Manchester, VT | August 22, 6pm

YouTuber and writing coach Abbie Emmons will visit Northshire Bookstore to discuss her book Make Your Story Matter: An Interactive Guide to Unlocking Your Brain's Storytelling Power and Writing a Book Readers Love. You’ve got a story inside you – but writing it feels impossible. What if writing didn’t have to be a struggle? What if all you had to do was harness your brain's natural storytelling instincts to craft the book you’ve always dreamed of? If you’re having trouble bringing your story to life, the problem isn’t you. It’s that you’ve been buried under a mountain of rigid rules, theory, and advice that contradicts itself. With over half a million writers in her online community, Abbie has helped storytellers all over the world craft novels that resonate using the Who, What, Why Method – a simple but powerful 3-step framework rooted in psychology. Visit here for more.

Tails of Hope – Rutland County’s Humane Society

Simon is a 2-year-old, neutered, domestic shorthair awaiting his new family. This handsome boy is a wonderful mix of sweet, gentle, and easygoing. While he can be quite shy when meeting new people or adjusting to a new environment, with a little patience and understanding, his affectionate personality begins to shine. He would do best in a patient home. Once he feels safe and comfortable, he enjoys spending time with his favorite people, whether he's chasing a toy, relaxing in a sunny window, or curling up nearby for a cozy nap. If you're looking for a kind-hearted companion and are willing to let love blossom on his timeline, this charming boy is ready to find the forever family he deserves. Visit here to make an appointment to meet Simon or one of his other furry friends.

Dorset, VT | August 20, 6pm

The Dorset Village Library shows lots of great new and popular movies on Movie Nights, which are offered on a quarterly basis. Admission and popcorn are free, and you are welcome to bring your own snacks! There is limited space for seating, so please register by calling 802-867-5774. Can you guess this classic 1975 film? When a massive killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Long Island, it's up to the local police chief, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.

Vermont homeowners and renters can now access updated rebates from Efficiency Vermont (EV), offering additional support to qualifying households for home energy upgrades like weatherization, new appliances, and heat pump heating and cooling systems. The updates incorporate new federal income requirements that ensure Vermont’s low- and moderate-income households can continue to access additional incentives from EV, electric utilities, and home weatherization partners. EV offers free and low-cost energy efficient household appliances and energy-saving services for eligible households and renters, connects customers to income-based rebates from Vermont’s electric utilities, and works with the state’s Weatherization Assistance Programs on free weatherization services for income-qualified households. To learn more, visit here.

Bennington, VT | August 23, 2pm to 4pm

Join Monument Arts and Cultural Center in the Rita Dee Rose Garden for a delightful and elegant afternoon tea, paired with a hands-on decorative arts project. Enjoy a relaxing and creative experience featuring traditional tea service with a selection of sweet and savory delicacies. Cost: $25 per individual tea. All materials are provided. Experience the charm of a proper afternoon tea while creating something beautiful to take home. Visit here for more.

Bennington, VT | Save the Date: September 13

The Bennington Museum will host its Fall Community Day celebrating the start of the school season and honoring a special community leader. Admission will be free all day thanks to support from Stewart's Shops and the Vermont Country Store. The schedule for the day is: 10am-2pm, Back to School Gallery activities; 12:30pm to 2:30pm, music by Vita Olsen in the Center Gallery; 1pm, NBOSS Tour lead by curator, Jamie Franklin and participating artists; 2pm to 4pm, Annual Meeting in the Paresky Wing; and 2:45pm, Awards Ceremony. This year, Bennington Museum is pleased to honor Tom Dee, recently retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Vermont Health Care, with the Arnold Ricks Award. The award is presented annually to an individual or organization in recognition of exceptional contributions to the Bennington community and Bennington Museum. Refreshments will be served. For more, visit here. 

Manchester, VT | August 22, 7:30pm

The Manchester Music Festival brings you Hilary Gardner & The Lonesome Pines at Southern Vermont Arts Center’s Arkell Pavilion. It will be an evening of music celebrating the nostalgic heart of the American West. Their album, On the Trail with The Lonesome Pines, was hailed by The Wall Street Journal as “something new and wondrous.” It went on to win the 2025 Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Traditional Western Album, and earned The Times of London’s praise for its “Manhattan-meets-moonshine gems,” landing in their top 10 jazz albums of the year. With warm harmonies, irresistible rhythms, and intimate storytelling, Hilary Gardner and The Lonesome Pines bring cinematic Americana to life. SVAC members get an exclusive discount code. Use code SVAC15 for 15% off tickets here.

Manchester, VT | August 26, 7:30pm 

Join Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) for an evening of your favorite Bruce Springsteen music, performed by No Surrender, a Tribute to Springsteen, at the Southern Vermont Arts Center’s Arkell Pavilion. This event will benefit the Hoyt-Hunter Center for Oncology Care at Dartmouth Cancer Center Bennington, part of SVMC. No Surrender re-creates the music of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band with a note for note musical experience, while bringing the electrifying energy of the E Street Band to every performance! The concert is generously hosted by the Ihasz Family and Friends. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.

Manchester, VT | August 19 - August 30

Love’s Labour’s Lost,  Shakespeare in the Woods 2025

Shakespeare in the Woods presents The Merry Wives of Windsor and King Lear on the Taconic Lawn at The Equinox Resort & Spa. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30pm with an additional matinee on August 30 at 2pm. August 20 and August 27 are special Queer Affinity Night performances. The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed and adapted by Jaz Hall, is a delightfully absurd production that subverts societally expected and accepted expressions of “masculinity” simply with an exchange of modus operandi (the method of expression). King Lear, directed and adapted by Elizabeth Dinkova with original music by Elsa Kennedy, discloses a society strained under the weight of the old guard’s expectations and the new guard’s machinations, where everyone's true self will be revealed. For tickets and more, visit here.

Putney, VT | Opening Reception: August 29, 4pm to 6pm

Next Stage Arts invites the public to celebrate the opening of METALSUM, a new exhibition by Putney artist Jane Kolias, whose inventive sculptures and metal quilts transform discarded objects into compelling works of art. An opening reception will be held at NXT Gallery, located at Next Stage Arts. The reception will feature an opportunity to meet the artist, explore the exhibition, and enjoy light refreshments. RSVPs are encouraged here. Inspired by nature and guided by the materials themselves, Kolias creates rustic metal sculptures from abandoned objects gathered from antique shops, thrift stores, scrap yards, rural roadsides, woodland walks, and even the occasional kitchen drawer. Each piece begins with an idea but evolves organically as salvaged components suggest new possibilities. The exhibition will be on view through November 8.