Clouds and scattered showers are lingering through Burlington this Friday evening, with temperatures settling into the upper 40s as the sun sets. On the flipside, after more than two inches of rain in the past week, Vermont forestry officials rescinded in the statewide burn ban. Looking in to the weekend, it looks drier but stubbornly overcast, with Saturday bringing mostly cloudy skies and temps hovering around 50 degrees. Sunday stays cool with highs stuck in the 40s, though we might catch a few breaks of sunshine if we're lucky. Early next week brings brighter prospects with actual sunshine returning Monday and Tuesday, warming us back into the mid 50s before another storm system eyes us for later in the week.

Honestly, it’s almost too packed of a Halloween weekend for me to pick favorites but I’ll take a crack at it! But really, I encourage you to scroll down and see all the event listings and pick YOUR favorites. Tonight's the night for Burlington's punk rockers and costume enthusiasts to converge at Odd Fellows on North Avenue, where SLOB DROP headlines a costume party that promises both treats and tricks starting at 7pm. The show runs on a suggested $10 donation, perfect for testing out your Halloween getup before the big weekend. Also tonight, ECHO's Champ Halloween Party runs from 5:30 to 7:30pm, celebrating their new cryptid exhibit with family friendly activities perfect for little monsters in their favorite mythical creature costumes. Meanwhile, Citizen Cider's Ciderfest continues tonight until 9pm at the Press House Pub with Fattie B performing in the warehouse, then starting up back again on Saturday at noon.

Saturday is absolutely packed with Halloween happenings despite those stubborn clouds. To start off the day, we have my regular Btown Brief coffee meet-up at Zero Gravity at 10am (we may have a special guest joining us). Then, the Church Street Marketplace transforms into doggy paradise at noon with their Howl'ween costume contest, where pups compete for glory in categories from silliest to most original. Tech minded folks can start their day at Vermont Tech Jam at Hula from 10am to 3pm, connecting with innovative companies from microchips to electric aircraft. It’s a must go-to event if you’re in tech and want to explore new career opportunities (it’s where I found my current job 5 or so year ago). The BTV Bike Park celebrates its grand opening at Leddy Park starting at 10am with ribbon cutting and festivities. Burlington Anime-Fest takes over the DoubleTree from 10am to 5pm with voice actors, vendors and cosplay contests. For a great cause, Madeleines Bakery hosts a pop-up fundraiser at The Pour House from 11am to 3pm, selling Halloween treats to support Marshall Cummings recovering from burn injuries. As evening approaches, Spooky Stories at the Ethan Allen Homestead offers lantern lit tours starting at 6pm, with a kid friendly pre-sunset option at 5:30. Winooski goes all out for Halloween from 4 to 9pm with 1,000 pumpkins in Rotary Park, trick or treating maps, and live music. It’s sure to be a main highlight of the weekend. The Women-Only Dance Party at BCA Community Room runs 6 to 10pm, featuring 80s to 2000s hits in an alcohol free space benefiting The Safety Team. South Burlington's Halloween Glow Walk lights up Red Rocks Park from 5:30 to 7:30pm with glow necklaces handed out and costumes worn during the stroll. And Colchester's Daybreak Community Church hosts Trunk or Treat indoors from 5 to 6:30pm.

Sunday brings even more seasonal fun as the 16th Annual Burlington Halloween Roll and Stroll launches from City Hall Park at 2pm with costumed riders taking to the streets with music before culminating at Roosevelt Park. Switchback Brewing opens their taproom for Barktober from 1 to 5pm, a Halloween bash benefiting the Humane Society with costume contests and $1 per pint donations. The Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary's Halloween Parade steps off in Shelburne at 2pm with its 1.8 mile route featuring floats, emergency vehicles and the Spirit of Rotary. Williston's Trunk-or-Treat takes over the Village Community Park lot from 2 to 3:30pm complete with a haunted bookmobile. Comedy fans can catch Josh Johnson at The Flynn at 7pm, where the Daily Show correspondent brings his Flowers Tour after racking up 140 million YouTube views this year. And if you haven't had your dinosaur fix, Jurassic Quest continues at the Champlain Valley Expo through the weekend with life size prehistoric creatures and fossil displays.

Cooler-than-normal stretch ahead—today runs a crisp 4°F under the typical high, and the next few days average about 6°F below normal for highs with lows ~2–3°F cooler. Expect a seasonably chilly feel that leans more “late-October snap” than “lingering fall warmth.

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We’ve got an official Meetup group for Burlington! The city’s packed with things to do. Btown Brief highlights it, and Btown Brief IRL gets you out experiencing it with people.

I hear we may have a special guest joining us this weekend (come find out who), so get out and join us this Saturday at 10 a.m. for coffee at Zero Gravity! It’s always great seeing familiar faces, and even better meeting new ones each week. We’ll chat about Vermont living, touch on a bit of local news, and share what’s worth checking out around town this weekend. Come hang, have a coffee, and join the conversation.

If you want to connect outside of coffee meet-ups, join the Telegram chat. It’s the easiest place to see what others are up to, share ideas, and make casual plans while I keep improving how these events run. Feedback is always welcome! It’s just a one-man team so any sounding boards are great.

Click here to: Join Meetup group | RSVP here

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Scott Unveils 14-Point Public Safety Plan for Burlington 

Governor Phil Scott's new initiative includes expanding prison drug treatment, offering additional police patrols, and launching a "mass volunteer clean-up and beautification event," but omits any expansion of homeless shelter capacity despite urgent need. The plan arrives after months of public pressure on Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak from businesses frustrated with public drug use and unsheltered homelessness, with both leaders trading blame before ultimately agreeing to collaborate despite their political differences. Click the link to read the full article naming all 14 points.

Vermont Officials Prepare State-Funded Stopgap as Federal Shutdown Threatens Food Stamp Funds 

The USDA has directed Vermont to pause November food stamp distribution due to the federal shutdown, affecting the $12 million monthly 3SquaresVT program that serves thousands of vulnerable Vermonters. State lawmakers are scrambling to implement stopgap measures using Vermont's $100 million federal funding reserve, with the Emergency Board meeting next week to determine solutions, though uncertainty remains about whether benefits will be fully funded given doubts about federal reimbursement.

Local Option Taxes Bring in Big Bucks in South Burlington 

South Burlington collected over $7.5 million in local option taxes in FY2024, ranking among the highest in Vermont and making up 15% of the city's general fund revenue. A new state law increases the municipal share from 70% to 75% starting this October, bringing an additional $350,000 annually to the city, though officials note this modest increase comes as municipalities argue the state has hoarded a $10 million surplus that should be returned to local governments.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Makes Historic Visit to UVM 

Justice Sotomayor delivered the first Supreme Court address at UVM in over two decades, engaging with students about perseverance in divisive times and the importance of civic engagement. The liberal justice, part of the Court's 6-3 minority, emphasized that young people are her source of hope while acknowledging students' uncertainty about the Court's future, urging them to embrace failure as growth and stay engaged despite setbacks.

Vermont Denied Federal Disaster Declaration for July Flood 

President Trump rejected Vermont's request for FEMA aid following July's devastating Northeast Kingdom floods that caused nearly $2 million in damage, while approving declarations for states where he won elections. Governor Scott's office won't appeal the decision, leaving small towns like Sutton to handle repair costs that exceed multiple years of their budgets, as Trump signals plans to phase out FEMA entirely by year's end.

UVM Students Create an Online Donation Platform for Nonprofits 

Three UVM students launched GiftDrive in September, a platform that lets nonprofits list specific items they need for donors to purchase with just clicks, with goods delivered directly to organizations. Eight Vermont nonprofits have already joined, with Colchester Community Food Shelf receiving 100 items for their Thanksgiving drive and Good Samaritan Haven securing 24 donations for winter survival gear, all while the student founders earned an A+ on their entrepreneurship class project.

Federal Shutdown Delays Research Funding, Student Aid Remains Secure 

UVM research projects face funding delays as the federal shutdown enters its 18th day, though student aid programs remain unaffected as essential services. The university initially self-funds research before federal reimbursement, with administrators preparing to delay large purchases and new hires if the shutdown extends multiple weeks, while monitoring automated payment systems to determine which remain operational.

CVSD Rethinks Electric Bus Program 

Champlain Valley School District's six new electric buses have experienced high maintenance-related downtime in their first two months, forcing administrators to abandon plans to convert half their fleet and order traditional buses instead. The situation worsened when Lion Electric, manufacturer of the district's original two e-buses from 2021, declared bankruptcy and will no longer service buses or honor warranties in the United States.

Vermont Commons School Raises $2.2 Million to Expand Campus 

The private school completed a five-year campaign that added 55 acres in Charlotte for an outdoor education center and purchased an adjacent building for the school's first gymnasium. The expansion includes a learning village with pavilions and amphitheater, 1.5 miles of trails, recording studio, and library, with students and families contributing both funds and physical labor to build facilities like a four-season yurt.

Generator Makerspace Director Meg Hammond Merges Art and Tech 

Hammond, the longest-serving director in Generator's 11-year history, just unveiled an upgraded Electronics Lab supporting Vermont's GaN semiconductor initiative while expanding teacher training programs. The Montpelier resident brings experience from founding Langdon Street Café and fundraising at Sterling and Goddard colleges to lead the 150-member makerspace that houses everyone from toilet seat consultants to mountain bike rim entrepreneurs.

South Burlington School Board is Open to State's Redistricting Options 

Unlike neighboring Champlain Valley School District which wants to remain unchanged, South Burlington's board expressed openness to creative consolidation solutions under Act 73's redistricting mandate. The district with 2,500 students is exploring potential BOCES cooperatives for resource sharing and considering strategic mergers, though board members remain wary about balancing aging infrastructure inequities and preserving local identity in any consolidation.

Friday, October 24, 2025

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Sunday, October 26, 2025

This holiday season, The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery and The Soda Plant are poised to be the South End's creative hub with two distinct, back-to-back opportunities for local artists, makers, and shoppers. The building at 266 Pine Street will host both a long-running gallery exhibition and a bustling one-day market, offering a full spectrum of local art and handmade goods.

Kicking off the festivities is the "2025 Small Works Holiday Exhibition," hosted within The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery. This popular group show celebrates local talent by featuring a wide array of 2D and 3D art, with the only requirement being that each piece is 12 inches or smaller, making it a perfect destination for unique gift-giving. The exhibition will be on display from November 7th through December 20th, with an opening reception on First Friday, November 7th. Artists wishing to participate in the show must complete their registration form by the deadline of TODAY, Friday, October 24th.

Later in the month, the entire building will come alive for the annual "Soda Plant Holiday Bazaar" on Saturday, November 29th. Held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to celebrate Small Business Saturday, this vibrant market invites artists, makers, jewelers, food vendors, and crafters to fill the building's hallways. It is a one-day-only event that promises a lively, packed atmosphere for holiday shoppers looking to connect directly with local creators. Vendors interested in securing a spot must apply by Sunday, October 26th.

I’m having some difficulty putting together a new Wednesday newsletter edition that feels polished and worthy of being sent out. But rest assured, it’s coming soon, so stay tuned for those! Things like a Food Deal highlights, Poll Questions, Top Reddit Posts, Volunteer Opportunity, Reader Photos, Restaurant Spotlights, Small Business Features, and Btown Explained (quick local deep dive). Or even things like Dine Out Review, Podcast Pick, Pet of the Week (adoptable to user submitted), new local Job Highlights, a Burlington Throwback Photo or Fact, and a quick Burlington Game like “Spot That Location”, VT crossword, or unscramble popular Burlington terms.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite btownbrief links:

Full list of 202+ activities to do at anytime is always waiting here when you need a plan: 202+ Things to Do

Full list of restaurant reviews here.

Soon to be updated with even more Burlington food deals. View the full list of food & drink deals here.

Another week in the Queen City wraps up with an absolutely packed Halloween weekend ahead. Whether you're donning a costume, cheering on costumed canines, hitting up a fundraiser, or just enjoying some fresh cider, there's something for everyone in our quirky little metropolis.

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