Burlington's looking at a pleasant stretch of weather as we cruise through the final week of the Champlain Valley Fair. Tonight brings a few passing sprinkles that'll wrap up quickly, leaving us with comfortable conditions and overnight temps settling into the mid 50s. Tuesday through Wednesday stays refreshingly cool with highs topping out around 70 to 72 degrees under mostly sunny skies. You might catch an isolated shower Tuesday, but Wednesday looks completely dry. Thursday warms slightly to the mid 70s with rain potentially sneaking in during the evening hours, then Friday turns damp with scattered showers and temps stuck in the 60s. The weekend's looking promising though, with a drying trend kicking in for Labor Day festivities.

Speaking of tonight, the City Council meets at 6:15 PM with some meaty agenda items including welcoming UVM's new president Marlene Tromp, ratifying the police union contract through 2028, and addressing safety concerns at City Hall Park following recent violent incidents downtown. If you're looking for something more melodic, the Singing Circle gathers at 208 Flynn Avenue at 7 PM for their weekly session of community songs that, as organizer Shawna puts it, help folks "feel their feelings." For those with excess Monday energy to burn, pickup dodgeball runs from 7 to 8:15 PM at the Robert Miller Center, where throwing balls at other adults apparently makes for the perfect Monday evening activity.

Tuesday's lineup includes the ONE Farmers Market running from 3 to 6:30 PM with everything from Ghanaian cuisine to local honey, followed by the EZ Breezy Urban Adventure bike ride at 6 PM, ending with a treasure hunt in one of our local parks (costumes encouraged, think Indiana Jones meets Burlington streets). The Champlain Valley Fair continues its run with Tuesday evening's Honky Tonk Hoedown at the fairgrounds featuring Bob Wagner & Friends at 7 PM, benefiting NOFA Vermont. Wednesday brings two standout fair deals: the absolutely smoking Simon's Stores Carload Special gets everyone in your vehicle admission, parking, and ride bracelets for just $99 (grab coupons at Simon's first), plus Wednesday night's Figure 8 Racing at 7 PM promises metal crunching thrills. Tuesday evening also offers the creative crowd gathering for Beginning Aerial Skills ($150) at Line Vermont Studio at 6:30 PM, plus The Monkey House's monthly music open mic hosted by Mike Paternoster starting at 7 PM. If pie's your thing, the Odd Fellows Lodge hosts a Pie Potluck Tuesday at 6:30 PM where sweet meets savory in delicious competition.

Wednesday through Thursday keeps the momentum rolling with BCA's Summer Concert Series bringing Red Hot Juba's bluesy jazz to City Hall Park at 12:30 PM Wednesday, the Italian-inspired passeggiata evening stroll from 5 to 8 PM encouraging folks to support downtown businesses while socializing, and Thursday's essential Demolition Derby at the fair at 6:30 PM where "racing with the boring parts cut out" delivers exactly what it promises. Thursday also brings the monthly Potlucks in the Park at Schmanska Park from 5:30 to 9 PM (bring a dish and your own utensils), Charlie Nardozzi's ecological gardening talk at Vermont Garden Park at 6 PM, the Peace & Justice Center and BTV Clean up Crew’s weekly syringe cleanup crew meeting at 7:30 AM for those wanting to help tackle downtown's litter problem, Flicks in the Park screening Wonder Woman at City Hall Park at 8 PM, jazz vocalist Samara Lark & The Outfit at Foam Brewers at 7 PM, and the Humane Society's Bark & Brews from 5:30 to 7:30 PM featuring Zero Gravity, Switchback, and VT Cider Lab with dogs welcome in their fenced yard.

An official Meetup.com group! Thanks to the first people that signed up last week, we just hit 20 members! I’m out of town this week/weekend to see family in Syracuse, NY and visit the New York State Fair, but I’ll be back next week to host and join tons of events!

Burlington has tons going on. The Btown Brief highlights the best of it; Btown Brief IRL gets you off your couch to actually experience it. The idea is simple, we meet for trivia takeovers, food crawls, walks, live music, board games, bowling, volunteer days, and more. Burlington has so much to offer, why limit the meetup group to only one activity like every other group? We’re talking easy, low-pressure activities where conversation just flows and faces become familiar. Friendships don't appear from nowhere; they happen through casual time together, consistently. Show up a few times and proximity does the heavy lifting. Whether that's Btown Briefer-only events, or the group simply showing up together at existing happenings.

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

Join free for the first month, RSVP to what sounds fun, utilize Meetup.com’s features, hop into Discord to coordinate, then just show up. As we grow, we'll add age-focused nights (20s–early-30s socials, 30s–40s dinners, 40s–50s game nights) alongside open meetups. Your attendance shapes what sticks.

For anyone who loves Burlington and wants to experience it fully. Whether you're new in town or born-and-raised, coming solo or with friends. Try it free, meet people, see if it fits. If it does, help us keep Burlington connected.

Building out the events week by week to start out, help decide what events we should show up to by using this newsletter’s Events section to see what’s going on.
[Join the Meetup group] • [Learn more] [Discord link shared on signup]

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Early offense lifts Vermont men's soccer to 4-0 win over Boston University

The Catamounts dominated Saturday's match at Virtue Field, spreading the scoring across multiple players with Millar opening, Kuehn netting his collegiate debut goal, and Robbana converting a header. Beyond the scoreline, the night celebrated Vermont soccer's broader success with Vermont Green FC's championship recognition drawing roars from the packed stadium. Coach Rob Dow utilized 21 players throughout the contest, building depth as the team heads into Friday's road trip against American University riding a two-game shutout streak.

Explosive Devices Trigger Street Closure in Downtown Burlington

Sunday afternoon's discovery of explosive devices at 90 Pearl Street forced an hours-long evacuation and street closure between South Winooski and Battery. Police connected the devices to Justin Perkins, a 40-year-old resident already jailed for allegedly bringing a homemade pipe bomb to his Colchester job site earlier this month. Witnesses told police Perkins had tried to get coworkers to detonate the device at a sand pit, claiming he'd used similar bombs to clear tree stumps following instructions from a military munitions handbook. The devices were safely neutralized around 11 PM Sunday, and residents were allowed back into their homes. Perkins pleaded not guilty Friday to possession of a destructive device and remains held without bail.

Vt. Reggae Festival returned on Saturday

Saturday's Vermont Reggae Festival brought music back to Burlington streets for the first time since the early 2000s, with Switchback Brewing hosting multiple bands and a dancing crowd. Bobby Hackney, co-founder of the original 1986 fest, emphasized reggae's community-building power and hopes this tradition continues for years to come. Local vendors sold everything from t-shirts to food throughout the day. Check out the video coverage to see how the celebration looked.

UVM's Class of '29 reflects growing first-generation and male enrollment

The incoming class includes 563 Vermonters, with 221 taking advantage of the expanded UVM Promise program that now covers tuition for families earning under $100,000. First-generation students jumped to 14% of the class while male enrollment rose to 40%, bucking national trends of young men skipping college. Notable newcomers include Matty McPherson, who won full tuition through Vermont's Pitch Challenge with his eco-friendly underwear brand Boxer Breeze, an American Idol contestant who made it through four rounds, and a fantasy fiction writer with two published books. The business school's seeing a 15% enrollment jump as it launches its new experiential Co-op program funded by a $15 million Grossman gift. Meanwhile, new housing at Catamount Run in South Burlington offers 620 beds with improved transit service launching today.

Council Dems Call for Crackdown at City Hall Park

Following recent assaults including an August 11 attack that left a man dead and an August 17 shooting incident, Council President Ben Traverse will introduce a resolution tonight calling for police presence during all park hours, enforcement of the 10 PM to 7 AM closure, and aggressive action against criminal behavior. The $5.8 million park renovation from 2020 hasn't stopped persistent drug dealing and overnight camping by unsheltered individuals. Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak expressed wariness about simply pushing problems elsewhere and noted the police department's staffing limitations, while Progressive Councilor Gene Bergman called for a more collaborative approach. The resolution follows Democrats' earlier summer push to halt the free lunch service that's since relocated from the parking garage to the park itself.

The fun kicks off at the Champlain Valley Fair

Friday's noon opening of the 103rd Champlain Valley Fair drew crowds eager for new rides, vendors, and a revamped midway layout alongside classics like pig racing and fair food. The schedule includes comedian Gabriel Iglesias and Lil Jon performances later this week, with themed days offering deals for kids, seniors, and military members. Wednesday's Midweek Madness brings exceptional value for families. The fair runs through the weekend with perfect weather expected for most of the run. Check out the video coverage to see how the Fair has looked so far!

UVM and Middlebury get new presidents on same day, but not in the same way

Marlene Tromp officially began July 1 as UVM's 28th president after leaving Boise State amid Idaho's intense anti-DEI political climate, bringing along CFO Alicia Estey who helped eliminate a $15 million deficit at their former institution. Tromp's $575,000 salary comes as she inherits Vermont's flagship university following Suresh Garimella's sudden departure for University of Arizona last October. Meanwhile, Middlebury's transition proved smoother, with Ian Baucom stepping seamlessly into leadership after Laurie Patton's planned departure. Baucom faces a $14.1 million deficit and faculty pushback over compensation cuts and enrollment increases, with $8.7 million of that deficit attributed to the underperforming Monterey campus. Both new presidents confront Trump administration uncertainties around DEI programs and federal funding as students return to campus.

It’s a packed newsletter this week! It’s a one man team out here, so if you appreciate this newsletter 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!

Monday, August 25, 2025

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Looking for a flexible, easy way to give back? The North End Food Pantry is an all-volunteer nonprofit that helps distribute food and clothing to neighbors in need—no long-term commitment required. Just sign up for a shift when you can!

Volunteer Opportunities:

Location: The Odd Fellows Lodge, 1416 North Ave, Burlington

Interested? Email [email protected] or visit northendfoodpantry.org for more info.

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

Today’s picks:

Five more to keep your summer calendar feeling fresh. Start with a swim at North Beach where you can cool off, stretch out on the sand, and grab something from the snack stand. Visit the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington for a mix of art, nature, and short trails right outside the door. Take a slow morning at August First where the patio is perfect for coffee and a pastry without any rush. Walk the trails at Ethan Allen Park and climb the stone tower for a view across the city and lake. End your day with a creemee from Little Gordo and a walk through the neighborhood while it melts in your hand.

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:

View the full list of food & drink deals here.

This week is my favorite place to eat in Burlington. Pho Hồng is a beloved fixture in Burlington’s Old North End, consistently praised as one of the city’s best spots for authentic, flavor-packed Vietnamese cuisine. Family-owned and operated by the Le family since opening in 2008 in a converted former bus station, the restaurant has cultivated a loyal following for its exceptional pho, crafted from aromatic broths that simmer for hours using traditional family recipes. Diners choose from beef, chicken, or vegetarian pho, customizing each steaming bowl with fresh herbs, crunchy bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime. The menu also features crispy and fresh spring rolls served with vibrant dipping sauces, savory noodle stir-fries brimming with fresh veggies, and my personal favorite, the Panang Curry. The relaxed, casual atmosphere and friendly, attentive service enhance the feeling of enjoying a home-cooked meal among friends.

Pho Hồng’s reputation extends well beyond its regular patrons, earning widespread recognition, including frequent nods from Seven Days as Burlington’s "Best Vietnamese Restaurant" and consistently high rankings on TripAdvisor and Yelp. Reviewers rave about the authenticity and quality of the dishes, highlighting not only the food but also the warm hospitality of the Le family. With affordable pricing and a BYOB policy, Pho Hồng remains an accessible, inviting dining destination. In 2022, the family realized a long-held dream by purchasing the restaurant property, securing its future as a cornerstone of Burlington’s culinary scene. Personally, its where I bring people that are visiting Burlington so they leave with a good impression of the town. Hasn’t failed me yet. Check it out if you haven’t already!

[This was my first restaurant review, but just wanted to throw it back for those people that are new around here!]

View the full list of restaurant reviews here.

Another week packed with opportunities to bump into your neighbors, whether you're debating city policy, hurling dodgeballs, or sampling Laotian food at the farmers market. The fair's winding down but Burlington's just getting started on what looks to be a busy late summer stretch. Support your local businesses, check out an event or three, and remember that community happens when we show up for each other.

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