falls tour leaves at 7 every Friday and Saturday night through October 31st and the cemetery and waterfront tours run on select Sundays and Wednesdays. Drive out to Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury Center, open 8 to 6 every day, and eat the cider donut while it's still warm. Take Route 108 through Smugglers' Notch, the hairpin squeeze between Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, before it closes for winter, which happened in early November last year. Walk the trails at Shelburne Farms, by donation now, before day visits end October 18th. And hike the Lone Tree Hill loop at Niquette Bay State Park in Colchester to the cobbled lake beaches, $5 for adults, with the season ending the third weekend of October.
Full list’s always waiting here when you need a plan: 202+ Things to Do
Monthly Arcade Champions
The September leaderboards are final. carb won 10 boards outright, up from nine in August, and flew Champlain Glider to 101,283, the first score past 100,000 on that board since we started tracking. That took the Glider from juice, who kept Flappy Champ by two points, 45 to carb's 43, along with Queen City Chess and Snowball Slinger. The closest finish of the month was Maple Scramble, where Spleen beat TB 35,544 to 35,541 and ended TB's run on that board since August. Evelyn won Where in BTown? with 6,923, kobe took Pothole Patrol, the News Quiz and Higher or Lower, and Seth won Church Street Runners. Two new games also went live last month, Little Local, a cozy shelf puzzle set in a Burlington shop, and Heads Up, Btown!, forehead charades with 44 decks, eight of them Burlington and Vermont. The full recap lives on the monthly champions card.
Every game, every app, everything I made for Burlington:
I put out a redesign of the website that holds all 80+ projects I made for the city, be sure to take an afternoon and check them all out.
And of course, one of my favorites, the ALL DAY FEED.
Top Recent Reddit Posts this Week:
We love this place and all of you A couple road tripping from North Carolina stopped to thank the whole sub on their way out of town. They said everyone was genuinely welcoming, they love Burlington and Vermont as a whole, and they called the city "a vibrant and loving beacon of hope, acceptance, and kindness." It was the second biggest post of the week and one of the biggest of the month.
Snapping turtle hatchlings crossing bike path A heads up for anyone riding the bike path near the surf club, snapping turtle hatchlings were trying to cross, and the poster moved one into the underbrush on the lake side before it got run over. Watch your wheels.
Events To Keep on Your Radar:
Events Coming Up Soon:
Adventure Dinner Pumpkin Fest Pop-Up Thursday, October 15th
The Adventure Dinner crew turns its Colchester clubhouse on Roosevelt Highway into a pumpkin party from 5 to 9 PM. It's free with an RSVP and you order food à la carte, like the $18 roasted pumpkin grilled cheese, with costumes encouraged. If you want the full sit down version, they're also doing a Witch's Apothecary dinner October 23rd and 24th and a five course Monsters Ball with a Best Dressed contest October 29th and 30th, both $82.50.
ECHO After Dark: Memento Mori Friday, October 16th
ECHO goes adults only from 6 to 9 PM for an evening about death, decomposition and the thinning of the veil. Expect hands on science with real world experts, a danse macabre ball, a craft table for making your own reminder that death comes for us all, and the second annual After Dark costume contest. Tickets are $30, or $25 for members and college students, and it's 18 and up.
Spirits of Rokeby: The Impending Crisis Friday, October 16th – Saturday, October 17th + Friday, October 23rd – Saturday, October 24th
The Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh stages its immersive séance theater on two weekends, with timed shows at 5, 5:45, 7, 7:45 and 8:30 each night. Only 15 people fit in each slot and tickets are sold in advance only, $25 or $20 for members, so book early.
Community Pumpkin Carving Friday, October 16th
South Burlington Rec takes over the Tuttle Middle School cafeteria on Dorset Street from 6:30 to 8 PM. Bring your own pumpkin for free with no registration, or reserve one of their 100 by October 15th, free for residents and $5 for everyone else. They supply the tools and the treats.
UVM Men's Hockey vs. Boston University Friday, October 16th + Saturday, October 17th
Hockey East comes to the Gut. The Catamounts host BU at 7 PM both nights at Gutterson Fieldhouse, with tickets through the schedule page and the games on ESPN+ and WVMT.
Vermont International Film Festival Friday, October 16th – Sunday, October 25th
The 2026 lineup is out and tickets are on sale for ten days of film at Main Street Landing. Opening night is Fjord, the reigning Palme d'Or winner with Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. The schedule also has Carrie for its 50th anniversary on the 22nd, a Rocky Horror costume party on the 24th at 9:30 PM, and closing night Mouse on the 25th with a Q&A from the directors.
Champlain Valley Craft Show & Antique Expo Friday, October 16th – Sunday, October 18th
More than 125 juried artisan and antique booths fill the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, 10 to 5 Friday and Saturday and 10 to 4 Sunday. Admission is $12 at the gate with $2 off online, and one ticket gets you in all three days.
Free Family Skate Saturday, October 17th
Open ice at Cairns Arena on Swift Street from 1:30 to 3 PM, free with no registration. Skate rentals are $5 a pair.
Bat Bazaar Saturday, October 17th
A queer Halloween artist market at the Spiral House Art Collective, upstairs at 19 Church Street, from noon to 4. Free to browse, with tarot readings, jewelry, prints and hand printed clothing, so bring cash.
Zombie Walk on Church Street Saturday, October 17th
Green Mountains of Madness brings back its zombie walk for a second year. Zombies gather by City Hall at 3:30 and shamble down the Marketplace from 4 to 4:30. It's free.
Bob the Drag Queen: Now Clap! Saturday, October 17th
The Drag Race winner brings the Now Clap! tour to the Flynn Main Stage at 6 PM. Tickets run $39.50 to $150.50, with the top tier including a VIP meet and greet.
The Grave Side of Halloween Sunday, October 18th
A fundraiser for the Burlington History & Culture Center that starts with a 10:30 tour of Elmwood Cemetery, rain or shine, led by Dr. Elise Guyette with Preservation Burlington. Then everyone moves to the ONE Community Center for a light lunch with music from Woody Woodhead, a 12:30 talk on iron grave markers in Vermont, and a raffle that runs until 2. It's free with donations encouraged, and raffle prizes include juggling lessons, a singing telegram, a sunset cruise and someone to act as your plus one at an event you don't want to attend alone.
Harvest Run 5K & Relay Sunday, October 18th
The 15th annual run through the Intervale benefits the Sustainability Academy. There's a free kids' fun run at 10, then the 5K, the two person relay and a one or two mile fun run at 10:30, with music afterward. The 5K is $15 for adults, $5 for kids and students or $25 for a family, and online registration closes October 16th at 5 PM.
Wild Culture Fermentation Festival Sunday, October 18th
Worth the drive to Montpelier if you like your food funky. Barr Hill Distillery hosts Vermont fermenters for tastings and demos from noon to 4, $8 in advance or $10 at the door.
Further Out Events To Keep on Your Radar:
Let’s look a little further out and see what events are worth keeping on your radar:
Sam Jay at Vermont Comedy Club Thursday, October 22nd – Saturday, October 24th
The host of HBO's Pause with Sam Jay and former SNL writer plays five shows on Main Street, Thursday at 6:30 and Friday and Saturday at 6:30 and 8:30. Tickets are $25.
Night Watch: Outdoor Light Art Fest Saturday, October 24th
Lake Street turns into a free outdoor gallery of projections and light art from 7 to 11 PM. Look for the Fluffy art car, Derek Rice's fire organ, and DJs Roost.World, Amelia Devoid and missandri.
Haunted Homestead Saturday, October 24th
The Ethan Allen Homestead leads one hour after dark tours to spots on the property that a paranormal investigation flagged as haunted. Tours start at 6, 6:30, 7:15 and 7:45, tickets are $25, and it's recommended for ages 12 and up.
Haunted Hustle 5K + Community Glow Walk Saturday, October 24th
South Burlington runs a costume 5K from City Center Park at 4 PM, $15 in advance or $20 day of, plus $5 for non residents, with beanies for the first 100 and costume awards. At 6 the park turns into a free glow walk with trick or treat stations and glow necklaces for the first 400 kids, and a sensory friendly half hour starts at 5:30.
Vermont Tech Jam Saturday, October 24th
Seven Days' career and tech expo fills Hula from 10 to 3, with presentations at 11 and 1, and tickets are free.
Calum Graham at BCA Studios Saturday, October 24th
The Canadian fingerstyle guitarist plays BCA Studios on Pine Street at 8 PM. Tickets are $26.75.
Halloween Roll & Stroll Sunday, October 25th
Local Motion's costume parade on bikes, scooters and feet gathers in City Hall Park at 1:30 and rolls at 2, ending at Old Spokes Home with photos, games and music. No motor vehicles or e-motos.
Spotlight 802: Julia Kern Thursday, October 29th
Two time Olympian and World Championship medalist Julia Kern talks cross country skiing at the South Burlington Public Library auditorium in City Hall. Free appetizers at 5:30, the talk and Q&A from 6 to 7, and no registration needed.
Halloween on Church Street Saturday, October 31st
The Howl'ween dog costume contest starts at noon on the Leahy Block outside Homeport, with registration at 11 and prizes for Silliest, Most Original, Best Pup & Owner and Best in Show. The kids get the Marketplace from 3 to 5 for a street wide trick or treat. Both are free.
VSO: The Sorcerer's Apprentice Saturday, October 31st
The Vermont Symphony's Halloween matinee at the Flynn at 3 PM, with Dukas, excerpts from Symphonie fantastique, Michael Abels' score from Nope and some Danny Elfman, conducted by Andrew Crust. Tickets are $12 to $67 and it's made for all ages.
Downtown Winooski Halloween Saturday, October 31st + Sunday, November 1st
Rotary Park hosts a kids' party and business trick or treating from 4 to 6, then Nightfall from 6 to 9, when roughly 1,000 community carved jack-o-lanterns light up alongside DJs, tarot and mini astrology readings and drinks from Specs. The pumpkins glow again Sunday from 6 to 9 for a sensory friendly night.
Possessed! Halloween Comedy Saturday, October 31st
Local comics dress up as famous comedians, living and dead, and perform their acts. The free costume party and cocktail hour starts at 7, the show at 8, and tickets are $20. The night before, GALLOWEEN is a spooky showcase at 6:30, $15 or $10 for students.
Clutch Tuesday, November 3rd
Clutch plays the Higher Ground Ballroom with Slomosa and Blood Vulture, doors at 7, all ages, and Higher Ground has tickets marked low.
planBTV 2050 Community Open House Thursday, November 5th
Drop in any time from 4:30 to 8 PM at the new Burlington High School on Seahorse Street to weigh in on the city's 2050 plan and get a look at the building. Refreshments and family friendly activities included.
Ski Film Season Thursday, November 5th – Saturday, November 21st
Three chances to get stoked before the lifts spin. The TREW To You film tour is free at J Skis on Main Street on November 5th from 7 to 10. Teton Gravity Research brings Actually, It Is Rocket Science to Main Street Landing on the 19th, and Warren Miller's 77th film, Days Off, plays the Flynn on the 21st at 7:30, $22.95 to $27.
Seven Days Burger Week Friday, November 6th – Sunday, November 15th
Mark the calendar. Menus post October 14th, and I'll have the full rundown closer to the week.
Adam Conover at Vermont Comedy Club Thursday, November 12th – Saturday, November 14th
The Adam Ruins Everything creator plays Thursday at 6:30 and Friday and Saturday at 6:30 and 8:30. Tickets are $30.
Non-Fiction Comics Festival Saturday, November 14th
The fifth annual festival fills the Fletcher Free Library from 11 to 6 with panels, workshops and cartoonists who make non fiction and autobiographical comics, presented with Vermont Folklife.
Btown Brief IRL Events Coming Up:
We are a Meetup group too! Come hang out with us at any of these.
Wednesdays @ 5:30 PM: Pick-up Basketball - The Wednesday evening runs.
Saturdays @ 10 AM: BTown Coffee Club - The no pressure hang at Zero Gravity on Pine Street.
Saturday, October 10th @ 11 AM: Apple Picking + Cider Donuts at Shelburne Orchards - Apples and cider donuts in Shelburne, then make a Saturday of it with the pub crawl.
Saturday, October 10th @ 1 PM: Pub Crawl II, South End Breweries - Starting at Switchback, then Burlington Beer Co. and Citizen Cider, with Queen City and Zero Gravity if we're still standing.
Thursday, October 15th @ 7 PM: Ali T Live at J Ski's with Social Pulse - Free to attend, with free snacks and pizza while they last and a cash bar.
Friday, October 16th: Movie Night: You Can See Everything - The Elizabeth Holmes documentary at Majestic 10 in Williston, showtime set once tickets go on sale.
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Burlington City Pulse
The Weekly r/burlington Round-Up
Two weeks of r/burlington this time, and the sub spent them thanking strangers, mourning old restaurants, chasing sunsets and asking where all the mini pumpkins went. Here's what the community has been buzzing about:
🗣️ Local Chatter, Gripes & Good News
Autumnal Tradition: A fan of the friendly cat near South Union and Howard says spotting it has almost become an autumnal tradition and asked the owner for its name.
Good Deed at Jake's: A thank you post for a stranger's small anonymous kindness outside Jake's Market, which left the witness "feeling brighter today."
242 Main: Someone who spent the early to mid 90s at the all ages club found it blocked off and overgrown and asked whether anyone plans to bring it back.
Chicken Pitchers: Three Tomatoes closed more than a decade ago, but one poster still pours fresh OJ from its chicken shaped pitcher and wants to know who else took one home.
The Pricey Corner: Why is the gas station at Dorset and Williston Road always at least 30 cents higher than the one across the street?
Dating in Burlington: A late 20s newcomer is finding it hard to meet people and asked what there is to do besides bars and the apps. The IRL section above is a start.
Cat Playdates: A UVM senior's very social one year old cat needs a friend, so the owner is looking for cat playdates instead of adopting a second one.
Mesh Network: A radio and home networking hobbyist wants to build a community Meshtastic network and is looking for others to join.
Bridge Progress: A photo update on the new pedestrian bridge shows the first abutment poured.
Colonial Philadelphia: Fun fact post, Burlington's roughly 44,000 people is about the population of Philadelphia in 1790.
The Didgeridoo Guy: Whatever happened to the man on Church Street who played the didgeridoo while puppets danced on strings tied to his feet?
Taco Bell at UVM: Nostalgia for the on campus Taco Bell that took meal cards, and a lament that Burlington has none now.
Camo on the Green: People in camo were performing on the Waterman green on Prospect Street, at one point blocking traffic, and the poster wants to know what it was.
Your Ballot Is in the Mail: Ballots went to every registered Burlington voter by October 1st, and if yours hasn't shown up by October 8th, call the Clerk/Treasurer's office. The city lists five drop boxes, at City Hall, DPW on Pine Street, Fire Station 2 on North Avenue, the Miller Community Center and Fire Station 3 on Mansfield Avenue. Mail it back by October 20th, and the drop box deadline is November 2nd at 4:30 PM.
Election Workers Wanted: The city is hiring for Election Day, $14.42 to $16.42 an hour, no experience needed, open to registered Burlington voters, and 16 and 17 year olds can work with adult supervision.
City Market Board Election: Co-op members can vote through October 21st, online or at customer service, for three seats with seven candidates running.
Tax Fairness Forums: The city has public forums on the mayor's tax fairness proposals on Monday, October 19th, November 2nd and November 16th, all at 6 PM.
The Vacant Building List: The city keeps a Top Ten list of noncompliant vacant properties. The oldest, 19-21 North Street, has been vacant since April 2004 with multiple years of overdue fees and no contact from the current owner, and 68 Pearl Street has been empty since 2019 and is listed as unsafe for emergency personnel to enter.
🍔 Food & Drink
Mocktail Bar? Someone pitched a spot that does coffee and light food by day and turns into an alcohol free bar at night and asked whether people would actually go.
The Sandwich Bread Search: A careful survey of La Panciata 7 Grain, Stewart's, Klinger's, Trent's and Max and Co sourdough from someone who still hasn't found the right everyday loaf.
Dinner at Doma: Doña Esa is now serving Mexican home cooking in the Doma Bar living room, 5 to 9 PM Tuesday through Saturday, with tacos starting at $6. The sub spread the word.
Too Good To Go: After a year of checking the end of day surplus food app, one poster says the only local participant is Dunkin and wants to know why nobody here uses it.
IDA Convert: Someone finally tried IDA despite the sub's warnings and called the buffalo blue cheese fried chicken square "the best thing I've eaten in years."
Mini Pumpkins: Trader Joe's is sold out of the three inch kind, and Shaw's, Ace and a Richmond pumpkin patch all struck out, so the hunt is on.
Anniversary Dinner: A Burlington native now in Milton wants a quiet anniversary dinner spot anywhere in Chittenden County, outside downtown and with parking.
Healthy Living Lines: The top post of the week came from a Healthy Living employee asking shoppers to be patient and respectful at checkout, saying the waits have been getting worse for a couple of months and the strain reaches every department. A separate post griped about a $13.49 sushi roll.
City Market Water: A five year member noticed the free water refills now cost money, and it's true. Since September 15th, the co-op charges everyone 50 cents a gallon for its reverse osmosis water, members included, and members get a sixth gallon free when they buy five.
🎭 Events, Community & Things to Do
Queen City Lodge's 90th Show: This Friday, October 9th, the Odd Fellows lodge at 1416 North Avenue hosts its 90th show since music came back in May 2025, a benefit to keep the DIY shows going with Vallory Falls, Fisher and the Flood and Jesse Taylor Band. Doors at 6:30, music at 7, all ages, substance free and donation based. The lodge's October lineup also has a Halloween show on the 24th.
Organ Recital: A free recital on First Baptist Church's 1864 G.G. Hook organ this Sunday, October 11th, at 3 PM downtown.
Nightmare Alternatives: Someone wants a dry Halloween outing for older teens and young adults now that Nightmare Vermont is taking 2026 off. The Haunted Homestead in the radar above is recommended for 12 and up.
Home Repair 101: Generator runs Home Essentials 101 this Saturday, October 10th, from 9 to noon, covering drywall patching, plumbing basics and swapping outlets and switches.
Best Volunteering Spots? Someone wants weekend volunteering, ideally outdoors and with people. The volunteer section up top has a few outdoor options, mostly on weekdays.
A Blog to Consolidate: A Sunday ask for small one off events turned into a lament that people miss cool stuff every week "because there isn't a blog to consolidate" it. Hi.
Open Mic Nights: A would be singer who doesn't play an instrument is looking for open mic or karaoke nights.
Postcrossing Meetup: Someone wants a co-host for a Postcrossing meetup, the postcard exchange hobby.
Partizanfilm Goes Dark for Two Weeks: The College Street art house closes October 16th through 29th for an HVAC renovation timed to the film festival, and says it'll be back before Halloween with better temperature control in both auditoriums.
🌌 Seasonal & Sky
Sunset Watch: One poster glimpsed "amazing skies everywhere" while running errands and begged for photos, and the next evening someone delivered.
Leaf Season: Someone asked when the leaf tourism generally stops.
Smuggs on a Weekday: A transplant taking a visiting parent through Smugglers' Notch asked how bad weekday foliage traffic gets.
UFOs Over North Beach? Five lights moving over North Beach. You decide.
Sunset Watchers Club: Someone asked where the sunset meetup is gathering this week, and the answer was that it's done for the year, with Bolton as the last one.
Fuel Assistance: The state is taking applications for seasonal fuel assistance, online, by mail or at a district office, and recipients also qualify for free weatherization.
🚗 Traffic, Safety & Highly Specific Q&A
No E-motos at School: Burlington's superintendent banned e-motos and Class III e-bikes for all students under 16 on every district property. Class I and II e-bikes are still allowed but every bike and scooter has to be walked on campus, and the update says BPD may begin ticketing parents who provide e-motos to kids.
Late Night Laps: Drivers are doing laps at 1:15 AM on Pine, Locust, Shelburne Road, 189 and the Champlain Parkway, and one poster got passed on Shelburne Road by someone the speed sign clocked at 68.
No PreCheck: A heads up from October 4th, when everyone at BTV was being sent through one security lane.
Whose Camera? Who owns the Flock license plate camera at the Dorset Street Hannaford, the store or the mall?
4 AM Taxi: Someone needs a reliable taxi to the airport at 4 in the morning, and the answers are worth bookmarking.
Staples Place: The notoriously tough parking lot claims another one.
Fall Clean Sweep: The city's overnight street sweep runs November 4th through 13th, 10 PM to 7 AM on your zone's night, so check the zone map and move the car.
And before you leave, these extra Wednesday editions take a lot of effort to cook up, so if you truly enjoy these, let me know by replying to this email, and (hopefully) send me a coffee donation!




