Burlington's weekend forecast is painting a perfect autumn picture, with today's clouds already starting to break for afternoon sunshine. We're settling into proper sweater weather with highs reaching just the mid 60s today, and that refreshing fall air will stick around through the weekend. Saturday morning might have you reaching for an extra blanket as temperatures dip into potential frost territory, especially if you're outside the Champlain Valley, but the sunshine will warm things back to the low 60s by afternoon. Sunday looks even better, rebounding to the low 70s under partly cloudy skies. The drought continues its stubborn hold on our region, so those scattered showers potentially arriving Monday night won't amount to much relief.

Tonight offers an embarrassment of riches for Burlington's entertainment scene, starting with the return of Oktoberfest Vermont at its new Pine Street home from 5:30 to 10 PM. The South End Arts District spot promises carnival games, dozens of breweries, live music, and all the bratwurst your heart desires. Comedy legend Jim Gaffigan brings his Everything is Wonderful Tour to The Flynn at 7 PM, while Higher Ground hosts not one but two shows: the folk punk stylings of Bridge City Sinners at 7:30 PM and a nostalgic 2000's dance party at 9 PM for anyone ready to bust out their low rise jeans. Wine lovers can support a good cause at the Wine & Wag event at Burlington Country Club starting at 6:30 PM, while families might prefer the free Cars screening in South Burlington at 7 PM, complete with hot dogs and the first 50 attendees scoring a cozy blanket. For late night vibes, catch the Jaded Ravins Trio at Foam Brewers at 9 PM for a free show of soulful americana.

The weekend keeps the momentum going with Saturday's packed lineup. Early birds can browse the Vintage Inspired Autumn Sale continuing through tomorrow at 10 Dorset Street with discounts up to 50% off, or head to Colchester for the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In and Touch-a-Truck at Sam Mazza's Farm from 10 AM to 3 PM, where kids can explore big vehicles while adults marvel at gourds the size of small cars. Essex Junction completely shuts down Main Street from 4 to 8:30 PM for Meet Me On Main, featuring Marko the Magician, an Elvis impersonator, live music from Swell, and ending with an outdoor screening of The Wild Robot. South Burlington families can start earlier with the Summer Sendoff Party at 238 Kirby Road from 8:30 AM to noon, offering everything from mini golf to face painting. City Hall Park transforms into a Latin celebration for the Twilight Block Party from noon to 8 PM, while the already sold out Alison Krauss & Union Station concert at Shelburne Museum at 7:15 PM proves some events are worth planning ahead for.

More weekend highlights include today's Women's Health and Cancer Conference at UVM's Davis Center running from 8 AM to 4 PM, Essex Junction's Revive salon grand opening Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM with over $1000 in giveaways, the Patagonia Gear Swap shopping days Friday and Saturday at their College Street location, a guided Shelburne Museum tour Saturday at 9:45 AM with OUT in the 802, Saturday's Miles for Migraine walk/run at Veterans Memorial Park starting at 9 AM, and Sunday's ongoing Sunday Sessions at Four Quarters Brewing in Winooski from noon to 8 PM with food trucks and live DJs. And, of course, be sure to check out the last Soda Plant Sunday at 10 am at the Soda Plant and be sure to stop and get your treats at Haymaker Buns.

Today’s a crisp outlier… seasonable daytime but a notably chilly night. The next few days trend back toward “typical September,” with near-normal afternoons and just a touch of extra-cool nights.

An official Meetup.com group for Burlington!

Burlington has tons going on. Btown Brief highlights it; Btown Brief IRL gets you out experiencing it. Thanks to all 47 people that joined the group so far!

We run two types of events: Regular anchors (like Saturday Coffee Club - 5 showed up on Saturday with 5 already RSVP for the next one) and Member-picked events where your RSVP is your vote. I’ll have a poll in the newsletter each week. See a great community event you want go to? RSVP fast - first 5 commitments make it official. No committees, no maybe's, just "I'm in" or we move on. Think trivia takeovers, food crawls, volunteer days, whatever the group wants. Easy, low-pressure stuff where conversation flows naturally. Show up a few times and casually get to know your neighbor!

We're also looking for people who might want to host a regular anchor event like run clubs or trivia nights in the future. (If that ever sounds like you, just let me know!)

How it works: Each week features 3-4 possible events. RSVP to what you want. Hit the threshold of 5 by the deadline = it's on. Simple.

Think of membership as showing love for the newsletter while unlocking Burlington's social layer. Your $3.50/month on Meetup (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. Your attendance literally shapes what sticks.

New members: Check your Meetup messages for your welcome note and Telegram invite! We're keeping one main chat for now but will add age-specific groups (20s-early 30s and 30-40+) as we grow.

After answering the poll you should be redirected to the Meetup.com page to RSVP, but if not, click here to RSVP to the event. Remember, 5+ RSVP and its on! Otherwise click here to: Join Meetup group

Want a beautiful photo you took of Burlington, with your name, in front of thousands of email subscribers + 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.

UVM Health Network head Sunny Eappen to step down

The health network's president and CEO resigned Thursday, less than a week after state regulators slammed the Network for high executive compensation and cost of care. The announcement comes as the network's 19 top executives collected $3 million in bonuses last year while ending kidney transplant surgeries at UVM Medical Center, closing the psychiatric unit at Central Vermont Medical Center, and shuttering Mad River Valley clinics. Stephen Leffler, who leads UVM Medical Center, will serve as interim president and CEO.

Vermont Clears Way for Anyone to Get COVID-19 Vaccines

Breaking with Trump administration limits, Vermont health officials issued a standing order Thursday allowing pharmacies to provide vaccines to anyone 5 and older. The move brings clarity after federal restrictions limited shots to those 65+ or at elevated risk. While Vermont didn't join the Northeast Public Health Collaborative's regional guidelines announced the same day, the state published similar recommendations encouraging widespread vaccination, with major insurers covering the shots at no charge.

Vermont poured hundreds of millions of dollars into housing during the pandemic. What has it built?

An investigation reveals Vermont directed over $789 million in public funds toward housing between 2020 and 2024, creating 2,249 new homes and rehabilitating 1,156 units. But skyrocketing construction costs meant less bang for the buck: new affordable rentals now cost over $500,000 per unit to build, compared to about $228,000 pre-pandemic. Housing leaders warn that as federal stimulus funds dry up and the Legislature resists new revenue measures, the boost in affordable housing production may prove to be just "a blip" unless the state finds sustainable funding sources.

Gov. Scott signs order to identify bottlenecks to boosting housing

Governor Scott's new executive order requires monthly performance metrics on permit processing times and regulatory barriers, while rolling back some energy and environmental standards to expedite construction. The order aims to help fill Vermont's need for 40,000 new homes over the next five years. Democrats criticized the governor for not communicating with them about the order and said they'll review whether it aligns with Vermont's environmental priorities when lawmakers return in January.

UVM Lane Series celebrates 70 years of bringing live music to Burlington

The UVM Lane Series kicks off its 70th anniversary season tonight, continuing a legacy that has brought everyone from a young Yo Yo Ma to Ike and Tina Turner to Burlington stages. Director Natalie Neuert, only the fourth in the series' history, focuses this season on vocal music and international acts, with artists from Japan, Cuba, Germany, Brazil and Scandinavia scheduled to perform at the intimate UVM Recital Hall throughout the year.

Vermont Renews Deal to Hold Federal Immigration Detainees

Vermont quietly renewed its contract to hold federal immigration detainees with virtually no changes except a $5 nightly rate increase to $185, disappointing lawmakers and advocates who pushed for better legal services and protections. The agreement, signed September 4, comes as ICE detainee numbers have surged under the Trump administration, with detainees spending about 400 combined days in Vermont facilities this May compared to fewer than 100 last July. The Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee had urged Governor Scott to ensure adequate resources and 24-hour advance notice of transfers, but these provisions weren't included.

Shopkeepers deal with tariff impacts

Williston Road's international markets face mounting challenges as Trump's tariffs hit imported goods, with Indian products facing 50% tariffs and European goods seeing increases too. India Bazaar owner Harish Nair tries not to pass costs to customers who travel hours for authentic Indian products, while the European Market's owners received warnings from distributors to place larger orders before prices spike further. The tariffs' future remains uncertain as the U.S. Supreme Court will review whether Trump exceeded his authority when imposing them.

Two Vermont schools to receive national recognition from Special Olympics

ADL becomes Vermont's first middle school to achieve Special Olympics Unified Champion School national banner recognition, meeting 10 excellence standards for inclusive sports and activities. CVU renewed its 2020 designation, demonstrating continued commitment to bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities through unified sports, inclusive leadership, and whole school engagement programs now active in over 60 Vermont schools.

Soundbites: The Music Scene Is Hopping at Foam Brewers

The Burlington brewery has evolved from problematic acoustics to become a vital music venue as Nectar's, ArtsRiot and Despacito closed this year. Under talent buyer Greg Rothwell's direction, Foam maintains free shows for original music across genres, from punk to EDM, creating what he calls a "magical point" where tourists mix with local weirdos, filling the gap left by departed venues while maintaining the tradition of free music that defined Burlington's scene.

Random Holes Keep Opening Up in Yards on a Burlington Street

Residents of Tracy Drive in Burlington's New North End keep discovering six-by-six-foot holes covered with rotting railroad ties in their yards, with one man falling waist-deep and a woman tipping over while gardening. The mystery likely dates to 1953 when developer Silas Tracy built dry wells for gray water, then simply covered them when the city installed sewer lines. Now, 70 years later, the rotting railroad tie covers are giving way, leaving residents to fill in these unexpected "grave-sized" pits at their own expense.

Sleeping on floors, a transfer to Mississippi: How Vermont is coping with prison overcrowding

Vermont's prison population has risen by 300 in two years to over 1,650, forcing some to sleep on plastic "sled beds" on cell floors while the women's prison operates at 150% capacity. The state is considering sending more men to a private Mississippi prison as pandemic-era release policies end, bail laws tighten, and the detainee population awaiting trial grows to two or three times historical levels. With all six Vermont prisons having units at or over capacity and persistent staffing shortages, officials are reopening shuttered units while advocates warn of "ugly" and unsanitary conditions.

Vermont regulator sets hospital budgets; largest cuts at UVM

The Green Mountain Care Board slashed nearly $95 million from hospital revenues, with UVM Medical Center absorbing $88.5 million in cuts. Board chair Owen Foster excoriated the health network as "an expensive and ineffective layer of overpriced and unnecessary corporate bureaucracy," citing the "corporate shell game" of moving Vermont money to prop up failing New York hospitals while closing dialysis programs and Mad River Valley clinics. The board approved UVM Medical Center's budget with zero margin for reserves, arguing that padding reserves would only fund the network's mismanagement of out-of-state facilities.

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!

Friday, September 19, 2025

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Saturday, September 20, 2025

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Sunday, September 21, 2025

General Events

Performances

Live Music/DJ

Be an English Language Tutor with Mercy Connections
Looking for a meaningful, one-on-one volunteer opportunity? Mercy Connections is seeking two compassionate and patient tutors to work with adult English language learners on Wednesday evenings (ending by 7:00 PM). One student is preparing for the U.S. citizenship test and speaks Spanish, while the other is a French speaker working to improve her reading skills. Both are eager to learn! You just need to bring your time and encouragement.

Tutors commit to two hours each Wednesday, plus a one-time training. All materials and ongoing support are provided by the program coordinators. If you’re interested in helping someone strengthen their skills and confidence, this is a great place to start.

If this interests you, contact Melissa Lang 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 summer from slipping by unnoticed. Take a day trip to Ausable Chasm in New York and walk the dramatic cliffside trails before grabbing a raft or tube for the river. Visit Foam Brewers on a sunny afternoon and enjoy a drink outside with lake views and good music in the background. Walk the trails at Shelburne Bay Park for a mix of woods and shoreline that feels far quieter than the city. Stop into the Soda Plant in the South End to browse local shops and studios while grabbing a coffee or snack. End the day with a creemee from Seb’s Snack Bar in South Hero if you are up for a bike ride or drive across the causeway.

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

Tucked into the former Maudite Poutine space at 156 North Winooski Avenue, Ichiban Asian Cuisine opened in October 2024 and has quickly become a reliable takeout option for Burlington's Old North End. It’s also one of the very fews places open until 1am!! Owner Jason Lin runs this spot alongside three other local restaurants, bringing a pan-Asian menu that spans from General Tso's chicken to tonkotsu ramen, tom yum soup to pad thai. The ambitious scope shows in nine soup categories alone, each customizable with different proteins and noodle types. Lin makes weekly trips to Boston and New York for specialty ingredients, and his housemade rice noodles add a personal touch to what could easily be just another takeout joint.

The mala spicy noodle soup stands out with its mushroom-based vegan broth and authentic Sichuan peppercorn heat, while portions across the board are generous enough that lunch specials often double as dinner. Prices remain genuinely affordable: entrées run $11-15, appetizers like scallion pancakes just $5. The small dining room features an electric fireplace and complimentary green tea, though most orders go out for delivery. Service is quick and functional.

Still, the everything-under-one-roof approach has drawbacks. While convenient, the menu's breadth means some dishes feel more successful than others; the ramen impresses, but standard Chinese-American offerings can taste generic. The sparse interior won't win atmosphere points, and those seeking authentic specialization might be disappointed by the fusion approach. Vegetarian options exist but could be more creative. For what it is (affordable, quick Asian comfort food without the downtown trek) Ichiban fills its niche competently if not memorably.

View the full list of restaurant reviews here.

As we slide into another gorgeous Vermont weekend, remember that this is what September in Burlington is all about: perfect weather, packed calendars, and more events than any reasonable person could attend. Whether you're hoisting a stein on Pine Street or catching world class comedy downtown, this weekend has something for everyone. Support your local venues, tip your bartenders, and maybe we'll see you out there.

Got a tip for next week's newsletter or spotted something we missed? Drop us a line. Until Monday, Burlington!

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