
What’s On (August 13 - 23)
It’s a stretch of August where things don’t let up…a full night around the area tonight, a three-day takeover in Stowe, a Sunday that’s going in multiple directions, and a handful of milestones and workshops closing out the month's third week.
Tonight, August 13, Salt & Bubbles in Essex is running a free tasting with Jason Bajalia of Terra Sancta Wines, pouring alongside the regular menu. Terra Sancta imports from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Armenia…places with some of the oldest winemaking history on earth that rarely turn up on a Vermont wine list. The tasting is walk-in, though a table reservation is recommended.
Church Street's Party on the Bricks continues the same night, 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the Leahy Block outside Ken's Pizza and Pub, with singer-songwriter Ali T (twice named Vermont's Best Pop Artist by Seven Days) and Ken's handling the food duties.
And down in Charlotte, the Old Lantern Events Barn runs its weekly Live at the Lantern series, dinner from Chef Avery Buck of F&F Hillside from 5 to 8 p.m. and the band In the Pocket taking the stage at 6 p.m…advance tickets are available here.
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It’s a huge weekend in Stowe from the 14th through the 16th, with two anchor events running side by side. A Taste of New England returns to Spruce Peak, pairing guest chefs from around the region with the resort's own kitchen; Thursday's Taste of Vermont dinner is already sold out, but Friday's First Taste tasting-and-mingling event and Saturday's Chef Collaboration Dinner, with wine pairings from Rare Wine Co., still have tickets. We’ll see you there on Saturday.
And the Stowe Jazz Festival runs the same three days and celebrates its 10th anniversary, with a mainstage lineup all weekend on Weeks Hill Road. In addition, there are musicians booked throughout at The Alchemist, Doc Ponds, American Flatbread, Cork, and Piecasso, among others, so chances are good you’ll find live music alongside your dinner through much of the village.
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There’s plenty going on this weekend outside of Stowe, too. Speaking of Rare Wine Co…La Reprise hosts its own takeover on Friday the 14th, with Valerie Masten pouring bottles from the portfolio by the glass from 4 to 10 p.m. These are classically made wines from across Europe, with reservations available but walk-ins welcome too.
Also on Friday, Paul Mazza's in Essex runs its on-farm farmers’ market from 4 to 7 p.m., with lots of artisan vendors and food trucks on site in addition to the farm’s own bounty. Last month's market evidently pulled around 700 people through over the course of the evening, so stop by early.
And down in Richmond that night, Maple Wind Farm runs its monthly Fried Chicken & Pickin' from 5 to 7:30 p.m., with the farm's own pasture-raised chicken, a green salad, maple cornbread, Stone Corral on beer duty, and Town Hollers playing bluegrass. A dollar from every plate goes to Rural Vermont, and a farmer-led pasture walk runs beforehand at 4:30. Reserve your plate here.
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Saturday the 15th gets crazy at Switchback, as their courtyard turns into a wrestling ring for Switchback Slam at 6 p.m. It’s a team-up with Green Mountain Wrestling…they run the matches, Switchback runs the food and beer. Get your tickets here…this sounds like one that people will be talking about!
That same morning, the Capital City Farmers Market in Montpelier is running its annual Youth Vendor Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 133 State Street, with young entrepreneurs selling alongside the market's usual vegetables, pasture-raised meat, cheese, and maple syrup. Come meet the next generation of Vermont makers, artists, bakers, growers, and innovators.
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Sunday the 16th has a slew of different things to choose from. Soda Plant Sunday, the monthly market hosted by Haymaker Bun Co., runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Pine Street, with local vendors, coffee, food, and free live music.
That same afternoon, the Common Roots farmstand at South Village off Spear Street is hosting a Madcap Mushrooms growing workshop. It’s a hands-on session for all skill levels that walks you through the essentials of growing your own mushrooms at home…plus, you leave with a Madcap Mushroom grow bag, prepped and ready to fruit.
By early afternoon, wine takes over. Vinous Rebellious, the all-Vermont wine fair hosted by the Vermont Grape & Wine Council, returns to Lincoln Peak Vineyard in New Haven from 1 to 4 p.m. for its second year, pouring wine and cider from more than a dozen Vermont producers alongside food from Monti Verdi. Tickets are on sale now.
In Winooski that afternoon, Salt & Bubbles and Howl Bier are teaming up for Tra Vicini from 2 to 8 p.m. It’s built around the Italian "quattro mani" tradition…Italian wines by the glass, small plates, and pints of Birrificio Italiano's Tipo Pils shipped in from the Alps. Salute!
And just across the circle in Winooski, Four Quarters Brewing is hosting a “Build a Bouquet” workshop with Burly Blooms from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For just $10 to $20, you can create and take home a bouquet from flowers grown just a few blocks from the taproom. It's the first event in a new series called “Brought to You By the Intervale,” built around the farms and food producers working that stretch of land.
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Next week, the Shelburne Farms continues its Community Concert Series on Wednesday, August 19, with Los Songoros…gates open at 5, music starts at 6, and you can bring your own picnic or purchase food on site in the Farm Barn Courtyard.
The following night, Thursday the 20th, Summervale finally happens after its original date was rained out. It’s the Intervale Center’s annual summer celebration, with live music, E-bike demos, educational seminars and more. Food and drink vendors will include Maharaja Spice, American Flatbread, Taste of Abyssinia, The Pinery and lu·lu Ice Cream.
Also on the 20th, Red Poppy Cakery in Waterbury runs its Vintage Piping cake decorating class from 6 to 7:30 p.m…you learn to frost a two-layer, six-inch cake in vintage-style piping, with gluten-free and vegan cake options available.
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The following weekend, Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op celebrates their 50th anniversary on Saturday, August 22, with a full day of free programming. There’s a party on the town green from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with live music and food vendors including American Flatbread, The Stevens Farmstead, La Chapina and Sisters of Anarchy, followed by the opening of a 50th-anniversary memory archive from 6 to 9 p.m. at Town Hall Theater's Jackson Gallery.
That same day, Green Mountain Distillers in Morrisville hosts its first Canines & Cocktails fundraiser for the North Country Animal League. The festivities will include the unveiling of a new distillery dog loop, specialty cocktails, and food from Deb's Food Truck.
If you think you can take the heat: Butterfly Bakery of Vermont is putting on a Pepper Patron Hot Sauce Class that same afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. at their Barre kitchen. These are the same folks behind three appearances on “Hot Ones” (their Hot House hot sauce went up against Lady Gaga last season), so founder Claire Georges and kitchen manager Ari know a thing or two about balancing heat and flavor. The class covers that, plus safe bottling and a tour of the production facility, and you leave with your own bottle. It's the first time in seven years they've opened the process up publicly, which tells you a little about how particular they are about it.
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The weekend run closes out Sunday, August 23, with a couple of fun events in Burlington. Switchback Sessions, a full day of live music on the Switchback Beer Garden patio, happens from 1:30 to 8:30 p.m. The lineup features Rose Asteroid, Troy Millette & the Fire Below, The Champlain Shoregasm, Fisher and the Flood, and Radio Cowboy trading sets over house-smoked BBQ. Admission is free, and dogs are welcome on the patio.
And over on the north end of town, T. Ruggs Tavern is hosting a Backyard Barbecue in support of the Intervale Center, with local food and music by DJ Dakota. We don’t have a lot of detail beyond that at this time, but knowing the crew at T. Ruggs, a good time will be had by all.
Cheers to the weekend.
