Manchester, VT | July 4, 7:30pm

Taconic Pops Concert 2024 with special guest, Maxine Linehan, and conductor, Ariel Rudiakov.

The Taconic Pops Orchestra, conducted by Ariel Rudiakov, will perform at Southern Vermont Arts Center’s (SVAC) Arkell Pavilion. The show promises to be a highlight of Taconic Music’s 10th summer season, with works running the gamut of favorite scores by Leonard Bernstein (the glorious Symphonic Dances from West Side Story), George Gershwin, John Phillip Sousa, Chuck Mangione, Masayoshi Takanaka, movie themes from James Bond, Pirates of the Caribbean, Somewhere in Time, Star Wars, and much more. Notes Rudiakov, “We’ve pulled out all the stops, with an all-star band comprised of Taconic Music faculty and young artists, and a host of musicians arriving from throughout the region. Our friend and powerhouse singer, Maxine Linehan, will be the featured guest. For those hoping to see the fireworks at Manchester’s Rec Park, he adds, “SVAC is a good spot to stay and catch a view of the fireworks after the concert.” Tickets range from $20–$85. Reservations are strongly recommended for best seat selection. 

Arlington, VT | Specific Wednesdays through August 19, 6pm to 8pm

The West Mountain Inn is pleased to present another Summer line-up of terrific musicians, delicious woodfired pizza, and beautiful surroundings. Join friends and neighbors on the Lawn overlooking mountains or in their historic Barn with a different musician or band each week! This year’s lineup continues with 6 more weeks of terrific music: TONIGHT, July 1, The Morning Dudes; July 15, Duane Carleton; July 22, Chris Bell & Tim Wiechmann; August 5, Ransom Notes; August 12, Luminous Crush; and August 19, Tom Major & the Rejuvenators with Wanda Houston. A delicious woodfired pizza buffet will be available and includes a selection of inventive pizzas, garden green salad, cookies, and lemonade. The cost is $25/adult and $13/children under 12. To make a reservation, call 802-375-6516 or email info@westmountaininn.com.

Bennington, VT | July 4, 11am

Photo courtesy of the Bennington 250 Commission

The July 4th commemorations begin at the Bennington Battle Monument, where two long‑running ceremonies—the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence and the Bennington Rotary’s bell‑ringing program—will be combined into a single, expanded event.  The event starts with music, re-enactor drills, and information tables at 11am. While some chairs will be available for the elderly, plan to arrive early and bring your own chair for seating beginning at 11:30 am for the ceremonies. At 2:30pm, the celebration continues at the Bennington Battlefield in Hoosick, NY, where interpreters in period garb will present a living painting of the Declaration of Independence. Free hot dogs will be available. Festivities shift to Willow Park at 5pm for America’s Birthday Party, featuring free cake thanks to the VFW Post #1332 and the VFW Auxiliary. There will also be vendors, food trucks, live music by the Fourth Floor and Mojo Birds, and family activities including bouncy houses. The evening concludes with a 9:30pm fireworks display, with Bennington’s largest-ever fireworks show! 

Stratton Mountain Resort | July 2 through July 5

Head up to Stratton Mountain for the Fourth of July weekend, as live music, family activities, and fireworks return. Mountain Friends and Freedom rocks on Saturday evening, July 4, and through the night with The Boss Project, outdoor kids activities, hot dog and pie eating contest, fireworks, and more. Space is limited and tickets are required. This year's celebration runs for the duration of the holiday weekend. Kick off your fun on Thursday, July 2 by enjoying Scenic Lift Rides and hanging in Stratton Village. Mountain Top Yoga will be available Saturday to Monday, and the Running of the Bears 5K makes its way through the Village and around the Resort on Sunday morning, July 5. It's hard to top a holiday weekend at Stratton Mountain with so much to do!

Photo courtesy of Stratton Mountain Resort

Proctorsville, VT | July 4, 9am

Two hundred and fifty years ago, many colonists learned about the Declaration of Independence by hearing it read at their local coffee houses. One of the earliest readings took place at the Merchant Coffee House in Philadelphia. People of all socio-economic statuses went to these houses for their favorite beverage, food, and most importantly, the news of the day. The seeds of Revolution were planted in the coffee houses of the day. The Cavendish Historical Society (CHS), in conjunction with Super Roasted in Proctorsville, will be re-enacting how many colonists first heard about the Declaration. Continuing the 250th party, CHS, with the help of community members Becky Plunkard, Shirley Clark, and Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) 6th graders, has been placing painted rocks throughout the town. The search begins July 3 and goes throughout the summer. Please take all the pics you want, but leave the rocks until the fall. For more, visit here.

Manchester, VT | TONIGHT: July 1, 5:30pm

Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning is excited to partner with the Manchester Historical Society and the Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) to present this talk about Manchester's role in the Revolutionary War. The talk will take place in SVAC’s new Van Degna Gallery. On this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we look at the early families who settled in Manchester. For families like the Roberts, Marsh, French, and the Ormsbys, the Revolution was not a radical choice but a necessary defense of the homes they had worked so hard to establish. This talk explores their struggles, participation in battles that turned the tide, and traces Manchester’s journey from a frontier outpost to a premier tourist destination over the following century. This program is free and open to all or pay what you wish. For more information or to register, please call 802-867-0111 or visit here. 

Manchester, VT | July 11, 10am to 4pm

The Garden Club of Manchester (GCM) will once again host its beloved biennial Summer Garden Tour. This year's self-guided tour offers exclusive access to eight exceptional private gardens in Manchester and Dorset. Participants are invited to explore the gardens at their own pace, choosing their own route through a day of spectacular views, abundant blooms, and inspiring landscape design. Proceeds from ticket sales support GCM's scholarship fund for local college students. Guests wishing to enhance their day can enjoy a special luncheon menu at The Equinox Resort, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting GCM's ongoing community beautification efforts. Advance tickets are $30 and may be purchased here, as well as at H.N. Williams (Dorset) and Northshire Bookstore (Manchester). Tickets on event day are $35. 

Manchester, VT | July 18, 11am

Cota & Cota is celebrating 85 years in business! They are excited to bring Touch-A-Truck to Manchester again at the Northshire Civic Center! Not your typical "car show," this event gives children and adults a hands-on experience interacting with vehicles of all shapes and sizes while getting to know many local businesses and organizations. Participants can honk horns, sit in the driver's seat, and interact directly with community operators.  Cota & Cota typically brings their own propane/fuel trucks alongside vehicles from local organizations like Bennington County Habitat for Humanity and the Manchester Fire Department. Email trucks@cotaoil.com if you're interested in bringing a vehicle or being a vendor.

Shaftsbury, VT | Opening: July 9, 6pm

Welcome to Douglas Culhane: Sculpture, the first solo exhibition in the Robert Frost Stone House Museum Barn. Made of steel and wood, the pieces draw from the forms and processes of everyday utilitarian objects to create sculptures that ask questions about the relationships of form and function, utility and imagination. Also included is the piece After Apples, a sculpture made in response to, and in collaboration with, a relic of Robert Frost housed in the Frost Barn. This object, the hollowed-out trunk of the last apple tree from the Museum grounds that Robert Frost planted, embodies its life story of growth, death, and decay. Culhane is an artist who works in sculpture, drawing, poetry, and hybrid forms. His work often combines word and image. He has been the recipient of grants, fellowships, and residencies from many esteemed organizations. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Art at Amherst College (where Frost taught for many years), and lives in Churchtown, NY. Visit here for more.

Putney, VT | July 10, 7:30pm

The Vermont Suitcase Company returns to Next Stage Arts with My Lady of Whims, an original theatrical adventure inspired by the wit, excitement, and visual storytelling of classic silent films. With his annual fundraising gala fast approaching, a councilman faces a crisis: where is his daughter? If the newspapers discover she has been spending time with artists and free spirits down by the docks, his political ambitions could be ruined. Packed with action, intrigue, romance, international affairs, and plenty of comedy, My Lady of Whims captures the charm and exuberance of silent-era storytelling while bringing a fresh, contemporary spirit to the stage. Audiences can expect imaginative physical theater, larger-than-life characters, and a fast-paced adventure filled with twists and turns. The Vermont Suitcase Company has become known for creating inventive, family-friendly productions that blend humor, movement, and storytelling into unique theatrical experiences. Tickets are $12/adults and $5/youth 18 and under.