The fog is thick this morning across Burlington, with visibility dropping low enough that you might mistake your neighbor's house for a distant mountain. We're starting crisp with temperatures dipping into the 30s and 40s, and some spots even saw frost overnight. Once this morning's fog burns off, we'll enjoy another gloriously sunny Friday with highs reaching the low 70s. The weekend outlook has shifted somewhat disappointingly for those hoping for rain relief: Saturday brings mostly clouds with only scattered afternoon showers that many neighborhoods won't even see, while Sunday brightens back up with partial sunshine. Both weekend days will hover in the comfortable low to mid 70s, perfect for all the activities Burlington has lined up.

Speaking of which, tonight kicks off the Grand Point North concert series at Waterfront Park, with Vermont's own Grace Potter taking the stage both Friday and Saturday nights. Friday's show features Potter performing with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, while Saturday brings a different but equally stellar lineup. Doors open at 4pm today, and while Sunday's Goose show is already sold out, the Grace Potter performances still have tickets available, with proceeds benefiting the Grand Point Foundation's arts education programs. The evening entertainment options are wonderfully diverse: families can catch the Playing Fields Project at Edmunds School at 6pm featuring Les Girafes street theater troupe from France with free ice cream and school supplies, while Momo's Market celebrates their 9th annual Block Party at Pomeroy Park from 4 to 7pm with Barbacoa playing old school surf rock, Zero Gravity beer, and tostadas from Cha Cha Garna. Music venues are packed tonight too, with the Phi Abair Band and Quadra delivering what's being billed as THE show of the year at the Old Post at 6pm, A Taste of Ireland bringing its music and dance sensation to the Flynn at 7:30pm, and Pink Floyd fans gathering at the Venetian Soda Lounge at 9pm for a full album listening party of Dark Side of the Moon.

Saturday's schedule reads like a community festival guide, starting early and running late. The Burlington Farmers Market opens at 9am on Pine Street, coinciding with the Introductory Zen Buddhism Workshop at Vermont Zen Center from 9am to 1:30pm for those seeking mindfulness with their morning. The Brain Freezer 5K at North Beach Park at 10am challenges runners to down a full pint of Island Homemade Ice Cream mid race, while bookworms should hit the Giant Book Sale at Dormition Greek Orthodox Church from 10am to 2pm where baklava sweetens the deal. The 31st Annual Northeast Street Rod Nationals continues at the Champlain Valley Exposition, the Elevate Women's Expo at the DoubleTree starts at 10am with vendors and seminars, and South Burlington hosts a Community Yard Sale at Rick Marcotte Central School from 11am to 1pm. Sports card collectors won't want to miss the Vermont Sports Card and Collectible Show at University Mall from 10am to 6pm with free admission and 30+ dealers. The evening brings Winooski Pride to Rotary Park from 5 to 8pm with DJs and drag performances, Dancing with the Burlington Stars at the Flynn at 7pm benefiting the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Los Sóngoros serving Cuban and Brazilian rhythms at the Venetian Soda Lounge at 8:30pm, and Last Kid Picked bringing party rock anthems to On Tap at 9pm.

Sunday offers a gentler pace but no less variety, with the Insight Meditation Class at Stillwater Landing from 10 to 11:30am providing lakefront serenity by donation, while the Wag It Forward celebration at Pet Food Warehouse runs 10am to 4pm where your shopping supports local animal welfare organizations. After Goose wraps up at the Waterfront, the party continues with Dobbs' Dead playing a free after party at Einstein's Tap House starting at 9pm, courtesy of Stowe Cider and Forbin's Finest, featuring special surprise guests to keep the weekend rolling late into the night.

A touch cooler than the Sep-12 climatology, today is a crisp outlier with highs and lows a few degrees under normal. The next few days keep that early-fall feel—steadily a hair cooler than average rather than any late-summer surge.

An official Meetup.com group for Burlington! Also started planning some “Lectures on Tap”-style events in the near future, such as phone photography from an expert.

Be sure to check your messages! I sent everyone that joined the group a message on Meetup.com. Let’s get this thing cracking! I had decided to shift from Discord to a Telegram chat so be sure to join that! It’ll be split two main group chats, 20-early 30s in one, and 30-40+ in another, and then a general one for everyone.

Burlington has tons going on. The Btown Brief highlights it; Btown Brief IRL gets you out experiencing it. The ideas is we meet for trivia takeovers, food crawls, walks, live music, board games, bowling, volunteer days, and more. Why limit ourselves to one activity like every other group?

These are easy, low-pressure activities where conversation flows and faces become familiar. Friendships happen through casual time together, consistently. Show up a few times and proximity does the heavy lifting.

Think of membership as showing love for the newsletter while unlocking Burlington's social layer. Your $3.50/month (after a free trial) keeps the Brief alive and gets you into a community that actually shows up; with Telegram access, event RSVPs, and input on what we do next.

Join free for the first month, RSVP to what sounds fun, then just show up. As we grow, we'll add more age-focused events alongside open meetups. Your attendance shapes what sticks.
[Join the Meetup group] • [Learn more] [Telegram group shared on signup]

Want a beautiful photo you took of Burlington, with your name, in front of 1,500+ subscribers & 740+ Instagram followers? Reply to this email with that info and I’ll post them, with credit to you! I’ve slowly running low on my relevant, spectacular pictures of this city.

'Daily Show' Airs Segment on Burlington-Canada Relations

Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" featured Burlington this week in a five minute segment examining the city's efforts to woo Canadian tourists back after pandemic disruptions. Correspondent Jordan Klepper visited during the Vermont Brewers Festival, interviewing local business leaders about initiatives like temporarily renaming Church Street to "Rue Canada." The segment playfully poked at Burlington's public nudity ordinance, which allows being nude in public though not disrobing publicly. Burlington Business Association's Kelly Devine maintained that some tourists specifically visit for this freedom, though city officials are now considering a ban with fines ranging from $50 to $500 for repeat offenders. I got to meet Jordan Klepper when he was on Church St. Here’s me showing off my pic again:

City Council Approves Overdose Prevention Center Grant, Honors Vermont Green FC Summary by the Btown Brief

Monday's Burlington City Council meeting saw unanimous approval for accepting state funding to begin planning an Overdose Prevention Center, though debate highlighted concerns about Burlington shouldering disproportionate regional social services. The grant covers community engagement and site assessment only, with no location selected yet. Council also unanimously honored Vermont Green FC's national championship, approved $1,500 for the volunteer BTV Cleanup Crew's supplies, and removed a TSA airport lease from the agenda after public concerns about potential ICE use. During public forum, residents raised alarm about GMT discontinuing the #11 bus route, which elderly residents rely on for hospital and airport access, while two consumer protection resolutions regarding gas pump debit holds and private parking lot transparency were sent to committee for review. Check out the full summary by clicking the link.

Gov. Phil Scott says he'll give Burlington a plan to tackle safety challenges

Governor Phil Scott announced his administration will present recommendations to Burlington leaders in coming weeks to address what he termed a crisis of homelessness and public drug use. The governor met with Burlington business owners Tuesday and plans additional meetings with residents and academics before finalizing his proposals. His press secretary indicated the plan would focus on public safety, accountability for repeat offenders, and connecting those needing treatment to services. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak welcomed the governor's engagement, noting the city is developing its own list of specific state assistance requests while the City Council recently passed measures to enforce no camping rules in City Hall Park and increase police presence downtown.

Joe Clark picked for interim South Burlington School superintendent

South Burlington School District has selected Joe Clark as interim superintendent, bringing 30 years of educational leadership experience including superintendent work in Ohio. Clark takes over following Violet Nichols' July resignation amid tensions with the district's union.

Developers Hope Burlington Square Brings Life to Downtown

Burlington Square, the long delayed redevelopment of the former downtown mall site, will partially open next month with luxury apartments and hotel rooms commanding top dollar prices. The AC Marriott opens September 18, with apartments following October 1, featuring rents from $1,950 monthly for studios to $6,800 for top floor two bedrooms. The opening comes as downtown Burlington grapples with increased property crime, open drug use, and homelessness that have driven away visitors and hurt businesses. Developers Dave Farrington, Al Senecal, and Scott Ireland remain optimistic the project will catalyze downtown revitalization, with the full development including 350+ apartments, 342 hotel rooms, and 42,000 square feet of retail completing by summer 2027.

Burlington's first-ever 'sex week' celebrates inclusivity in sex education

Burlington's inaugural Sex Week, September 14 to 20, will feature 18 events ranging from educational panels to performances and workshops, organized by Earth + Salt sex shop owner Beth Hankes and Pride Center health director Kell Arbor. Events vary from free to $20 and include sessions specifically for health practitioners on topics like trans inclusive care and sexual health for older adults. Arbor described the week as a counterbalance to family friendly Pride events, centering LGBTQ+ perspectives while welcoming all participants, with only two events restricted to specific communities: mixers for BIPOC Vermonters and bisexual Vermonters.

South Burlington High school students begin phone-free era

South Burlington High School has implemented a strict no phone policy during school hours, with students receiving printed schedules instead of using digital ones. The policy follows Vermont's Act 72 requiring phone free policies by 2026-2027, with escalating consequences: first offense results in confiscation until day's end, second requires parent pickup, third triggers an administrative meeting. Principal Patrick Burke reports declining violations since the 47 incidents on day one, with staff treating phone addiction similarly to substance issues by involving prevention coordinators for repeat offenses. Student representatives report the transition has been smoother than expected, with some students feeling relief from the constant connectivity.

CSWD partners with Vermont Language Justice Project to create 'How-To Recycle Right'

Chittenden Solid Waste District has partnered with Vermont Language Justice Project to produce recycling instruction videos in 15 languages including Arabic, ASL, Burmese, Dari, French, Kirundi, Mandarin, Maay Maay, Nepali, Pashto, Spanish, Somali, Swahili, and Vietnamese. The videos guide viewers through blue bin recycling guidelines to reduce contamination and improve recyclable quality, with each version tailored to specific language and cultural contexts. The initiative supports CSWD's equity and inclusivity efforts while partnering with local housing organizations and immigrant services to distribute these resources directly to residents who need them most.

Vermont Stage Keeps Professional Theater Alive in Burlington

Vermont Stage nearly folded last year after facing a $175,000 deficit, its largest operating loss in 20 years, prompting board members and producing artistic director Cristina Alicea to question whether audiences still wanted live theater post pandemic. The company's production of tick, tick... BOOM! started slowly but sold out by weeks three and four, providing the mandate to continue. Now launching its 31st season with The Garbologists, Vermont Stage has bounced back to finish its 2025 fiscal year $10,000 in the black, though challenges persist with subscribers at two thirds of pre pandemic levels and continued reliance on donor support to cover production costs that typically double ticket revenue.

Burlington Bar Scene Shifts: Simple Roots Closing, and Doma Bar Opening

Simple Roots Brewing on North Avenue will close at the end of October after 11 years, with owners Dan Ukolowicz and Kara Pawlusiak citing declining sales, reduced alcohol consumption, and decreased tourist traffic. The couple, who expanded from their garage to the Ethan Allen Shopping Center taproom in 2016, will hold a final event October 11. Meanwhile, the former Paradiso Hi-Fi space at 388 Pine Street will reopen as Doma Bar by mid-October under Sadie Williams, who plans to serve cocktails, snacks, and feature DJs spinning vinyl three nights weekly, envisioning the 50-seat venue as a living room atmosphere for friendly gatherings.

This twice-weekly deep dive into Burlington takes serious time and research, from tracking city council meetings to uncovering weekly events and meetups you won't find elsewhere. As a one-person operation, your support directly keeps this project alive. Consider becoming a Core Reader with a small monthly donation below, or send a one-time gift using that link, or straight to Venmo @BtownBrief. Every contribution helps!

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Help Maintain the Trails of Shelburne:
Love walking the trails around Shelburne Bay, LaPlatte Nature Park, Ti Haul, or Shelburne Pond? Those peaceful paths don’t maintain themselves, volunteers do! And more help is always welcome.

Whether it’s trimming brush, clearing fallen trees, digging trenches to prevent erosion, or helping with bigger projects like replacing wooden boardwalks, there's plenty to do to keep these beloved trails in good shape. You can join work crews occasionally or become a trail adopter—someone who keeps an eye on a favorite route during regular walks and reports any issues.

No experience necessary, just a love of the outdoors and a willingness to lend a hand. If you'd like to get involved, reach out to [email protected] and they'll let you know about upcoming projects and how to plug in.

A couple of hours on the trail makes a lasting impact—and you just might catch a tune from the legendary troll under the LaPlatte footbridge. Check out the article where I found this: Help Maintain the Trails

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

Today’s picks:

Five more to keep your Burlington summer feeling full. Spend an afternoon at Waterfront Park where you can picnic on the grass, swing by the boardwalk, and watch the boats drift in and out. Visit the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne for a lighthearted tour that works for all ages. Walk the trails at Niquette Bay State Park and find one of the cobbled beaches for a quiet swim. Stop into The Archives downtown for a mix of arcade games and craft drinks in a lively setting. Finish the day at Oakledge Park where the rocky shoreline at the Cove is one of the best spots in town for sunset.

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:

This Week’s Food & Drink Picks

View the full list of food & drink deals here.

El Cortijo Taqueria y Cantina offers a unique premise: farm-fresh Mexican street food served inside a restored 1950s diner car on Bank Street. The cozy, stainless-steel interior is often bustling, creating a lively and sometimes cramped cantina vibe fueled by Latin music and colorful art. The Farmhouse Group’s commitment to local sourcing is evident across the menu, which trades classic diner fare for inventive tacos and an extensive list of margaritas, making it a downtown staple for a quick lunch or a vibrant evening out.

The menu spotlights tacos made with local ingredients, from classic carne asada to al pastor with pineapple, alongside solid vegetarian options. Beyond tacos, the delicious nachos, piled high with toppings, and hefty mission-style burritos are consistent standouts. The bar is a major draw, shaking up potent margaritas with fresh-squeezed lime juice that range from the house classic to creative seasonal specials. Service is typically fast and friendly, accustomed to the quick turnover the popular space demands.

The very charm of El Cortijo's intimate setting can also be its primary drawback. The small space fills up quickly. While the quality of ingredients is high, the cost reflects its farm-to-table approach; prices for tacos and craft cocktails are steeper than at a typical taqueria, and a full meal with drinks can add up. Even so, El Cortijo delivers a fun, distinctly Burlington experience, blending a retro American aesthetic with fresh Mexican flavors that keep the diner car packed.

View the full list of restaurant reviews here.

What a weekend ahead! From Grace Potter with the VSO to ice cream fueled 5Ks, from zen meditation to Pride celebrations, Burlington is serving up something for everyone. Get out there, support local causes, and maybe we'll bump into each other at one of these many happenings around town.

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