Rupert, VT | May 16, 11am to 3pm

Merck Forest & Farmland Center (MFFC) invites the public to its annual "Meet the Lambs" event, an all-ages spring celebration. Visitors can meet the newest residents of the farm: lambs, goat kids, rabbits, chicks, and more! There will be farm fresh food for sale, hands-on activities, farm animals, and 35 miles of hiking trails to roam. Bring a picnic blanket and welcome spring at MFFC! The event is free and open to all. A suggested donation of $5 per person helps support the land stewardship work that makes days like this possible. 

Manchester, VT | May 16, 10am to 5pm

After 15 years on Main Street, Zippy Chicks is marking its anniversary the same way it built its business: by turning sustainable style into community impact. The consignment boutique will celebrate with a one-day charity event that reflects its founding values – women, sustainability, and community. A pink tent in the boutique’s parking lot will be stocked with clothing and accessories priced at $5 apiece, with every dollar going directly to VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region. The tent will be co-stocked by both Zippy Chicks and VNA & Hospice, with each contributing pieces from its own resources. Founded in 2011, Zippy Chicks has grown into a destination known for daily new arrivals and a loyal base of consignors who are also its core customers. The shop carries brands such as Free People, Mother, Patagonia, Birkenstock, and Lululemon at consignment prices. In addition to the charity tent, the shop will run an in-store anniversary sale. 

Ellen Adams, Owner of Zippy Chicks

For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Hildene invited Vermont’s 8th graders to reflect on the document’s enduring significance in essays of 500 or fewer words. Hildene received 147 essays statewide. In each of four regions, first-, second-, and third-place winners were selected, along with three honorable mentions overall. Awards: first place, $500; second, $400; third, $300; honorable mention, $200. By connecting America’s founding principles to the present moment, students wrote about a wide range of topics and the implications for society and their communities. Hildene congratulates the winners and commends every participant for reflections that bode well for the continuing work of democracy. Here are the Awardees in our local region (Addison, Rutland, Bennington): 1st, Dylan Miksis (Maple Street School, Manchester Center); 2nd, Peyton Allen (Rutland Middle School); Tie for 3rd: Oliver Mitchell (Rutland Middle School) and Viva Macleod (Long Trail School, Dorset). Honorable mention: Isla Dowd (Maple Street School). Congrats to all! 

Manchester, VT | May 16, 11am to 3pm

Energy Fair 2025

Manchester’s Energy Committee invites you to the Manchester Community Library to find out how to save money, feel more comfortable at home, and help meet Vermont’s climate goals. This event is free, and open to the public. You could win a gift certificate from r.k.Miles, and learn if you’re eligible for free home improvements – up to $9,000 worth of work. Local businesses that sell and install solar panels, battery back-up systems, cold climate heat pumps, and more will be present. There will be information about plastic waste and recycling, regenerative farming techniques and soil health, and an exciting technology for heating and cooling called Thermal Energy Networks. More here.

Shaftsbury, VT | May 14, 6pm

The Robert Frost Stone House Museum and GANAS at Bennington College are hosting a viewing of the film La Liga in the barn at the Stone House Museum, followed by a Q&A with director Mac Christopher. The film runs about 25 minutes. A second film, Without Shade, Without Rest, about another farmworker-led group based in Florida, We Count, will be shown at 7:15pm and runs about 45 minutes. The viewing is free, but donations to Migrant Justice are encouraged. La Liga focuses on migrant dairy farmers in Vermont who, in the face of tremendous isolation, formed a pickup soccer league. It is about finding a sense of home in a new land, and people coming together to use a national pastime to create a better future. The film tells the story of the minimum wage earning population that is keeping dairy farming alive in Vermont, and follows the farm workers as they attempt to find a path forward despite the pressures of work and ICE. More here.

Manchester, VT | May 20

Burr and Burton Academy welcomes community members to campus for the first annual Integration Expo. The Expo will be a dynamic, school-wide celebration of student work, highlighting the learning that emerges across disciplines and within the school’s five learning spires: citizenship, communication, integrative thinking, problem solving, and wellness. Centered on this year’s essential question: What is beautiful and hopeful within our imperfect and chaotic world? More than 50 exhibits, presentations, and performances are scheduled, representing a wide range of disciplines and interests. Community members, families, and friends are encouraged to attend. More info here.

WEQX 102.7 FM | June 13, 3pm to June 14, 3pm

On June 13, Benjamin Lerner will host a 24-hour live broadcast marathon, airing from WEQX 102.7 FM in Manchester with a simultaneous Facebook livestream produced by Old Mill Road Recording. Benjamin Lerner’s CLEAN Jam 2026 celebrates the 10-year sobriety anniversary of the Vermont-based musician, journalist, radio host, and viral content creator, who has amassed over 500,000 followers across social media platforms and over 500 million total video views of his recovery content. The radiothon and livestream will raise funds and awareness for two non-profit organizations: The Wilson House (the birthplace and childhood home of Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous and author of the Twelve Steps); and 1761 Arts (a Vermont nonprofit dedicated to artist residencies and creative development). The program will be continuous on WEQX and on the official Benjamin Lerner Facebook Page. For details, visit here.

Photo by Nick Burchard.
Copyright Joshua Sherman Productions.

The Vermont Arts Exchange presents the Grace Fall Band, featuring Sam Clement & Friends, at the Bennington Theater as part of its Basement Music Series. Influenced by soul, R&B, rock, and funk, Grace Fall writes and sings about human conditions and dynamics. A Vermont-based singer-songwriter, Grace grew up in California and Oregon, singing along to the soul, folk, and reggae that was always playing in her home. These days she is honing her technical skills at Bennington College and enjoying building a new musical community. Her band is composed of fellow music students, who come together to build the skills they’ve developed in the classroom, deepening their musical sensibilities: Eva Abramson (drums), Adriel Benko (guitar), Roan Clearwater (piano), and Julian Conte (bass). Tickets are $10 students, $20 adults in advance, and $25 at the door. 

Bennington, VT | May 30-November 1

Vermont is seen in the public imagination as an idyllic rural paradise, largely free from the darker elements of humanity. However, anyone who has lived here or studied our state’s history knows that this is not true. Vermont has always been home to many of the same issues that plague any other place settled by humans, ranging from counterfeiters, rum runners, and drug abuse to girlie shows, illicit gambling, and murder. “The definition of ‘vice’ has shifted over time,” explains Jamie Franklin, Museum Curator. “Behavior condemned in one era has often been tolerated or even condoned in another. The boundaries between respectability and transgression have always been porous. And let's be honest: it's fun learning stories about our state's naughty past!” Vermont Vice at the Bennington Museum, sponsored by Terrigenous Architects, will explore these issues and more from the 18th-century through the 20th-century, featuring art by Ray Materson and Susan Meiselas and archival materials from the Museum’s collection including a recently acquired collection of material from the Green Mountain Racetrack in Pownal. 

Richard O'Dowd, Mutuels Director at the Green Mountain Race Track, 1975

Londonderry, VT | May 23-June 7

The Londonderry Arts and Historical Society (LAHS) is pleased to announce the acquisition of seven previously unseen paintings by noted 20th-century artist Bernadine Custer Sharp. These works will be featured alongside selections from the Society’s permanent collection in LAHS’s first exhibition of the season. Bernadine Custer Sharp was an accomplished painter, illustrator, and WPA muralist who made her home in Londonderry. Upon her passing in 1991, she bequeathed her residence and a collection of her artwork to LAHS. Much of her work reflects the people, landscapes, and character of the Londonderry community. The newly acquired paintings come from the estate of David Parsons, Jr. of East Dorset. Parsons’ parents were close friends of Custer Sharp and collaborated with her during the founding of Southern Vermont Arts Center. More here.