July hits the sweet spot weather-wise and lifestyle-wise in Vermont. The days are long, the temperatures are warm, the hiking is great, the restaurant patios are thriving and, maybe best of all, the arts calendar is bumper to bumper with events.
Concerts of the indoor and outdoor variety coexist in sweet harmony. Theater companies beckon with trenchant productions and wafts of air conditioning. Comedians’ jokes might be just a little funnier in the sunny summer context than in the wearying weeks of winter. Visual art dazzles in the brilliant light of day. All of this takes place in the month that features another carefree celebration, the birth of our nation.
Summer is short. Make it last with some special activities like these 31 possibilities to brighten your days and nights.
VSO tours Vermont
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, led by music director Andrew Crust, begins its annual summer festival tour with a performance at the pavilion at Vermont State University – Castleton, followed by concerts (all starting at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise indicated) Wednesday, July 3, Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center; Thursday, July 4, Shelburne Museum; 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 5, Saskadena Six Ski Area, South Pomfret; Saturday, July 6, Burke Mountain Ski Area, East Burke; and Sunday, July 7, Trapp Family Lodge concert meadow, Stowe. $5-$35. www.vso.org
Ex-Vermonter returns for show
5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, former Vermont bass player Stacy Starkweather, now living in California, returns to play a show with musicians Bob Hill, Jim Pitman, Jack Beatson and Gabe Jarrett to benefit Special Olympics Vermont, Halvorson’s Upstreet Café, Burlington. Free; donations accepted. www.halvorsonupstreetcafe.com
‘Poetic License’ at S.P.A.C.E. Gallery
5-9 p.m. Friday, July 5, Burlington artist Sharon Webster and her solo art exhibition “Poetic License,” which runs through Friday, July 26, will be celebrated at an opening reception, The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Burlington. Free. www.spacegalleryvt.com
Mind matters in Burlington
7:30 p.m. Friday, July 5, “Mind Magic” is a combination of comedy, mind reading, psychology and theater presented by Steve Taubman, Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington. $25. www.offcentervt.com
‘Spamalot’ journeys to Mad River Valley
7:30 p.m. Friday, July 5, the Valley Players run of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” that began June 27 resumes before concluding Sunday, July 14, Valley Players Theater, Waitsfield. $20-$25. www.valleyplayers.com
Homegrown music in Stowe
Noon Saturday, July 6-Sunday, July 7, the Homegrown in Vermont Music Festival presents in-state talent including (Saturday) Troy Millette & the Fire Below, Billy Wylder, The Grift, Milton Busker & the Grim Work, Ryan Sweezey & the Midnight Walkers and Christine Malcolm; and on Sunday, the Maple Run Band, Wild Leek River, Fern Maddie, Jaded Ravins, Andriana & the Bananas and Lesley Grant, village green at Spruce Peak, Stowe. $25 for both days. www.sprucepeakarts.org
Ray Vega starts Main Street Live
3-5 p.m. Saturday, July 6, Vermont trumpet player Ray Vega & Friends begins the month-long Main Street Live music series on consecutive Saturdays that also features, July 13, D Davis & Carrie Cook with Jay Southgate; July 20, the Vermont Jazz Ensemble; and July 27, the All Night Boogie Band, Stowe village. Free. www.facebook.com/fireflyproductionsvt
Middlebury Festival on the Green returns
7 p.m. Sunday, July 7, the jazzy bluegrass of Twisted Pine starts the annual Middlebury Festival on the Green that includes in its week-long schedule, at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 8, Samirah Evans & Her Handsome Devils; noon Tuesday, July 9, Jon Gailmor; 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, Bon Debarras; Thursday, July 11, the Myra Flynn Band; 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 12, the Krishna Guthrie Band; and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13, a street dance featuring the Vermont Jazz Ensemble. Free. www.festivalonthegreen.org
Jason Mraz packs the museum
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and opening act Ripe take part in the Concerts on the Green series presented by Higher Ground, Shelburne Museum. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com
Comedy for a cause
7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, New York writer/comedian Eitan Levine performs a benefit fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Vermont, Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington. $20. www.vermontcomedyclub.com
Chamber music festival in Manchester
7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11, the 50th anniversary season of the Manchester Music Festival − led by artistic director Philip Setzer, founder and violinist of the Emerson String Quartet − begins its weekly Thursday concerts through Aug. 8 with a night of Beethoven and Schubert featuring Setzer on violin, Wu Han on piano and cellist David Finckel, Arkell Pavilion, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester. $25-$75. www.mmfvt.org
Music in the Dead of Summer
9 a.m. Friday, July 12, gates open for the three-day Dead of Summer Music Festival featuring Grateful Dead-influenced tunes from the Pink Talking Phish Ensemble, Neighbor, Max Creek, Bearly Dead, Dead Man’s Waltz, Deadgrass, Annie in the Water, Organ Fairchild and many more, Hunter Park, Manchester Center. $65-$215. www.deadofsummermusicfestival.com
BCA Center celebrates exhibits
5-7 p.m. Friday, July 12, Burlington City Arts hosts an artist reception for the summer exhibitions “Essential Figure” and “Rachel Rose: Lake Valley,” which run through Sept. 15, BCA Center, Burlington. Free. www.burlingtoncityarts.org
Higher Ground has Ben Folds
8 p.m. Friday, July 12, veteran pop musician Ben Folds, joined by Lindsey Kraft, plays the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $50 in advance, $56 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
Musicians Do Good in Montpelier
2 p.m. Saturday, July 13, the annual Do Good Fest benefit concert for Howard Center and the cancer-patient fund Branches of Hope brings this year’s lineup – Fitz and the Tantrums, Rachel Platten, Dishwalla, Couch and The Radiance – to the lawn at National Life Group, Montpelier. $5-$200. www.dogoodfest.com
Light at night at Nectar’s
9 p.m. Saturday, July 13, alternative-rock duo Illiterate Light performs at Nectar’s, Burlington. $12. www.liveatnectars.com
Sunday in the park with Kenneth Meyer
10 a.m. Sunday, July 14, classical guitarist Kenneth Meyer delivers lovely sounds as part of the Burlington City Arts summer concert series, City Hall Park, Burlington. Free. www.burlingtoncityarts.org
Guatemalan musician at the Bean
7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 14, Guatemalan cellist/composer Mabe Fratti, now based in Mexico City, pays a visit to Radio Bean, Burlington. $15 in advance, $18 day of show. www.radiobean.com
Counting Crows in Essex
8 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, rock veterans Counting Crows perform with James Maddock featuring David Immergluck in a concert presented by Higher Ground, midway lawn, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $70 in advance, $74 day of show, free for children 12 and under. www.highergroundmusic.com
Matilda transports to Lamoille County
7 p.m. Thursday, July 18, the Lamoille County Players open their presentation of the Roald Dahl-inspired show “Matilda the Musical,” which runs through Sunday, July 28, Hyde Park Opera House. $10-$20. www.lcplayers.com
‘The Prom’ at Lost Nation
7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 18, musical comedy “The Prom,” presented by Lost Nation Theater, starts its run through Sunday, Aug. 4, Montpelier City Hall Arts Center. $10-$35. www.lostnationtheater.org
TURNmusic turns 10
6-11 p.m. Friday, July 19, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, the new-music organization TURNmusic celebrates its first decade with Friday performances featuring Lovecraft and Willverine and Saturday’s highlights including performances by TURNyouth, The Phoenix Gallery and Music Hall, Waterbury. Free. www.turnmusic.org
New album at the old Bean
7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, Winooski-based garage-rocker Greg Bonsignore is releasing a new album, “Machine Age Exhibition,” through his musical project Ruminations, and celebrating it with a show at Radio Bean, Burlington. $10. www.radiobean.com
Welch, Rawlings fill the house
8 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, acoustic musicians Gillian Welch and David Rawlings return to the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com
Grand Point North concert series begins
7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25, folk-rock group The Head and the Heart, joined by Phosphorescent, starts the Grand Point North concert series presented by Vermont musician Grace Potter and Higher Ground ($56-$60). Other concerts in the series are, at 8 p.m. Friday, July 26, The Flaming Lips performing their album “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (sold out); 4:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27, day one of Potter’s headlining concerts also featuring Michael Marcagi, Henry Jamison, Sarah King, The Bubs and Copilot; and, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 28, Potter wrapping up the series with support from Anderson East, Ali McGuirk, Acqua Mossa, the All Night Boogie Band and Marcie Hernandez ($52 in advance, $56 day of show per concert, $92 two-day pass), Waterfront Park, Burlington. www.highergroundmusic.com
An old pro from Old Crow
8 p.m. Thursday, July 25, formerly of the folk group Old Crow Medicine Show, Willie Watson delivers a solo show at Nectar’s, Burlington. $20-$25. www.liveatnectars.com
Celebrating the arts in Cabot
7 p.m. Friday, July 26, the Cabot Arts and Music Festival begins with a performance by the Pointe Noir Cajun Band and continues at noon Saturday, July 27 with Bob and Sarah Amos plus Modern Times Theater (1 p.m.), the Cabot Family Contra Dance (2 p.m.), the Soggy Po Boys (4 p.m.), The Mammals (6 p.m.) and Rose and the Bros (8:50 p.m.), among other performances, locations throughout Cabot. $10-$50. www.cabotarts.org
Robber Robber celebrates album
10 p.m. Friday, July 26, Burlington indie-rockers Robber Robber celebrate their new album “Wild Guess” with a late-night show that includes Greaseface, Foam Brewers, Burlington. $10 in advance, $12 day of show. www.foambrewers.com
Montpelier welcomes Maple Roots Music Festival
Noon Saturday, July 27, the day-long Maple Roots Music Festival returns for its fourth year with sets by Steady Betty, Nick Cassarino & the Family Band, the Kat Wright Trio, Brett Hughes & That Bluegrass Band, Samara Lark & The Outfit, The Eames Brothers Band, Mikahely, a trio featuring Avi Salloway, Rob Morse and Corey Wilhelm, and many more acts, Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, Montpelier. $25 parking fee per vehicle. www.maplerootsfest.com
Katy Kirby sings in Brattleboro
8 p.m. Saturday, July 27, singer-songwriter Katy Kirby follows Mei Semones in a performance at The Stone Church, Brattleboro. $16-$21. www.stonechurchvt.com
Train on track for sell-out
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, pop-rock hitmakers Train play the Concerts on the Green series presented by Higher Ground following Yacht Rock Revue, Shelburne Museum. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com
Contact Brent Hallenbeck atbhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.
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