Summer events are popping up all over

Please email your event listings at least two weeks in advance.
Weather cancellations and COVID guidelines are available on individual websites.

Lake issues and actions
Thursday, June 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
The 2022 Vermont Lake Seminar is a day full of informative and free presentations on the health and welfare of Vermont’s treasured lakes. This virtual seminar addresses climate change, water quality, environmental quality standards and aquatic ecosystems. Learn what the federation is accomplishing to preserve our watersheds. For more info or to register visit the website.

Family fun day
Thursday, June 2, 4-7 p.m.
An afternoon of music, guest speakers, food, yard games and more happens at Champlain Valley Union High School (CVU) in Hinesburg. Proceeds benefit the Vermont Make-A-Wish Foundation. The theme is Hawaiian/Summertime and festive clothing is encouraged. It’s an outdoor event; in case of rain, the event is in the CVU cafeteria. Join friends, students and staff to enjoy food trucks and entertainment. Tickets available in advance or at the door. More info by emailing.

Draw and paint peonies
Friday, June 3, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Linda Reynolds leads a five-session class in June for artists to work magic with paints or pastels at Horsford Gardens and Nursery. Participants bring supplies and are immersed in the sweet smells and colors of the Horsford peony hedge, with instruction and guidance. More info about dates is on the Horsford website. Call 802-989-3234 to sign up or send an email.

Discover Jazz Festival
June 3-12
Experience many styles of music, in the jazz tradition, performed by a variety of local and visiting artists. Here is a complete list of performers and venues.

Bird banding
Saturday, June 4, 7:30-10:30 a.m.
Join Audubon Vermont biologist Mark LaBarr for a morning of bird banding, organized by the Middlebury Area Land Trust. Participate in bird banding, while learning about bird life cycles and migration patterns. Free event at the Hurd Grassland in Weybridge; preregistration required. This family event ends with a casual picnic, so bring snacks if you’d like to linger and socialize. Come anytime, but best bird activity is early morning. See website for parking directions.

Guided walk
Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m.-noon
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is turning an old dairy farm back into floodplain forest in Colchester. The property is now known as the Intervale Wildlife Management Area. Take a tour with biologist Toni Mikula and learn how this area will benefit wildlife, people and the environment. The walk is for all ages, rain or shine. Dress for mud and prepare for bugs and poison ivy. Click for info, directions and to sign up.

Specimen tree walk
Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m.-noon
Take an easy, two-hour walk with V.J. Comai, Burlington city arborist, at the Lake View Cemetery on North Avenue in Burlington. Learn about unique tree species in the cemetery and general tree identification. Free admission; donations encouraged to the organizer, Branch Out Burlington. Click for more info or contact Comai at 802-862-8245. Event is rain or shine.

Venture Out
Saturday, June 4, 1-4 p.m.
The Venture Out Project hosts a free walk on the Intervale trail system in Burlington. The walk is a safe and welcoming gathering for LBGTQ+ youths and adults to cultivate community and experience the beauty of the Intervale. Pre-register for COVID tracing purposes. Dogs on a leash are welcome; ages 13 and under must register with a guardian.

University of Vermont Horticulture Farm. Photo contributed.

Rhododendrons
Saturday, June 4, 2-4 p.m.
The Friends of the University of Vermont Horticulture Farm in South Burlington invite visitors for a free walk and talk in the rhododendron collection. Most of the plants are over 35 years old. Bring questions and a camera (or sketchbook) and dress appropriately. Refreshments after the tour. Pre-register or for more info.

Jamie Lee Thurston
Saturday, June 4, 6 p.m.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Snow Farm Vineyard and Winery in South Hero, country rocker and Vermonter Jamie Lee Thurston and his band play their first Vermont show of the year. The concert is free; bring a picnic and blanket. Click for more info.

River race and ramble
Sunday, June 5, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
The Onion River Race and Ramble is a 10.5-mile paddle from Bolton to Richmond on the Winooski River that welcomes racers and those who’d rather paddle for fun. Racers must register by end of day June 3. Proceeds will be used to protect and restore the Winooski River watershed. For directions, rules, schedule, maps and fees.

Ballet Vermont
Sunday, June 5, 5-6:30 p.m.
Set to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Ballet Vermont’s outdoor dance, Bees and Friends, comes to Isham Family Farm in Williston. The story line celebrates all small creatures crucial to a healthy environment. Doors open at 3 p.m. for nature-oriented family activities. Bring a chair or blanket for the family to enjoy this story of the seasons. Picnics encouraged. Click for info and tickets.

Unknown Blues Band
Sunday, June 5, 7 p.m.
During the Discover Jazz festival in Burlington, the Vermont Comedy Club, formerly R.W. Hunt’s Mill and Mining Company, transforms into an after-hours jazz lounge. In the late 1970s to the late 1980s, R.W. Hunt’s was the hot music spot in town for big-name bands and numerous local groups. The Unknown Blues Band (sadly, minus saxophonist Big Joe Burrell) returns to Hunt’s, the space they called home for a decade, at the corner of Main and Pine. Click for more info or tickets.

Photo by Cindi Robinson

Grange on the Green
NEW DATE   – Thursday June 16, 5:30 p.m. (was June 9, 5:30 p.m.)
The Hokum Brothers trio kicks off the Grange on the Green summer music series on Charlotte’s town green. The series, a partnership between the Charlotte Grange and the Charlotte Public Library, features four monthly concerts. The Hokum Brothers, who are related but not brothers, sing original songs filled with humor and satire, adding their particular social commentary to real-life experiences. They have performed on world stages and are descended from a variety of colorful showbiz and musical performers — or so it says on their website. They call themselves Vermont’s premiere Americana and comedy band. Bring blankets or chairs, picnics, bug spray, sweaters. This concert is generously supported by Philo Ridge Farm.

The Hitmen in South Hero
Thursday, June 9, 5-8:30 p.m.
Burlington-based band The Hitmen entertain at Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero. Picnicking begins at 5 p.m.; music is from 6:30-8:30. Hear favorite classic hits and some from today. Bring blankets, chairs and picnics. Food also available from onsite vendors. Well-behaved dogs on leash are welcome; bring scooping bags. Free concert is weather-dependent. Last-minute changes on the vineyard’s Facebook page. Call 802-372-9463.

Planting party
Thursday, June 9, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Join fellow garden enthusiasts at Red Wagon Plants in Hinesburg for a free planting party in their display gardens. Learn about soil quality issues from horticulturalist Chad Donovan in an informal and interactive gathering. Registration is required. Bring your questions and gloves.

Sun to cheese
Friday, June 10, 2-4 p.m.
Meet the crew that makes the cheese that came from the milk that came from the Brown Swiss cows that ate the grass that grew in the sun. Shelburne Farms gives participants a behind-the-scenes tour of the cheesemaking process, including a cheese tasting and a visit to the dairy barn. Adult program with registration required. Visit the website for more info, or register.

Free First Friday Eve
Friday, June 10, 5-7:30 p.m.
On this second Friday of June, Shelburne Museum offers the chance to visit collections buildings at no charge, play lawn games, enjoy food for sale from local vendors, listen to music by Beg, Steal or Borrow, and much more for a summer evening. Music begins around 6 p.m. Call or visit the website 802-985-4436.

Tree identification walk
Saturday, June 11, 9-11 a.m.
Forester Kathleen Stutzman leads a walk at the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington. She will mainly help participants identify trees but will probably birdwatch at the same time she is pointing out herbaceous woodland plants and other wildlife. Program is free; donations welcome. Limited group. Pre-registration required.

Tag & Book Sale
Saturday, June 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Stop by Wake Robin in Shelburne, rain or shine, for some bargains and treasures at their annual sale. Masks required; cash or check preferred. For more info, call 802-264-5100.

Ballgame and fireworks
Saturday, June 11
Cheer on the Vermont Lake Monsters at Centennial Field in Burlington. The first pitch is at 6:05 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales support Hinesburg Community School. Families and fans will celebrate summer with Champ and fireworks following the game. For tickets, buy at the gate or call the VLM at 802-655-6611 and mention ‘Hinesburg.’ Doors open 5 p.m.

State Park free days
Sat. & Sun, June 11 & 12
All Vermont State Park day-use areas, as well as select state-owned historic sites, are open at no charge this weekend. Overnight camping or accommodations not included in free days.

Saturday is also Free Fishing day, when anyone can fish in Vermont without a license. For more info, see vermontdays.com. Also on Saturday, the Grand Isle Fish Hatchery hosts a fishing festival with numerous family activities. It’s an opportunity for kids to catch a big trout in the hatchery pond. Rods, reels, bait and instruction provided. For more info, call 802-372-3171.

Blockprinting workshop
Sunday, June 12, noon-3 p.m.
Carve botanical designs into linoleum blocks to print onto paper and fabric. Led by visual artist Jen Berger, the class covers the basics of the block printing process. Bring your own 4”x6” image or make one in class, held at Horsford Garden and Nursery. For more info, or to register, see the Horsfords website.

Shade planter project
Tuesday, June 14, 6-7:30 p.m.
Make and take a lush shade planter full of interesting textures to brighten your porch or dark garden corner. Red Wagon Plants in Hinesburg provides a variety of materials and plants with design inspiration. Click for more info or to register.

Bear picnic in Bristol
Wednesday, June 15, noon- 1 p.m.
Bring your favorite bear to the gazebo on the Bristol Town Green for stories, songs and fun. Free event organized by Bristol Recreation Department. For more info, call 802-453-5885.

Make Music Day
Tuesday, June 21, all day
Musicians and vocalists: To get your name on the festival map for this international event, visit Big Heavy World and sign up for this unique day of making music for all. This is an inclusive festival where all music makers are invited to participate — on front porches, stoops, stages, lawns, balconies or sidewalks. Be a part of the scene and represent Vermont as communities around the world celebrate all types of musical expression. Be a participant or get the map to catch the live performances. Send an email for more info or call 716-640-4639.