Burlington wakes up to crisp morning air in the mid to upper 50s today, setting the stage for what looks like a nice August weekend. After weeks of heat and humidity, we're getting a proper break with sunshine and comfortable conditions taking center stage. Today brings wall-to-wall sunshine with highs reaching the low 80s and, mercifully, low humidity that'll make being outside actually enjoyable. Saturday cranks things up a notch with temperatures climbing into the upper 80s to low 90s, though the humidity creeps back in as the day progresses. Sunday's looking like our only shot at some rain with a cold front bringing scattered showers and storms, mostly in the afternoon and evening. Given how parched everything's getting around here (the drought monitor just expanded "abnormally dry" conditions to nearly the entire state except our Champlain Valley bubble), even a modest soaking would be welcome. Next week? Think September in August, with temps settling back into the 70s and those glorious cool mornings we all secretly love.

Tonight kicks off another absolutely packed weekend here in the Queen City. The People's Farmstand returns to Pomeroy Park in the ONE from 5 to 6:30 PM with their pay-what-you-can organic veggies, perfect for grabbing dinner ingredients while supporting food access in our community. Over at Ethos Athletics on Flynn Ave, there's a Strong For Good fitness class from 5:30 to 6:30 PM benefiting Turning Point Center, where you can work up a sweat for a good cause with no class fee required, just optional donations. The South End's throwing its own party with the Get Down / Stowe Cider Donut Launch Party at The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery from 5 to 9 PM, featuring the 2025 Cider Donut in cans, special cocktails at the Pinery, and enough free swag to make you forget summer's winding down. If you're more in the mood for music than movement, head downtown where BCA's Summer Concert Series brings Skylark, a contemporary string ensemble, to City Hall Park at 12:30 PM, though that's your lunch hour option. For those who want to venture slightly beyond city limits this evening, Winooski's throwing their Downtown Block Party in Rotary Park from 5 to 8 PM, complete with yacht rock grooves from Pontoon, local beer, gelato, and enough lawn games to keep everyone entertained.

Saturday's gorgeous weather forecast makes it prime time for being outside, and Burlington's delivering options from dawn to dusk. The Ethan Allen Homestead celebrates its 60th anniversary all weekend long with "Fanny's Weekend," running 10 AM to 2 PM both days, featuring everything from flint knapping demonstrations to ash pounding for Abenaki basketry, plus anniversary cake because what's a party without cake? Down in Shelburne, the Vermont Zen Center's annual yard sale starts at 9 AM with treasures galore and those legendary homemade baked goods that sell out fast. The Winooski Community Clean-Up with Rozalia Project runs from 10 AM to noon for those wanting to give back while the morning's still cool. Meanwhile, Shelburne's celebrating Shelburne Day with discounts at local businesses and Willow House's epic tent sale featuring items up to 90% off starting at just a dollar.

Sunday brings more perfect late-summer programming before those afternoon storms roll through. Local Motion's hosting a Cycle the City group ride starting at 9:30 AM from their Steele Street headquarters, offering a leisurely clockwise loop showcasing Burlington's best views and hidden gems. The Soda Plant Sunday market runs 10 AM to 3 PM with vendors showing everything from vintage finds to handmade dancing skirts. Senator Sanders' office is throwing their free senior lunch at noon at the Hotel Champlain (the old Hilton on Battery Street), complete with good food and live music. Over in Williston, there's a Back to School Gear Giveaway from 12:30 to 2 PM with free backpacks, school supplies, snow cones, and lawn games. The Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival opens its Mozartiana series Sunday afternoon at 3 PM with Mozart's Clarinet Quintet and works by Caroline Shaw and György Ligeti, because sometimes you need to balance all that outdoor time with a little high culture.

Today’s high of 83 °F and low of 59 °F align closely with August’s historical averages of 80 °F and 60 °F. In the broader outlook, daily highs between the mid-70s and around 90 °F and lows from the low-50s up to 70 °F suggest a mix of near-average and slightly warmer conditions in the days ahead.

What events actually get you out engaging with your community? I've been thinking about this after reading countless Reddit threads about how hard it is to make good connections as an adult after school is over with. Sure, we're all "connected" online, but when's the last time you had a real conversation with someone new in Burlington?

Here's what I'm considering: launching a Btown Brief IRL Meetup group that does things differently. I think that the best events are ones where you’re actively doing something together, letting conversation come naturally. And, like you already know, conversation is the backbone for a true sense of community. Plus, instead of the usual single-focus groups, we'd rotate through 8-15 activities each month. Photography walks, trivia takeovers, volleyball at local parks, food/drink crawls, paint & sip nights, bowling together, game nights, volunteer jobs together, meetups at public events, etc; whatever this community wants to try.

Here’s why I think variety matters: Most meetup groups plateau because they attract the same personality types doing the same thing week after week. But when you see Sarah from trivia night crushing it at volleyball, or discover that quiet Mike from the photography walk is hilarious at game night, something clicks. You start seeing people as full humans, not just "that person from book club."

The logistics would be simple: Meetup.com for organizing events and Discord for community chat between meetups. Free to begin, then a small monthly fee ($5-10) to support the newsletter and its various events. The small fee actually encourages people to come out, instead of “maybe” coming then cancelling last second.

But I'm not launching this unless there's real interest. Community building only works when the community actually shows up. So help me out and tell me, what would actually get you off your couch and into a room with fellow Burlingtonians? Your votes will shape our first month of activities. Also, how do you feel about age separation, is it important to you? 20/30s group, and then a 40/50s+ group, with some events combined?

Vote on activities here - Btown Brief IRL Google Form

Want a beautiful photo you took of Burlington, with your name, in front of 1,200+ subscribers & 600 Instagram followers? Reply to this email with that info and I’ll post ‘em with credit to you! I’ve slowly running low on my relevant, spectacular pictures of this city.

Burlington lifts water conservation alert

After two days of asking roughly 12,800 Burlington and Colchester customers to ease up on water usage during this week's heat wave, the city lifted its conservation notice Thursday morning. The 25-year-old booster pumps that failed are getting increased maintenance attention, with one already fixed and the other still being worked on. Public Works Director Chapin Spencer says they'll be testing the pumps more rigorously going forward, running them longer during weekly exercises to catch problems before the next heat-induced demand spike hits.

From the Deputy Publisher: The Cleanup Crew

Every Thursday morning at 7:30 AM, the BTV Clean Up Crew meets at the top of Church Street to pick up trash and needles around downtown. Started by Kason Hudman of the Peace & Justice Center, the volunteer effort draws anywhere from five to 60 people weekly, armed with trash pickers, gloves, and sharps containers. Seven Days deputy publisher Cathy Resmer joined last week's cleanup and found the experience surprisingly empowering, noting how many passersby thanked the volunteers for their efforts.

Vermont businessman, philanthropist Rich Tarrant dies at 83 via WCAX

Rich Tarrant, who founded IDX medical information tech company and later ran unsuccessfully against Bernie Sanders for U.S. Senate in 2006, died Tuesday night of cancer. The former Boston Celtics draft pick turned businessman donated tens of millions to Vermont causes, including the rec center at St. Michael's College and the stalled UVM Athletic Complex. Vermont had never seen campaign spending like his 2006 Senate race, which introduced a new level of political advertising to the state.

As Encampments Surge in Burlington, Two Men Address Problems

Burlington's two urban park rangers, Neil Preston and Jake Payne, are tasked with managing the impossible: enforcing camping bans across 550 acres of public land while the city faces record homelessness. With more than 40 encampment complaints filed last month alone through the SeeClickFix app, the rangers navigate between angry residents demanding clean parks and unhoused people with nowhere else to go. Preston's approach boils down to "make it less bad," moving camps from neighborhood parks to less visible areas while dealing with guard dogs, needles, and the daily reality that Vermont's chronically homeless population has jumped from 150 pre-pandemic to over 900 today.

Noah Kahan to play benefit concert in Stowe

Vermont's own Noah Kahan will perform at Folk and Fairways, a new benefit concert at Spruce Peak in Stowe on October 1st. Limited to fewer than 1,500 attendees, tickets will be available through a lottery system at $250 plus fees, with all proceeds benefiting Kahan's Busyhead Project supporting community mental health organizations. The intimate hometown show marks another way the Grammy-nominated artist continues investing in Vermont's wellbeing.

Riko's Pizza Has Closed on Burlington's Church Street

The Connecticut-based tavern-style pizza chain lasted less than eight months at 83 Church Street, closing Sunday after opening with fanfare in late January. The 5,000-square-foot space that once housed Pascolo Ristorante now sits empty again, another casualty in Church Street's ongoing retail shuffle.

802 News: New group advocates for a vibrant Queen City via WCAX (Mark Johnson)

Building Burlington's Future launched with serious backing and ambitious goals, raising $1.3 million toward a five-year plan to organize residents before key votes happen, not after. In a recent WCAX interview, former Mayor Peter Clavelle called the decision to reduce police staffing "one of the greatest mistakes in my public life," while board chair Michelle Ash pointed to families hoping loved ones get arrested as "the only hope" for drug rehab access. The conversation doesn't pull punches about our challenges: from open drug use and EMT burnout to businesses closing, but also pushes back on pure doom narratives by highlighting new hotels, vibrant festivals, and south end development. Key observations include that just 10 people generate 40% of police calls, individual organizations are hiring private security when government can't maintain public safety, and Burlington has become Vermont's de facto overflow valve for statewide problems without adequate state support. The group's betting 4,000 signed-up residents (75% Burlington, 25% Chittenden County) can turn frustration into policy wins, building a public dashboard to track whether we're actually improving on safety, housing, and economic indicators rather than relying on vibes-based progress reports. Check out the full 55-minute discussion here: Podcast Episode: Burlington Boosters

Sculpture Project Draws Burlington Into Abenaki Identity Controversy

The Québec-based band plans to oppose a donated Native American sculpture meant for Battery Park, calling it inauthentic and offensive. The wooden carving would replace the rotting 42-year-old "Chief Greylock" statue removed last month, but has reignited the heated debate over who can claim Abenaki identity. The controversy puts Burlington City Council in an awkward position after adopting a 2022 resolution recognizing the Missisquoi band as the tribal authority for Abenaki matters, while scholars in Canada dispute Vermont bands' genealogical claims.

UVM faculty and staff unions protest third-party health insurance audit, citing privacy fears

Over 2,500 unionized UVM employees are protesting a mandatory insurance audit requiring them to submit birth certificates and marriage licenses to Willis Towers Watson, a company that reported a data breach in 2023. The university's paying up to $114,000 for the audit to verify dependent eligibility, threatening to remove family members from coverage if employees don't comply. Union leaders particularly worry about transgender family members whose documents may not match current identities, demanding new president Marlene Tromp negotiate the process.

What Ales You to Move to Former Manhattan Pizza & Pub Space

After 54 years in a St. Paul Street basement, college bar institution What Ales You is moving around the corner to the former Manhattan Pizza & Pub space at Church and Main. Owner Syd Eren cited soaring insurance costs and dropping alcohol revenue as forcing the move to a location with a kitchen, where serving food can both grow income and lower liability costs. The bar hopes to open in its new ground-level home around August 22, complete with pizza on the menu.

It’s a packed newsletter this week! It’s a one man team out here, so if you appreciate this local journalism and want to keep it going, consider a small donation using the link below, or right to my Venmo @BtownBrief ! Now onto the next section!

Friday, August 15, 2025

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Saturday, August 16, 2025

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Sunday, August 17, 2025

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Multi-Day & Ongoing Events

Help Out at the Cambrian Way Block Party
Cathedral Square and Champlain Housing Trust are hosting a neighborhood block party on Saturday, September 6 from 2–6pm, and they need volunteers to help make it happen! Tasks include set-up, clean-up, grilling, and helping with activities. It’s a great way to give back, meet neighbors, and enjoy some food and fun while you’re at it. The event takes place outside Juniper House and Laurentide on North Ave in Burlington. To sign up and get the details, reach out to Lizzy at [email protected] or Jane at [email protected].

Check out this page for links to four great sites with volunteer opportunities all around Burlington.

Today’s picks:

Five more to keep things interesting as the season starts to shift. Start your morning with a walk through Centennial Woods where the trails wind through peaceful forest just minutes from downtown. Visit the Champlain Mill in Winooski and check out the Winooski Mill Museum for a quick look at the area's industrial history. Stop into the Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne and let yourself browse without a plan. Take a late afternoon ride on the Colchester Causeway and catch the light bouncing off the water on both sides. Wrap up the day with a casual dinner at The Spot on the Dock where the lake views do most of the work.

Full list’s always waiting here when you need a plan: 202+ Things to Do

Soon to be updated with even more Burlington food deals. Shoutout to Shawn, a Btown Brief reader who sees the value in finding restaurant specials that feel like a win for both the people and the businesses themselves. Thanks, Shawn! Updates to come… In the meantime, here are this week’s picks for deals:

View the full list of food & drink deals here.

Gold Restaurant brings a distinctive and intimate dining experience to Burlington’s Old North End, offering a modern, globally influenced take on Italian cuisine. Located on N. Winooski Avenue, the small dining room fosters a cozy atmosphere perfect for a date night or quiet meal with friends. Chef-owner Charles Spock’s menu is built around handmade pastas and seasonal ingredients, featuring clean, light preparations that stand apart from more traditional Italian-American fare. The positive buzz since last summer’s opening suggests it's a promising new fixture in the neighborhood.

The menu successfully showcases a creative culinary perspective. Seasonal ravioli, a standout brisket praised for its tenderness, and unique fusion dishes like a re-imagined Waterfall Beef highlight the kitchen’s range. Portions are generous for the price point, with most entrées landing under $25, and are complemented by a well-curated list of natural wines and cocktails. Friendly, attentive service further elevates the experience, making diners feel welcome from the moment they arrive in the warm, inviting space.

However, the very elements that define Gold may not appeal to all. The dining room’s small, 30-seat capacity creates intimacy but can also make securing a reservation challenging at times. Furthermore, the menu’s frequent changes, while a nod to seasonality, mean a beloved dish from one visit may be gone by the next. Diners looking for classic, red-sauce Italian comfort food will not find it here, as the focus is squarely on a modern, fusion-forward approach that, while inventive, may not suit every palate.

View the full list of restaurant reviews here.

Another week in the books, another weekend of possibility ahead. Whether you're hitting up every event on the list or just planning to sit on your porch with a cold drink watching the world go by, make the most of this break in the weather. The forecast for next week suggests we might actually need to dig out a light jacket for morning coffee runs, which feels both impossible and completely on brand for Vermont in August.

Stay cool out there, Burlington. Got a tip, complaint, or just want to share what made you smile this week? Drop me a line. I’m always listening.

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.

Dropping tasteful merch for the Btown Brief soon, stay tuned!

And share this newsletter with everyone you know that’s interested in all things Burlington!