This weekend in Burlington, VT

A summer market returns to downtown Burlington, bringing together artists and makers in City Hall Park. Explore work from local creators and discover art prints, jewelry, handcrafted pieces, playful crafts, and other unique finds, plus tasty bites along the way. It offers a friendly way to connect with the creative community and pick up something special. Media sponsors include Seven Days and Find & Go Seek.

Barbacoa Smoke spotlights the dishes that built its reputation, featuring smoked ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and brisket for a comforting, no-fuss barbecue experience. Guests who arrive in a vehicle that is at least 20 years old receive $3 off their choice of ribs, a pulled pork sandwich, or a brisket sandwich. It is a simple celebration of timeless flavors alongside vintage rides.

City Hall Park turns into a splash-ready dance floor as DJ Matt Hagen blends soul, global grooves, funk, and modern boogie. Smooth, surprising transitions keep dancers and listeners on their toes, creating a lively, stylish atmosphere. Children and their caregivers can enjoy a DJ-powered dance party in the park’s interactive splash fountain, which is wheelchair accessible. Summer in the City receives support from the Pomerleau Family Foundation, with additional backing from Burlington Telecom, Myti, Soundtoys, and Lake Champlain Chocolates. Community partner American Flatbread Burlington and Mothership Brewery contribute as well, and media sponsorship is provided by Seven Days and WCAX.

Left Eye Jump brings a rich slice of Burlington blues to Red Square, channeling the electric and acoustic traditions of Chicago, Texas, New Orleans, California, and the Mississippi Delta from the 1940s through the 1960s. The band ranges from raw Delta slide guitar and T-Bone Walker style jump swing to soul searching slow blues, Texas flavored funk, and New Orleans rumba boogie, reflecting a long standing commitment to the deep blues. Formed in 1997 by musicians grounded in the genre, the group most often performs as a six piece, yet has appeared as a trio and expanded to an eight piece with a horn section. Guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader Dennis Willmott traces his path to the blues back to the 1950s with early listening that included Leadbelly and Mance Lipscomb, inspiration from live performances by Lightning Hopkins and the duo of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, and coffeehouse sets by 1963 in the Boston area featuring acoustic Piedmont, Delta, and Texas twelve bar styles. In the early 1990s he shifted toward urban electric blues and connected through Vermont Blues Society jam sessions that helped spark the creation of Left Eye Jump.

Open to all ages, this concert spotlights Burlington, Vermont’s Dwight + Nicole, a group that threads together blues, soul, and R&B with hints of dream pop and alternative rock. Dwight Ritscher’s inviting tenor pairs with Nicole Nelson’s four-octave voice, which drew national attention on season three of NBC’s The Voice. Ritscher began performing as a child alongside his grandfather and soon was playing in New Jersey blues clubs. He started bands while in college in Burlington, then moved to Boston to fulfill a recording contract with Red Beans and Rice, sharpening his skills on stages across New England. Nelson, a bassist and songwriter with early roots in musical theater and violin, earned recognition as a standout jazz vocalist in Boston. United by a deep admiration for the Staple Singers, Albert King, and Etta James, they formed a duo built on electric guitar, tambourine, foot-stomp rhythms, and tight harmonies. After relocating to Vermont, they expanded with drummer Ezra Oklan and keyboardist Leon Campos. The band has toured throughout North America with Mavis Staples, Melissa Etheridge, and Norah Jones, in addition to headlining its own shows. Their performances are known for comforting energy and undeniable onstage chemistry, and they have earned numerous honors over the years, including Band of the Year, Vocalist of the Year, Best Blues/R&B Band, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Blues Act of the Year at the Boston Music Awards, along with Video of the Year from the Independent Music Awards and Daysies awards from Seven Days. Their recordings include The Jaguar, The Raven, and The Snake, featuring the single Saying Goodbye, produced by Joel Hamilton and recorded at Studio G in Brooklyn and at Ocean Sound in Giske, Norway with contributions from the Daptone Horns and Arkai Strings. They later reunited with Hamilton at Studio G to create a new album titled Day or Night. Recent coverage in outlets such as the Boston Herald, Amplify Music Magazine, and Glide Magazine has praised the group’s genre-blending sound, the blend of vintage and modern textures, and the dynamic contrast between Nelson’s powerful range and Ritscher’s easygoing delivery.

This all-ages show features Donna the Buffalo, a roots rock band whose music and community have grown together over decades. Active since 1989, they have logged thousands of performances and appeared at major gatherings such as Bonnaroo, the Newport Folk Festival, Telluride, Austin City Limits Festival, Merle Fest, and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Their history includes opening for The Dead and touring with Peter Rowan, Del McCoury, Los Lobos, Little Feat, Jim Lauderdale, Rusted Root, and Railroad Earth. They also joined Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen on the road to draw attention to increased corporate spending in politics. In 1991 the band launched the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival in Trumansburg, New York, a four day event that began as an AIDS benefit and continues to support arts and education, attracting more than 15,000 attendees each year. It is now one of three GrassRoots Festivals, alongside the bi-annual Shakori Hills festival in North Carolina and the Virginia Key festival in Florida. In 2016, GrassRoots Culture Camp was introduced in Trumansburg with four days of music, art, dance and movement workshops, plus nightly dinners and dances.

Next Stop Comedy brings a rotating lineup of stand-up talent to J Skis. Each show features different comedians, including performers with television and podcast credits, keeping the laughs fresh from one performance to the next.

A friendly gathering to share a meal and conversation. The staff includes two people who know ASL, and you can choose to dine inside or outside. If at least three people are interested, please mark going to help confirm attendance.

Motorcycle Sunday at Barbacoa Smoke brings riders together around slow smoked barbecue. Ride in on a motorcycle and get $3 off your choice of ribs, a pulled pork sandwich, or a brisket sandwich. The vibe is relaxed and unhurried, suited to a quick pit stop or a longer stay with fellow motorcyclists, all centered on good food and the open road.

A recurring community drive organized by the North End Food Pantry welcomes donations of seasonal clothing for all ages and sizes, along with unexpired shelf-stable foods and personal care essentials. Clothing should arrive freshly washed and free of pet hair, stains, and rips. High-need items include diapers and wipes, menstrual care products with a preference for pads, toilet paper, canned beans, canned meat or fish, canned fruits and vegetables, soups, peanut butter, cereal, pasta, and rice. Taking place at the Odd Fellows Lodge, this effort supports the pantry’s all-volunteer nonprofit work in Burlington, which provides free food, hygiene items, and clothing to community members. Volunteers are also needed during the drive to open and review donations and to sort items by type, gender, and age group.

Foam Brewers hosts a performance by David Karl Roberts that pairs tunes with brews.

Craft & Skillshare Afternoons at the Burlington Odd Fellows create a relaxed weekly space to work on creative projects, share skills, and connect with fellow makers in a welcoming community setting. Bring a craft, art, mending, or hobby project to focus on, or make use of materials available from the shared art supply library. Everyone is welcome, from seasoned creators to people trying something new. The gathering takes place upstairs in the Odd Fellows Hall. Please note that access is by stairs only and there is no elevator.

An all ages, seated show featuring Hana Stretton and Helena Deland. Seating is unassigned and available upon arrival, with extra standing room at the back. Hana Stretton is a British and Australian composer, singer, and producer recognized for intimate, warmly textured recordings and airy song structures. Her 2023 debut, Soon, drew a devoted international audience, then was reissued in 2024 by Phil Elverum on PW Elverum & Sun, accompanied by praise for the way her work captures deep, attentive creativity. Her next album, tiarn, is planned for summer 2026 and moves from the Australian settings that informed Soon to the Pacific, introducing gentle classical and electronic colors. It will be released independently, with vinyl editions through PW Elverum & Sun in North America, brierfield flood press in Australia, and Lima Limo in Europe and the UK. Helena Deland is a Montreal-based artist whose songs reach for feelings that everyday language does not always hold, drawing inspiration from reading and long walks. Her first full-length, Someone New, arrived in 2020 on Luminelle Recordings, followed by Hildegard, a collaborative album with Ouri on section1. Spring Bug is her second single with Chivi Chivi, following 2022’s Swimmer. She is announcing her first North American headline tour and has toured extensively across North America and Europe, opening for Weyes Blood, Andy Shauf, Connan Mockasin, Soccer Mommy, and Iggy Pop.