If you’ve spent time in Burlington, you’ll definitely recognize some, maybe all, of the local icons in these two games. Check em out!

They were inspired by games like Subway Surfers and Timberman, except Burlington-themed. I’d love feedback before I keep moving down my list and try to build a free little Burlington digital arcade where people can compete with friends and keep their name on the collective-games leaderboard. 10-15 total games in mind. So if you like what I’m doing and want to stay updated be sure to follow my newsletter: https://www.btownbrief.com

Maybe even send a small donation and let me know you appreciate where I’m headed and the time spent cooking up the Burlington newsletter and the digital arcade: https://ko-fi.com/btownbrief

And the best part imo? It’s all free. No annoying video ads or the “watch this to keep playing” crap. Plus, the games auto-update with snippets from my latest newsletter editions so it gives you a reason to keep coming back (to see the news headlines!)

Church Street Runner
Run down Church Street, dodge obstacles, switch characters, jump, slide, and move left or right. I’ve been trying to pack it with recognizable Burlington details.

https://btownbrief.github.io/church-street-runner/

FILED!
We have the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet, so naturally I made a game out of it. Stamp through endless paperwork, switch left and right to dodge open drawers, and try not to get buried in Burlington bureaucracy.

https://btownbrief.github.io/filed/

They’re not quite finished yet, but they’re getting close. One idea I’m considering for Church Street Runner is optional Trivia Portals to run through where you can earn bonus points by answering Burlington or Vermont questions, maybe with some of my local news quiz questions mixed in.

Curious what I’m working on next?? Here’s the list:

Real or Fake: BTV Headlines
Spot the fake Burlington headline among the real ones. I’m chock full of news headlines after 1.5 years of the BTown Brief newsletter.

Caption This
A local photo gets posted, people submit captions, and people vote on the winner through a Tinder-like card experience.

B-Town Wordle
A local word puzzle using Burlington places, businesses, streets, and Vermont-isms.

Where in Burlington?
See a local photo, guess where it was taken, and get scored by distance. Each wrong guess, the photo zooms out more for you.

Local Trivia Ladder
Burlington and Vermont trivia that gets harder as you go.

Rank What You Know
Rank only the local spots you’ve actually tried through a selection then drag and drop process. Then see how your picks compare with Burlington’s consensus.

Flappy Champ
Guide Champ through sailboat masts over the Burlington waterfront. If you played Flappy Bird, you understand this one.

Tap the Maple
Throw sap spiles into a spinning maple without hitting the others. It’s all about timing. Inspired by the game Knife Hit. Super easy and fun.

Pothole Patrol
Fill Burlington potholes before a Subaru hits them. Inspired by the classic Whack-a-Mole game.

Creemee Drop
Catch and stack falling creemee swirls and build it higher and higher. Avoid the wasp.

Earlier or Later: BTV
Two Burlington events appear. Guess which happened first.

Higher or Lower: BTV
Guess whether the next local stat is higher or lower, like rent, snowfall, UVM enrollment, or creemee prices. See how your guess compares to others.

Would love feedback if you had any. Can’t guarantee all the updates, but I can try! The cool part is that the games auto updates with snippets from my latest newsletter editions so it always feels like little fresh.

Which of the two current games is more fun? What feels janky? And which game idea should I build next?

Happy Fourth of July weekend, and it's a hot one! Friday is the rough day, with a high near 95 and a heat index flirting with 100, plus a shot at a pop-up storm. An Extreme Heat Warning holds until early evening, but good news, the fireworks look clear to launch. Saturday eases into the mid 80s with a few scattered storms, and by Sunday the humidity finally breaks for a genuinely comfortable day.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight is all about the waterfront, where Burlington's big America 250 celebration brings House on Fire, a BETA aerial parade, and the year's largest fireworks show over the lake. Also catch First Friday art at the SEABA Center, jazz with Bella Joan on the dock, and the All Night Boogie Band's album release at Foam Brewers. Saturday brings the Burlington Farmers Market, a Lake Monsters holiday game with a Champ bobblehead, and fireworks out in Colchester, Richmond, and Essex Junction. Sunday cools off nicely for the Winooski Farmers Market and a Latin dance cruise. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus a lot more to pick from.

In the news: Vermont Green FC's women play their first-ever playoff match tonight at Virtue Field. Burlington's Champlain Parkway opens after 61 years of lawsuits and delays. The Chittenden County prosecutor race between Sarah George and Bram Kranichfeld heads to an August 11 primary that will likely decide the winner. A state program has quietly repaired housing for hundreds of Vermont farmworkers. Two Waterbury battery firms changed hands as AI power demand surges. And Strafford keeps losing a road sign to Noah Kahan fans. Plus the AC debate heating up across Vermont, the pace of environmental cleanups frustrating neighbors, and prisons straining without air conditioning. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, along with more articles not listed here.

Three things I'm excited about. First, I just launched the new BTown City Guide (you all on the subreddit got the early release the other day, and the response was awesome). It's a whole lot more than a list of places, with live real-time weather, a daily countdown to sunset and sunrise, 200+ entries sortable by neighborhood, price, or vibe, and my Top 100 Things to Do in Burlington. Second, I started r/GoodBurlington, a new subreddit just for the good side of town, hidden gems, small wins, and Neighbor Notes where you can shout out a stranger or a local worker who made your day. Third, the Btown Brief Meetup group is growing fast, and we've got a stacked calendar. A Fireworks Watch Party tonight, sunset kayaking at Sandbar on Monday, weekly Coffee Club and pick-up basketball, plus Sunset & Sip at Leddy, the Do Good Festival in Montpelier, a cheese potluck at Oakledge, and much more. Come join us, we're seeing 20 to 30 people at our weekly hangouts.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the long weekend.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Pretty wild seeing the Champlain Parkway finally open this morning. $84 million baby! The ceremony was long, but honestly kind of fitting given the backstory lol. This thing goes back to the old Southern Connector idea from the 1960s, and part of the road from I-189 to Home Ave was actually built in the 1980s before the rest got stalled out by the Pine Street Barge Canal contamination mess.

The original idea was more of a four-lane road into Burlington, which made more sense back when the South End was treated more like an industrial cut-through. By the time it came back around, the South End had become way more residential, artsy, walkable, and politically active. A lot of the pushback was over traffic, pollution, neighborhood impacts, bike/ped safety, and whether an old highway-era plan still made sense for modern Burlington. So the whole thing got fought over, redesigned, and eventually cut down to the two-lane parkway we’re seeing now.

Very Burlington ending to it all too. Decades of delays and debate, then the feds basically saying finish it or potentially pay back a huge amount of the money already spent. Since the federal government covered 95% of the eligible costs, that probably ended up being the final push.

And oddly enough, I’m kind of glad it all got pushed and reshaped so much. Because the version we ended up with is pretty flippin cool. Having the final plans include the new shared-use path from Home Ave to Kilburn is a huge neighborhood upgrade. That stretch might honestly be the underrated savior of the whole project in my eyes; I’m on it every week!

Follow my newsletter covering all the news and events in and around the greater Burlington area!! BTownBrief.com

Good morning, and enjoy it while it's nice. Monday is the clean day of the week, mostly sunny with a high near 88 and a comfortable night in the low 60s. Then it cranks. The humidity rolls in Tuesday, Wednesday hits 93, and Thursday flirts with the mid 90s, with thunderstorms riding along each afternoon into the weekend. Stay hydrated.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight catch Kamasi Washington at Higher Ground, a group bike ride down to the Intervale CSA, or Silent Book Club at Four Quarters in Winooski. Tuesday brings a casual tech meetup over coffee and waffles at Zero Gravity, the Common Roots summer BBQ, and an open mic at the Monkey House. Wednesday loads up with the Lake Monsters Pickle Night, lunchtime folk from Anna May in City Hall Park, a Georgia peach truck run, and Tortoise at Higher Ground. Thursday rolls toward the Fourth with the Vermont Symphony and fireworks up in Burke, the Stars and Strides 5K, Adventure Dinner's hot dogs and tarot, and Nick Cassarino's 40th birthday show at Foam. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus way, way more events to pick from.

In the news: Vermont CARES takes over Burlington's needle exchange July 1 as the Howard Center's Safe Recovery program closes. The committee representing abuse claimants moves to bring $500M in parish assets into the Diocese bankruptcy case. With the city short on cash and staff, volunteer crews are picking up trash, needles, and graffiti themselves. HomeShare Vermont's demand nearly doubles amid the housing crunch. Plus a new state film grant open through July 21, a record tick season, a fresh police chief hiring committee, Norman Rockwell's West Wing sketches going public, and a 24-hour portrait of Church Street ahead of its 45th birthday. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, along with many more news headlines I didn't include in this snippet.

The full Btown Brief also has 60-second trivia on what you just read, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar. Beach day coming up!

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Happy Friday, and it's a soggy one. We're starting wet with afternoon thunderstorms possible, so keep an eye on the sky if you're out. But it flips by evening, the storms clear, and the weekend dries out beautifully. Saturday lands near 80 with a stray shower, and Sunday is the pick of the weekend, mostly sunny and around 83. Then real summer heat moves in next week.

[Give the full newsletter a read here.]

Tonight grab berries and two dozen vendors at Paul Mazza's in Essex, catch contra dancing in Shelburne where no partner is needed, or head to Rock Point for a moth and firefly night with s'mores. Saturday is absolutely stacked with the 15th annual Burlington Wine and Food Festival on the waterfront, ODD Fest raising money for the North End Food Pantry, the Renaissance Faire bringing jousting and a Highlander guest star to Essex, World Cup watch parties at Citizen Cider, and Deer Tick at Higher Ground. Sunday brings People's Pride at Battery Park, French Heritage Day in Winooski with a waiter race, tailgate polo in Shelburne, and a hip hop dance cruise on the lake. There's like 100+ events to look through so check out the full read. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links.

In the news: Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak stood on the Church Street bricks to declare "Burlington is back," but a local group is urging caution before the victory lap. Lippa's Estate and Fine Jewelry is leaving Church Street after 93 years for an appointment-only spot in Colchester. BETA Technologies wants to grow its South Burlington campus to nearly 100 acres and has been quietly buying up properties to do it. Fireworks costs are spiking before the nation's 250th, and Hinesburg already canceled its show. An Essex Junction fire lieutenant is facing four felony burglary counts after hidden cameras allegedly caught him in a family's safe. Plus the Champlain Parkway finally opens to traffic, tech ed demand is outpacing the seats, and the Fletcher Free Library is fighting the summer slide. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary on all of it, along with many, many more stories not listed here.

The full Btown Brief also has 60-second trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the weekend. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar. Big ones coming up! Plus, help me host events for the group! There's plenty to do together around town.

[Give the full newsletter a read here.]

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A few showers move through today, but the heavy rain mostly slides south toward central Vermont, so the city should stay near 75 and skip the worst of it. Then it gets good fast, Tuesday and Wednesday turn bright and warm with low humidity, highs pushing toward 80, before storms roll back in late Thursday.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight you can toast the summer solstice with actual Broadway stars at Snow Farm Vineyard, or warm up your Spanish at the weekly Spanish Chat. Tuesday brings Champ and a dozen Vermont Lake Monsters to Burlington Beer Company (first 50 kids get a free ball to sign), plus a linocut postcard workshop at the Odd Fellows. Wednesday is the pick of the week, with lunchtime swing in City Hall Park, an improv game show at Vermont Comedy Club, and the finals of Jam 4 SLAMT1D. Thursday is absolutely loaded, SB Nite Out with a Cirque de Fuego fire show, the Jericho Farmers Market turning 25, a reggae fest pre-party at Foam, alt-country cult heroes Souled American at Higher Ground, and much more to check out. The full newsletter has every event and more with times, locations, and links.

In the news: Dairy Farmers of America is idling its St. Albans plant, cutting 80 jobs as Franklin County dairy takes hit after hit. A Burlington man is charged with stalking Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, and his attorney is calling it a First Amendment fight. The immigrant legal defense fund crossed $1 million and then wrapped up its work. Canadian park visits are creeping back ahead of Canada Day. Plus a heartfelt send-off for late Burlington rocker Matthew Stephen Perry, the siblings who grew up beside the soon-to-be-replaced Winooski bridge, and the downtown bars now sharing a kitchen. The newsletter has quotes, and commentary, along with more stories not listed here.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we've got more hangouts on the calendar. Getting tons of motion!

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Happy Friday, and the storms have finally cleared out. After yesterday's rough weather, we're settling into a much quieter stretch. Today's mostly cloudy with highs near 70 and maybe a stray shower. Saturday turns cooler and grayer with scattered showers, then Sunday flips to more sun and mid 70s, the nicer of the two weekend days and good timing for Father's Day.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

This afternoon the World Cup takes over town with watch parties at Citizen Cider, Centennial Field, and RiRa. Tonight has a Juneteenth Community Dinner, Kurt Vile at Higher Ground, a queer karate class plus Matrix screening, and free outdoor tunes at the Skinny Pancake. Saturday goes big with Juneteenth on Church Street, the North End Block Party at Brian's Auto, garden workdays, a repair cafe, pug pints at Switchback, and the experimental Plex Arts Festival. Sunday is stacked too with creemees on the soon-to-open Champlain Parkway, a solstice water blessing at Blanchard Beach, a final bike ride down the Parkway before it goes highway-only, Mick Foley at the Comedy Club, and a sold-out Nectar's tribute. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus plenty more to choose from.

In the news: UVM Health is cutting more than 140 jobs as the medical center loses $460K a day. The City Council passed a $112.6 million budget with a 6 percent tax hike. A developer floated an Amazon warehouse for the empty Macy's building downtown. Gov. Scott vetoed a hospital price reform bill. The Catholic Diocese is selling its South Burlington headquarters as part of its bankruptcy. The Champlain Parkway finally has an open date after six decades of planning. Plus a possible tornado tore through Woodstock, Burlington's first Navy Week is coming in August, and getting a truck stuck in the Notch now costs $10,000. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, along with more stories not listed here.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the weekend. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar. I love hang outs, and the community certainly does too, so come out and enjoy!

Give the full newsletter a read here.

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The storms are finally clearing out this morning. Overnight downpours and a flood watch made for a soggy night, but Monday turns cool and refreshing with highs near 70 and low humidity. Tuesday's the pick of the week in the mid 70s, then showers roll back Wednesday and a soaking rain settles in Thursday. Father's Day weekend looks like it'll bounce back nicely.

Give the full newsletter a read here

Tonight catch Bill McKibben talking climate at Fletcher Free Library, the Vermont Book Award finalists at Phoenix Books, or Skirack's run club downtown. Earlier in the day, the BHS farewell parade rolls down Church Street at 10 a.m. Tuesday brings OLLI's search-and-rescue dog demo, a drinking chocolate workshop, and Recreation on the Go at Szymanski Park. Wednesday has a free HuDost concert in City Hall Park plus Juneteenth celebrations across Winooski. Thursday is absolutely stacked with SB Nite Out, the Vermont Quilt Show opening, Tillie Walden at Phoenix, Ratboys at Higher Ground, a roller derby skate class, and a tons more things found in the full read. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links.

In the news: UVM Health is cutting 142 jobs while the flagship hospital loses around $460K a day. Burlington High School holds its last classes inside the old downtown Macy's before graduating in the new $204M building. BlueCross floats cheaper plans with deductibles that could top $11,800. Feds approve $31.7M in flood aid for Vermont farmers. A Stowe officer shoots a bear after it kept breaking into the Matterhorn's cooler. Plus pics of Lakebone, the new 48-foot sculpted tree on Main St, Essex Junction weighs saving the #4 bus, Charlotte rethinks town meeting, and Essex Junction chips might be headed to space. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, plus more articles not found in this roundup.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have tons more hangouts on the calendar. Give the full newsletter a read here

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Happy Friday, and it's a sweaty one. Today is hot and sticky with temps near 90 and a real feel in the mid 90s, plus a real shot at strong afternoon storms rolling through. But it flips fast and in our favor: Saturday clears out with full sun, low 80s, and way less humidity, about as good as June gets. Sunday starts bright before some evening showers, then a genuinely refreshing, cooler week moves in.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight grab a wood-fired flatbread with live music at the Wheeler Homestead, catch surf rockers Barbacoa at Foam Brewers, or post up in City Hall Park for USA vs. Paraguay on a 17-foot screen with a DJ and satellite bar. Saturday is absolutely stacked: the Pine Street farmers market, Lagerfest in Essex, a historic pottery popup on Marble Ave, Green Mountain Wrestling with a former WWE champ, a Juneteenth concert with Jenni Johnson at Fletcher Free, and Perrypalooza, a 14-band tribute to a beloved local frontman. Sunday winds down with a Niquette Bay group hike, Flag Day pallet painting, an Italian beach-club aperitivo, and karaoke at the Venetian. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus many more to choose from.

In the news: Burlington pays a $150K settlement after officers restrained and paramedics sedated a Black teen with disabilities to recover stolen vape pens. An AI smear video targeting Rep. Balint is the first real test of Vermont's new deepfake law, and the GOP candidate who shared it called it hilarious. The area rental market is finally cooling as a wave of new apartments hits, bringing actual price cuts. Vermont's maple season leads the nation again. Flash flood season opens with washed-out roads as a heat advisory stacks on top. Vermont Green FC scrimmaged Canada's national team before the World Cup, and the state's Congolese community is celebrating Congo's first bid since 1974. Plus Pizzeria Ida announces its move to Manhattan, a new hourly-help app launches statewide, and an ex-Tesla president headlines a Vermont AI meetup. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, plus more articles not listed here.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the weekend. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar. Like TONS more, so come hang out.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Happy Monday, and it's a gorgeous one. Full sun and highs in the mid to upper 70s today, then Tuesday warms into the 80s. Midweek turns restless though, with showers and a few storms rolling in Wednesday and sticky humidity building toward the weekend.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight catch the one night only Stolen Kingdom heist documentary at Partizanfilm or beginner line dancing in Essex Junction. Tuesday brings the Lake Monsters at Centennial Field, a Moth StorySLAM at Burlington Beer Company, and the Hip Abduction at Higher Ground. Wednesday is loaded with Greensky Bluegrass at Shelburne Museum, Skylark playing City Hall Park at lunch, Art Amplified at the BCA Center, and a silent film with live score at VTIFF. Thursday goes off with a World Cup watch party at Switchback, Soul Porpoise at Shelburne Vineyard, Dinner in the Park, two theater openings, and a dozen more things I can't fit here. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus many more to choose from.

In the news: UVM Medical Center resident doctors rallied for a contract after routine 80 hour weeks and crushing med school debt. Burlington's South End cleared its first 204 housing units, with hopes the full project tops a thousand. The US Supreme Court declined Meta's appeal, letting Vermont's youth harms lawsuit move ahead. Vermont's lone Animal Welfare director is trying to reform a broken system on a shoestring. Old Brick Store is opening in the Karma Bird House as Kestrel closes downtown. Plus the radio scramble after CBS News Radio went dark, $28M in new affordable housing credits statewide, and two friends swimming every lake and pond in Vermont. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, plus many more articles not listed here.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Don't miss Vermont Days this weekend either, free entry to all 55 state parks and a statewide Free Fishing Day. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

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Happy Friday, and it's a warm one. Today stays mild and mostly dry with highs in the low to mid 80s before the clouds roll in. Saturday turns unsettled with scattered showers and a few storms, dropping into the 70s. Sunday is cooler in the 60s but should claw back some afternoon sun before everything dries out next week.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

It's the weekend of Discover Jazz, so tonight catch Ruthie Foster and Tank and the Bangas free on the waterfront, thirty tiny plays in under an hour at Off Center, or Michael Kosta at the Comedy Club. Saturday is absolutely loaded with the Causeway Race, the Farmers Market, Touch-a-Truck, a Skate Jam at A-Dog, and a free waterfront lineup that ends with Mavis Staples and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Sunday closes things out with Chris Potter and Julian Lage at the Flynn, live jazz paired with ice dancers at Leddy Arena, Learn to Fish at ECHO, and a dozen more things I can't fit here. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus plenty more to choose from.

In the news: Burlington cleared all its officers who used force during the March 11 ICE raid, though the citizen police commission broke ranks and called one takedown unjustified. Lawmakers wrapped the 2026 session, making Vermont the first state to ban the herbicide paraquat while adding an EV mileage fee. City Market is warning its 12,000 members about "culturally and financially challenging" years. Education Secretary Linda McMahon's Essex visit drew a student walkout. Plus a secure juvenile facility pitched for South Burlington, Beta flying its electric Alia, the "Lakebone" sculpture now hanging over Main Street, and Vermont's ski industry posting its best season in over a decade. Plus our own Kwame "The Vibe" Dankwa sat down with DJ Cheetatah, the Burlington yogi-turned-electro-pop producer who went from a Tulum DJ academy to festival stages in barely a year, for the latest BTown Arts podcast. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary, plus many more articles to read about.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the weekend. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

It's a damp and slightly soggy start to June. Highs only in the mid to upper 60s today with a few lingering showers, but hang tight, because the warmup is coming. Tuesday inches toward 70, then Wednesday and Thursday bring full sunshine and low 80s. Proper summer, just in time for the weekend.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight you can run a free 5K at Burlington Beer Company or settle in with Crafting in Community over in Essex Junction. Tuesday has the ONE Farmers Market back at Dewey Park, morning networking at Hula and Zero Gravity, and CAKE out at the Champlain Valley Expo. Wednesday is when the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival takes over, with Savion Glover, Jason Moran, and Chris Dave opening at the Flynn, free music up and down Church Street, and a very large tree sculpture getting paraded up Main Street by rail. Thursday keeps it rolling with Madaila's return, the Lake Monsters and their fanny pack giveaway, Mt. Joy on the lawn, PechaKucha Night, and a dozen more things to check out. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus many more to choose from not listed here.

In the news: a Dutch government body ruled that Migrant Justice's complaint against Hannaford's parent company can move forward, forcing the chain into mediation after seven years of pressure. UVM is getting $12M in state funding for a 5,000 seat arena even as fall enrollment slides 15%. Ben Cohen is fighting to take back Ben & Jerry's and won't rule out the brand leaving Vermont. Plus 112 units of housing planned beside the Pine Street Barge Canal, Ghana looking to Vermont as a model for its legal cannabis market, La Casa del Sabor bringing Ecuadorian cooking to the old Pauline's space, and Offbeat Creemee closing up after five years. The full newsletter has more context, quotes, and commentary, plus many more articles not in this post.

The full Btown Brief also has 60 second trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we've got more hangouts on the calendar, plus WAY more about the hit the calendar this week.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

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Happy Memorial Day, Burlington. Morning rain is clearing out and sunshine is taking over this afternoon. Tuesday is the real winner with low 80s and full sun. It cools back down by Thursday with scattered showers moving in for Friday and Saturday.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Today you've got the Louisa Howard Chapel Open House and cemetery tour at Lakeview, the 5th DIY Clean-Up at the Urban Reserve (a $0 budget, all people power), a book launch at Phoenix Books, a free herbalism session at the Intervale, Skirack's Run Club, and City of the Sun at Higher Ground tonight. Tuesday has Tech Tuesdays at Zero Gravity, the Truth and Justice Series, EZ Breezy Bike Rides with Local Motion, and open mic at the Monkey House. Wednesday is packed with a silent auction fundraiser at Queen City Brewery for BHS students heading to Germany, pick-up basketball at Pomeroy Park, a Barbara Zucker talk at BCA, a romance book club at Phoenix Books, and the Eid al-Adha Community Feast in Winooski. Thursday goes off with the DamNation film screening at ECHO, Story Slam at Black Box Theater, the Tenderbellies at Shelburne Vineyard, Ryan Sweezey at Higher Ground, and Josh Blue opening a run at Vermont Comedy Club. The full newsletter has plenty more events to choose from with times, locations, and links.

In the news: South Burlington residents are literally driving to the Pine Street annex to collect their own mail after months of unreliable delivery, and USPS still won't give straight answers about what's going on. Ticks are reshaping daily life across the state, with over half of tested deer ticks carrying Lyme and some Vermonters abandoning outdoor hobbies entirely. BTV flyers are fed up with late night wait times, but the airport says take it up with the airlines. The Senate unanimously advanced an $83M homelessness bill that restructures the whole system, but shelter providers are calling it "a rearranging of the deck chairs." Lake Champlain has 587 miles of shoreline and almost none of it is publicly accessible without a boat or money. Vermont now has 83 disc golf courses with three in the world's top 100. A new queer-forward cafe and coworking space is coming to Vergennes. Williston voters just killed a $13.9 million library bond on a revote. Plus BTV is getting federal money for a kids play area and lactation pods, South Burlington needs another $16.4 million for its aging wastewater plant, and Burlington fourth graders made a documentary about raising baby trout. The newsletter has even more stories, plus the full context, quotes, and commentary on all of it.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Happy Friday and happy Memorial Day weekend! Today is stunning with sunshine and mid 60s, and Saturday holds near 70 under increasing clouds. Sunday gets soggy right in time for the marathon, highs only in the 50s with scattered rain. Monday dries out by afternoon. The real reward comes midweek when we push into the upper 70s and low 80s.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Tonight catch Bluegrass and BBQ at Shelburne Vineyard, SWALE and The Nancy Druids at Standing Stone in Winooski, Joe's Big Band in South Burlington, Quadra opening the patio concert series at The Old Post, Dan Parks at Switchback, or Burly Bear's 007 themed dance party at Red Square. Saturday is absolutely packed with the Burlington Farmers Market, Bloom Time Festival at the Hort Farm, the inaugural Brew the 802 beer fest in South Burlington, free Revolutionary War reenactments at the Ethan Allen Homestead, Champ's Creemees opening day at ECHO with free Vermont Teddy Bear plushies, a free dragon boat lesson on the lake, ThirdTone's live binaural sound journey at the Black Box Theater, Family Art Saturday at BCA, polo in Shelburne, and a whole lot more to check out. Sunday is marathon day, plus the Robin Lloyd artist reception at City Hall, Super Bingo for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, VMT's closing performance of Follies, and a free lecture on a Vermont patriot who turned loyalist. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links. Plus plenty more to choose from.

In the news: The Farmhouse Group is turning El Cortijo into Burl's Downtown Kitchenette, bringing Southern diner energy back to that iconic Bank Street diner car. Burlington City Council voted 11-1 to reject a Missisquoi Abenaki statue for Battery Park amid an intensifying dispute over Indigenous identity that goes way deeper than the vote itself. GlobalFoundries just launched a quantum computing division with $375M in federal CHIPS money and the U.S. government taking a 1% equity stake. The mayor's office is aggressively going after nearly 40 properties for unpaid taxes as part of a $1M revenue push. Lawmakers blocked Scott's wetland buffer rollback for housing. House Democrats splintered over unmasking ICE agents. Fossil fuel price spikes cost Vermont an extra $32M in March. Morristown police are offering smash burgers for arrest tips and not everyone thinks that's great. Plus a school merger that went nowhere, a daycare reopening after a state reset, Killington closing for skiing, J.Crew landing in Williston, and a Shelburne student repping Vermont at the national Brain Bee. The newsletter has all the context, links and commentary on it all.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the long weekend. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have hangouts on the calendar.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

Subscribe at BtownBrief.com

Tuesday is going to feel like July. Upper 80s with nasty humidity and strong to severe thunderstorms likely between 4 and 8 PM, so keep your evening plans flexible. Then the weather does a complete 180. A cold front blows through Wednesday morning, and by Thursday you'll want a jacket for highs in the upper 50s. The weekend warms back up but showers may tag along just in time for the Vermont City Marathon on Sunday.

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Tonight catch King Tuff at Higher Ground touring behind the new album MOO, Queen City Brewery's final trivia night before a summer hiatus, a fresh vege pop up on Brookes Ave with the first local greens of the season, or a VCM course preview 5K at Olde Northender. Wednesday is one of the most loaded midweek lineups we've had in a while. Passeggiata returns to Church Street with live Italian music, Ken Burns sits down at the Flynn with Jane Lindholm, Zero Gravity hosts free bike and gear repair, Radio Bean has a stacked fundraiser for Old Spokes Home, Lt. Governor Rodgers takes questions at the Ward 3 NPA with free American Flatbread, and that's maybe half of it. Thursday brings Bike Bloom at the Intervale, ECHO After Dark goes full Dungeons & Dinosaurs, free rosé tastings on Pine Street, Pete Lee at Vermont Comedy Club, and a piano concert at St. Paul's. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus plenty more.

In the news: Delayed FEMA funds are finally flowing to Montpelier but the delegation isn't letting the agency off the hook. Burlington Council green-lit a massive South End development with 205 apartments and a developer that built affordable housing in Harlem. Howard Center's Jarrett House is closing and the state's replacement search has advocates worried about a dangerous gap. Vermont rolled out 10 free home designs through a pilot called 802 Homes to attack the housing shortage from a new angle. BETA Technologies posted a $3.9 billion aircraft backlog. Home prices statewide are up $160K in a decade while wages lag behind. A Burlington barber is taking clippers to shelters on his days off. James Beard finalist Avery Buck just made a big career move. Franklin Foods got hit with a $265K penalty for repeat wastewater violations. UVM's new women's basketball coach kept every returner out of the transfer portal. And nonprofits are using cleanup data to drive real policy changes at Lake Champlain. The newsletter has the full context, quotes, and commentary on all of it.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the week. Join our Btown Brief Meetup Group too, we have more hangouts on the calendar: https://www.meetup.com/burlington-social-activites-group/

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Happy Friday, Burlington. Rain is clearing out this afternoon and we're looking at a gorgeous stretch. Mid 70s and sunny all weekend, and Monday could be our first 80 degree day of the year. Enjoy it before a cold front resets everything later next week.

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Tonight is not only full of great events, but the sunshine might be coming out too! South End Get Down kicks off its 2026 season on Pine Street, Unheard Stories returns for a powerful youth-led performance in Winooski, Very Merry Theater opens Seussical at O.N.E., the Glow in the Dark 5K lights up Farrell Park, Mallett Brothers play Higher Ground, Rachel Scanlon brings her touring hour to Vermont Comedy Club, and that's maybe half of it. Saturday is even busier with UVM Commencement, Burlington Farmers Market, NAMIWalks at Centennial Field, Kids Day at Roosevelt Park, a housing workshop downtown, World Ballet's Cinderella at the Flynn, Woods at Foam Brewers, and Mon Rovîa at Higher Ground. Sunday keeps it rolling with the Winooski Farmers Market season opener, the grand opening of Awasiwi Woods Disc Golf in South Burlington, the Burlington Record Fair at Contois Auditorium, a waterfront cleanup, polo in Shelburne, and free live music at Foam. The full newsletter has every event with times, locations, and links, plus plenty more not listed here.

In the news: Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak wants to close a $10-12M budget gap by eliminating 27 vacant positions, one year after laying off 18 workers. Four people were arrested at an ICE digital surveillance center in Williston after blocking entrances, and the Chittenden County State's Attorney's track record of not prosecuting these cases is becoming a story itself. A Burlington daycare is temporarily shut down amid a state investigation, adding to an already tense moment for local childcare. UVM is projecting a 7% enrollment decline and a $12M deficit, with cuts coming to staffing, space, and leadership raises. Grace Potter announced her new album Trespasser and a Grand Point North lineup that includes Portugal. the Man, Dawes, and Dark Star Orchestra. Beta CEO Kyle Clark earned over $15M last year while the company burns through cash chasing FAA certification. GlobalFoundries wants to sell its 442-acre Williston campus and rezone for warehousing, but the town has very different ideas. PopUp Bagels is coming to Church Street. Kismayo Kitchen has new owners carrying on the legacy. Dartmouth researchers published findings on why Vermont keeps flooding then drying out. And Seven Days dropped a deeply reported piece on why the legislature keeps passing laws it can't pay for. The newsletter has more stories, plus the full context, quotes, and commentary.

The full Btown Brief also has trivia, quick hits, a complete events calendar, and everything else you need to navigate the weekend. Join our Btown Brief IRL Meetup Group too, we have hangouts on the calendar this weekend. Meeting at the South End Get Down tonight at 6 PM, and coffee on Saturday at 10 AM, Pickleball Sunday at 2 PM. Check 'em out.

Give the full newsletter a read here.

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