Meet Molly and Derek Frome, the new owners of Renu Lounge. From their very first visit, it was clear why Renu means so much to people. Their plan is simple: keep what makes Renu great, and continue to build on it. They're deeply grateful to the team that built this community, and they're excited to keep working alongside them as they settle in. Molly and Derek also own LX Fitness Club and Play Multisport Turf, and they'd love to meet you and hear what you love about Renu Lounge. Renu Lounge is a modern recovery and wellness experience where you can find peace, balance, and happiness. Stop by for a visit at 3511 Richville Rd., Manchester Center, VT, or learn more about Renu's services here. Welcome to the Fitness & Wellness community, Molly and Derek!

The Frome Family. Photo by Jenn Perry.

Bennington, VT | Save the Date: May 15, 2027

Registrations have opened for Bennington Museum’s inaugural 250th Half Marathon road race. This event was conceived as part of the semi-quincentennial anniversary celebrations taking place around the state of Vermont. The scenic 13.1 mile fast surface USATF certified and professionally timed course starts and finishes at Bennington Museum and retraces the initial movement of John Stark and his troops from his headquarters at the Catamount Tavern prior to the Battle of Bennington.

Water/energy boost stops and portable restrooms will be available at key points throughout the race, and more than 40 volunteers and police officers will come together to keep runners safe and on course.

Registration is open now, with the lowest tier pricing now available: $80/$100 for Museum members and General Public. All proceeds will go to support the Bennington Museum. For registration and more, visit here. 

Bennington Battle Day, August 16

The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation has announced that all Vermont State Historic Sites will offer free admission to the public on Bennington Battle Day. This special open house commemorates the 249th anniversary of Bennington Battle Day, a pivotal turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

Two other Vermont State Historic Sites were integral during the American Revolutionary War: Mount Independence in Orwell, one of the most intact Revolutionary War sites in America, and the Hubbardton Battlefield in Hubbardton preserves the location of the only Revolutionary battle fought entirely in what would become Vermont. Other Vermont State Historic Sites open for Bennington Battle Day with free admission include Chimney Point in Addison, President Chester A. Arthur site in Fairfield, and President Calvin Coolidge site in Plymouth Notch. For more, visit here.

Bennington Battle Monument

Bennington, VT | August 15, 10am to 3pm

Bennington Museum is pleased to present Vermont Coppers Symposium- The 14th Star: Currency & Independence. The Museum holds an extraordinary collection of Vermont Coppers, the unique currency minted during Vermont’s years as an independent republic (1777–1791). These coins are central to Vermont’s culture of innovation and represent a rare period when a non-state entity exercised the sovereign right to coin its own money. The Museum’s collection includes some of the finest known examples of these rare 18th-century coins. Speakers will include Dr. Jesse Kraft: American Numismatic Society (ANS); Jamie Franklin: Curator, Bennington Museum; and Tony Corlotto: Author of The Copper Coins of Vermont and Those Bearing the Vermont Name (1998). Admission is $25. Online ticket sales end at 5pm on August 14. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the event.

Arlington, VT | August 18, 5pm

The Arlington Garden Club will present a special screening of The Extraordinary Caterpillar at the Arlington Common Performance Hall. It’s a peek into the dazzling world of nature’s tiniest and mightiest superheroes! To reveal the inner workings of our planet’s foundational food web, naturalist Sam Jaffe from The Caterpillar Lab uses dazzling macro-videography to magnify tiny, fantastical, anime-like creatures – caterpillars! Sam’s images reveal a weird and wonderful world beyond imagination of behavior, form, and function that will inspire people to take a second look at the hidden world happening in their own yard. The film by Jeff McKay features Doug Tallamy, Sam Jaffee, and David Wanner. This event is free to all and is presented by the Arlington Garden Club and hosted by the Arlington Common.

Poultney, VT | August 15, 9am to 3:30pm

The 5th Annual Stone Valley Arts Lit Fest is once again celebrating the written word. If you write, or have ever had the desire to write, now is the time to explore the possibility! Whether a poem, story, or any other genre, writing is a way to honor the special people and the important moments and memories of our lives. Come and join the fun for this Stone Valley Arts (SVA) fundraiser. Bianca Amira Zanella, aka The Paper Poet, will lead a poetry workshop. Fiction writer and playwright Herb Childress will also lead a workshop. SVA Lit Fest is a full day of generative workshops for writers in all genres! Online preregistration is $30 per workshop or $50 for both workshops (save $10).

Londonderry, VT | August 17, 6pm to 8pm

Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers will bring their electrifying blend of roots, boogie, and blues to Music Mondays in Londonderry, a beloved free summer concert series hosted by Mountain Towns Recreation at Pingree Park. Known for creating unforgettable live performances that bridge traditional blues with modern energy, Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers continue to earn acclaim for both their musicianship and dynamic stage presence. Fronted by award-winning guitarist and vocalist Erin Harpe and featuring longtime collaborator and bassist Jim Countryman, the group recently celebrated a 2026 Blues Music Award nomination for Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt. Pack a picnic, gather your friends, and experience an evening of award-nominated blues under the Vermont summer sky. For more, visit here.

Jamaica, VT | August 18 - 22

Founded in 2012 by flutist Susanna Lowry, the Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival (PFCM) returns to Southern Vermont with five days of admission-free concerts, educational programs, and community events. Audiences are invited to experience world-class chamber music performed by nationally recognized artists in welcoming venues throughout the region. Known for its intimate performances, free admission, and commitment to presenting contemporary music alongside classical favorites, PFCM has become one of Southern Vermont's beloved summer traditions. The festival features musicians from the Grammy®-nominated Inscape Chamber Orchestra in Washington, D.C., alongside acclaimed performers from Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Vermont. As in previous seasons, the festival will conclude with the world premiere of a new work by its Composer-in-Residence, Nathan Lincoln-Decusatis. For more, visit here.

Bennington, VT | August 15, 7:30pm

A world premiere staged reading of The First Link in the Chain arrives at Bennington Theater for one day only! This historic comedy, written and performed by Mike Cutler (AKA “Colonial Man”), tells the unlikely, true story of how the Battle of Bennington became a pivotal turning point in the American Revolution. Blending sharp wit with fascinating history, the play reimagines the events – and the eccentric personalities – that helped shape the nation. From chain links to legendary links in history, it’s a laugh-out-loud look at America’s earliest rebels. Tickets are $5 general admission.

Dorset, VT | August 21 through September 5

Dorset Theatre Festival presents Lobby Hero, directed by M. Bevin O’Gara at the Dorset Playhouse. In the lobby of a Manhattan apartment building, nothing ever happens – until everything does. When a murder investigation entangles a young security guard, his rule-bound supervisor, and two very different police officers, the lobby becomes a pressure cooker of secrets, loyalties, and shifting truths. As personal feelings collide with professional duty, each must decide: Do you protect your principles, your partner… or yourself? Smart, funny, and crackling with tension, Lobby Hero is a riveting comedy-drama about moral gray areas, everyday heroism, and the lies we tell – especially to ourselves. From Academy Award winner Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea), this Tony Award^®-winning play is as gripping as it is human. Visit here for tickets.