Btown Brief
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Monday, June 30th (4th of July Edition!)
Your Week Ahead: Hot Start, Stormy Middle, Fireworks Gamble – BTV's July 3rd Blowout, Dead's New Digs & Airport Upgrades – Today's heat gives way to midweek storms, putting Thursday's massive waterfront fireworks display in question. Find out where to catch the new Grateful Dead 'residency', what $5.8M means for the airport, and all the details for the biggest party of the summer before things (hopefully) clear up for the weekend.
Thursday, June 26th
Your Weekend Kickstart: Cloudy Thursday, Rainy Friday, Drier Sunday Ahead – Main Street's Nightly Reopening, A New Art House & A Downsized Festival of Fools – From tonight's friends mixer and fire show to a soggy Saturday, your plans await. Get the details on Main Street's traffic compromise, the city's tough new budget, the grassroots effort bringing a cinema back to downtown, and how a beloved festival was saved by local businesses for this year.
Monday, June 23rd
Btown's Heat Wave Edition: Sweltering Start, Midweek Storms, Cooler Relief – Gardener's Supply's Future, First BtownBrief Meet-Up Event & A Packed Week of Events – Find out where to beat the record heat as cooling centers open, then get the scoop on tonight's City Council meeting covering downtown traffic and City Place development. Plus, we're looking ahead to a week of big music with Waxahatchee and Peach Pit, a major groundbreaking at the Shelburne Museum, and how a new study proves Vermont's plastic bag ban is working.
Thursday, June 19th
Holy Smokes, It's a Packed Weekend – From today's storms to a perfect Friday, navigate the city's biggest celebrations. We've got the scoop on the weekend's best events, from block parties to park concerts. Plus, the scoop on Shy Guy Gelato's sale and a surprise $1.8M budget hole.
Monday, June 16th
Your Monday Briefing: Juneteenth Streetball Hoops & Music, A 'Canada Street' Rename on Church St?, & South End Closures – Get ready for a week of celebrations with Juneteenth events kicking off from South Burlington to downtown. Get the details on the South Burlington pedestrian bridge finally moving ahead and a bold new proposal for the Pine Street Barge Canal area. Meanwhile, City Hall debates a Canadian rebrand for Church Street and South End drivers should beware of parkway construction, all under increasingly warm and humid skies.
Thursday, June 12th
A Weekend of Haze & Hops: As the smoke finally clears, get ready for a packed weekend featuring the Loving Day celebration, a big beer release on the waterfront, and two great farmers markets. We're also breaking down the ongoing short-term rental fight and the Governor's veto that leaves the state's emergency housing program in limbo.
Thursday, June 5th (Jazz Fest this Week!)
Your Jazz Fest Game Plan: A Stormy Start, A Funk-Filled Weekend, $16B GlobalFoundries Investment (~$120 million for Essex facility) & A City Hall Shakeup – Brace for some Thursday thunderstorms before diving into a massive Jazz Fest weekend. We’ll guide you to the can't-miss free shows on the waterfront, mark the bittersweet final nights at Nectar’s, and break down the Mayor's major government overhaul and what that big chip investment really means for Vermont.
Monday, June 2nd
Your Evening Briefing: Brace for summer heat (and Thursday thunder)! Navigate the Jazz Fest wave, grab local bounty at the ONE Market, dissect the Mayor's budget plan & the divisive downtown letter storm, try a new Church Street stroll, and mourn (or just note) a quick venue closure. Plus, big time City Council meeting this Monday; check out the scoop!
Thursday, May 29th
Tonight's Briefing: Cloudy Eve, Brighter Friday, Rainy Weekend Kickoff & Sunnier Sunday Hopes – Pride Gala Shines, Tech Hub Funds Pulled & ArtsRiot's Farewell – Celebrate a community milestone tonight. As the weekend brings both a massive waterfront celebration and a damp forecast, get the scoop on shifts for Vermont's tech scene, the South End's cultural landscape, and who's now behind the counter at an Old North End institution.
Monday, May 26th (Memorial Day)
Your Early Week Boost: Sun's Out, Warmth Building Through Midweek – Top Gun Night, Jumpstart Expo & Marathon Memories – Enjoy today's lovely sunshine carrying us into a warm Tuesday and Wednesday, perfect for Switchback's outdoor movie or Generator's innovation showcase. We're also looking back at the marathon's energy, noting a foodie farewell in the ONE, and parsing the latest from Winooski schools before showers make their return.
Friday, May 23rd
Your Weekend Kickoff: Gray Friday, Showery Saturday, Brighter Sunday Hopes – Plex Fest's ONE Takeover, E-Bike Decisions & Meal Program Tensions – Tonight's cool, gray skies lead into a dynamic weekend: brave the showers for the Old North End's unmissable Plex Arts Fest or the downtown Mini Golf adventure. Plus, get the inside scoop on the contentious Food Not Bombs relocation and the future of Burlington's e-bike scene, before Sunday's Marathon brings a brighter outlook.
Monday, May 19th
Tonight's cool, cloudy skies bring a chance of evening rain, setting a temperate tone for a week filled with community connection and important city discussions. We're diving into City Council's detailed strategies for revitalizing downtown, COTS's promising expansion plans for its Pearl Street shelter, and how you can join unique local events like a geologist led hike or a bookstagrammer meet up. Plus, get the scoop on the season's first Smugglers' Notch spectacle and how UVM is advancing cancer research right here at home, with Clinical Trials Awareness Day approaching.