Brighten your August days and nights with these 31 Vermont arts-and-entertainment events

Wait, what? The last full month of summer has arrived? How did that happen?

It’s called the inexorable march of time and, yes, it can be cruel. Time may be on Mick Jagger’s side, but the tick-tick-tick seems to work against the rest of us, especially here in the northern reaches of Vermont.

Rather than rue the sunny days that have passed and quiver in fear of the wintery gloom to come, let’s embrace the present. Let’s get out into the summer air to hear some live music, or at least leave the house to see a stimulating play, art exhibit or film. Let the world of art and entertainment (via these 31 events) be on your side, and by your side, before another sunny summer starts to set on the horizon.

‘Pippin’ brings pep to Weston

Through Aug. 17, the Weston Theater Company ’s production of the classic musical “ Pippin ” continues its run that began July 24, Walker Farm Theater, Weston. $25-$79. www.westontheater.org

Joe Russo’s Almost (Grateful) Dead

6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, veteran musician Joe Russo brings his Grateful Dead cover band Almost Dead to the Shelburne Museum for the Concerts on the Green Series presented by Higher Ground. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com

A jazzy picnic in Stowe

6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, the monthly Jazz at the Lantern series takes a summertime twist with a BYO picnic accompanied by music led by guitarist Bob Gagnon on the lawn of the Black Lantern Inn, Stowe. $32.50; free for ages under 5. www.facebook.com/fireflyproductionsvt

Festival of Fools returns to Church Street

Noon Friday, Aug. 2, the annual street-performer event Festival of Fools is back for a three-day run with shows by Nigel Blackstorm and John Park kicking things off, followed by highlighted acts such as sax-heavy musical group Moon Hooch (2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2), the acrobatic dog show Mutts Gone Nuts (times including 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3), musical act Jupiter & Okwess (1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3), the dexterous Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy (times including 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3), and concluding event The Last Laugh Variety Show (5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4), on and around the Church Street Marketplace, Burlington. Free. www.vermontfestivaloffools.com

Jazz for free in Stowe

1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, like the Festival of Fools, the annual Stowe Jazz Festival last for three days, beginning with the Ray Vega Latin Jazz Sextet and including performances by the Chico Pinheiro Quartet (6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3), Matt Wilson and Good Trouble (12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4) and Civil Disobedience featuring David Ambrosio , Ingrid Jensen, Donny McCaslin, Luis Perdomo and Johnathan Blake (8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4), locations including The Alchemist brewery, Stowe. Free. www.stowejazzfestival.org

Supreme Court gets ‘Ordinary & Extraordinary’

4:30-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, the Vermont State Curator’s office holds an opening reception for “ The Ordinary & Extraordinary: Mystical Works by Regis Cummings ,” with paintings by the Montpelier artist remaining on display through Oct. 15, Vermont Supreme Court Gallery, Montpelier. Free. www.curator.vermont.gov/vermont-supreme-court-gallery

‘Comedians Screening Comedies’ in Burlington

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, the Vermont International Film Festival concludes this summer’s “ Comedians Screening Comedies ” series with a pair of performers known for their skills with the Burlington-based sketch-comedy group Stealing from Work hosting film screenings – namely, Marianne DiMascio presenting “ Harold & Maude ” on this day and Amy Halpin Riley showing “ The Incredible Shrinking Woman ” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, The Screening Room @ VTIFF, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington. $10. www.vtiff.org

Get a taste of The Samples

8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, rock band The Samples , who were big in Vermont in the 1990s, play the Summer Music Series on the green at The Essex Experience. $30 in advance, $35 day of show. www.essexresort.com

New art gallery in Vergennes

6-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, a new gallery, K. Grant Fine Art , holds an opening reception for “Soft Openings: A Summer Exhibition,” which runs through Sept. 28 and features works by Vermont artists Arista Alanis, Megan Bogonovich, Cameron Davis, Pamela Fraser and Wylie Garcia , 37 Green St., Vergennes. Free. www.kgrantfineart.com

Moira Smiley presents ‘Rhizome Project’

4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, Vermont musician Moira Smiley performs songs from her new string-quartet album of folk songs, “The Rhizome Project,” with guests including participants in Young Tradition Vermont, Old West Church, Calais. $10-$20. www.vtfolklife.org

‘Broadway in Vermont’ returns

6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, Colchester native Merritt David Janes , who just completed a Broadway stint in “ Back to the Future: The Musical ,” brings his “ Broadway in Vermont ” show featuring several Broadway veterans back to his native state for a performance at Moose Meadow Lodge, Duxbury. $26.50-$40. www.moosemeadowlodge.net

Amyl and the Sniffers rock Higher Ground

8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, rising punk-rockers Amyl and the Sniffers follow Lambrini Girls in the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com

Michael Ian Black back in Burlington

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 10, 9:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9-Saturday, Aug. 10, comedian Michael Ian Black returns for five shows (also featuring Meredith Gordon and hosted by Ian Paul ) at the Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington. $30. www.vermontcomedyclub.com

The bells of Middlebury ring again

6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, the annual Middlebury College Carillon Concert Series begins with a performance by Sergei Gratchev , an instructor with the Belgian Carillon School and the Middlebury College School of Russian, and expands this year with a fall festival from Sept. 7-Oct. 26, on the lawn outside the college chapel. Free. http://go.middlebury.edu/carillon

Randolph hosts chamber music festival

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, the annual Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival runs Aug. 8-11 and includes the concert “Boyd Meets Girl,” matching Australian classical guitarist Rupert Boyd with American cellist Laura Metcalf , Chandler Music Hall, Randolph. $20. www.chandler-arts.org

Marissa Nadler and more in Brattleboro

7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, evocative singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler is joined by Joseph Allred and Glenn Jones for a night of music at Epsilon Spires, Brattleboro. $25. www.epsilonspires.org

Hearing Voices in South Burlington

7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, longtime indie-rock favorites Guided by Voices follow Kevin Devine in a show at the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $39 in advance, $45 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com

Vermont Philharmonic pops up twice

4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, the Vermont Philharmonic plays its annual summer pops concerts starting with this one at Moose Meadow Lodge, Duxbury, and ending with a performance at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 on the lawn at Shore Acres, North Hero. $6.25-$27.25. www.vermontphilharmonic.com

Bluegrass in the Green Mountains

Thursday, Aug. 15-Sunday, Aug. 18, the Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival this year offers up Watchhouse, Crooked Still, The Travelin’ McCourys, Rayland Baxter, The Jerry Douglas Band, Aoife O’Donovan, Hawktail, Noam Pikelny, the Tim O’Brien Band, Donna the Buffalo and many more, Hunter Park, Manchester Center. $40-$400; free for ages 15 and under. www.greenmountainbluegrass.com

‘Guns & Chocolate’ staged reading

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16-Saturday, Aug. 17, “ Guns & Chocolate ,” a new play by Shoshannah Boray exploring American society’s response to domestic gun violence, receives a staged reading/workshop production, Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington. $10-$15. www.offcentervt.com

Fred Armisen comes to town

8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, comedian/musician Fred Armisen brings his aptly titled show “Comedy for Musicians but Everyone is Welcome” to the Flynn, Burlington. $27.50-$38.50. www.flynnvt.org

New plays the thing in Middlebury

1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, the third-annual New Play Festival presented by the Middlebury Acting Company starts with “ The Hands of the Mother ” by Karina Jutzi and continues at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18 with “ Watershed ” by Susan Palmer and 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18 with “ Aristotle’s King ” by Dana Yeaton and Cole Merrell, A.R.T. Blackbox Theater, Hannaford Career Center, Middlebury. $15 per play, $20-$40 festival pass. www.middleburyactors.org

Tyler Hubbard goes to the fair

8:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, country musician Tyler Hubbard , known for his work with Florida Georgia Line, performs as part of the Vermont State Fair, Rutland. $46.50-$61.50. www.paramountvt.org

Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival begins

2:55 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, the 16 ^th season of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival , which runs from Aug. 17-25, holds its opening concert, “East to West,” featuring works by Brahms, Kian Ravaei and David Serkin Ludwig, Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester. $5-$45. www.lccmf.org

Christopher Reeve story opens film festival

7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, opening night of the 10th Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival , which runs through Sunday, Aug. 25, features a screening of “ Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story ,” followed by an after-party, Dana Auditorium, Middlebury College. $72 for opening night; $44-$50 for day passes; $132-$143 for festival passes. www.middfilmfest.org

New video, show from KeruBo

5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, Vermont musician KeruBo , who in July released a new music video for her song “Inga Obwanchani,” performs as part of the summer music series at Main Street Landing, Burlington. Free. www.kerubomusic.com

Flo Rida kicks off fair concerts

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, rapper Flo Rida and opener Landon Cube begin the slate of concerts at the Champlain Valley Fair ($39-$185) that includes at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket with Vertical Horizon ($29-$185); 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, Cole Swindell with Tigirlily Gold ($39-$185); 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, “Roots & Boots” with Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye ($29-$185); and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, an evening with Pentatonix ($39-$185). www.champlainvalleyfair.org

Bread & Puppet back at the Flynn

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, Vermont’s iconic Bread & Puppet Theater brings its show “ The Beginning After the End of Humanity Circus ” for the troupe’s first appearance in a decade at the Flynn, Burlington. $20. www.flynnvt.org

One-man show in Burlington

8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23-Saturday, Aug. 24, Friday, Aug. 30, Saturday, Aug. 31, Vermont resident Ben Johnson stages a one-man show, “ My Testimony: Fury & Grace ,” which focuses on a preacher at a revival meeting, Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington. $20. www.offcentervt.com

Essex welcomes Jorma Kaukonen

8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, rock and Americana legend Jorma Kaukonen plays an outdoors show at The Old Stage at the Essex Experience. $40-$50. www.essexresort.com

Kevin Smith, early and late

8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, filmmaker Kevin Smith makes up for an appearance postponed from May 19 with two stage shows in the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $40 in advance, $45 day of show for the 10 p.m. event; the 8 p.m. show is sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com .

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Brighten your August days and nights with these 31 Vermont arts-and-entertainment events