Vermont Public Community Calendar

One of cinema’s all-time actor-director collaborations, Denzel Washington and Spike Lee, reunite for the first time in nearly 20 years—and their fifth movie together overall—for an interpolation of the legendary Akira Kurosawa’s stone-cold classic noir kidnapping thriller High and Low (playing in The Screening Room on September 5), now transported to the mean streets of modern day New York City. When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the “best ears in the business,” is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.

As always, Spike has his finger on the pulse, setting this crime story in the kinetic world of music industry movers and shakers and prominently featuring a number of high-profile pop-rap stars, including ASAP Rocky, Ice Spice, and Princess Nokia, alongside seasoned thespians like Jeffrey Wright and Wendell Pierce.

Join us for this special screening of Highest 2 Lowest in the Film House, the only place playing Spike’s latest joint in our area.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont (NAMI Vermont) is excited to announce that a FREE in-person Sharing Hope conversation series is coming to Burlington!

Sharing Hope is a three-part community conversation series developed by and for the Black/African Ancestry community, providing a safe and supportive space to discuss mental health and wellness, share lived experiences, access culturally competent care, and explore local resources. In partnership with the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV), this Sharing Hope conversation series will be held in the heart of Burlington and will be led by trained volunteers who identify as members of the Black/African Ancestry community.

Dates: August 20, August 27, and September 3
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: AALV, 20 Allen St., Room 305, Burlington, VT 05401
Light refreshments provided
Hosted by NAMI Vermont & AALV

Are you a member of the Black/African ancestry community? Sign up for this free series today at www.namivt.org/sharing-hope.

Questions? Please contact our Program Coordinator at program@namivt.org or 802-876-7949 ext. 102.

Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity has been building homes in Northwest, VT since 1984. Starting right around the new year, Green Mountain Habitat will be begin building new homes in Hinesburg, VT. Join us at the Carpenter-Carse library to learn more about the builds, how to apply for the homes, as well as how you can get involved and help us make affordable housing a reality for more families.

One of cinema’s all-time actor-director collaborations, Denzel Washington and Spike Lee, reunite for the first time in nearly 20 years—and their fifth movie together overall—for an interpolation of the legendary Akira Kurosawa’s stone-cold classic noir kidnapping thriller High and Low (playing in The Screening Room on September 5), now transported to the mean streets of modern day New York City. When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the “best ears in the business,” is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.

As always, Spike has his finger on the pulse, setting this crime story in the kinetic world of music industry movers and shakers and prominently featuring a number of high-profile pop-rap stars, including ASAP Rocky, Ice Spice, and Princess Nokia, alongside seasoned thespians like Jeffrey Wright and Wendell Pierce.

Join us for this special screening of Highest 2 Lowest in the Film House, the only place playing Spike’s latest joint in our area.

Experience a delightful evening with Cura Skin Therapeutics. Receive a mini facial, watch a move and enjoy snacks! Fun prize giveaways throughout the night.

Set in the Badlands of South Dakota, East of Wall is an authentic portrait of female resilience in the “New West,” inspired and played by the women and girls who live it. Tabatha, a young, rebellious rancher, who rescues and resells horses, must make hard decisions to deal with her fractured family, financial uncertainty of losing her ranch and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge and the skills of the horse trade to a group of wayward neighborhood teens.

“A stunning feature debut that captures the beauty and pain of the modern American West in intimate detail,” said Harrison Richlin in IndieWire. “Tabatha Zimiga may be playing herself, but she’s also giving an incredibly delicate, nuanced performance that harkens to the work of the 1970s American cinema icons like Gena Rowlands, Ellen Burstyn and Karen Black.”

Beecroft talked to NPR’s Scott Simon about the genesis of the project: “I was driving around the U.S.—this would have been maybe five and a half years ago at this point—and we were just trying to find stories, faces we haven’t really seen for maybe a short film… We were lost, and we landed in a tiny town in South Dakota called Oelrichs and a woman there said, if you want a really amazing story, head east of Wall and find a woman named Tabatha. And that’s what I did. And I found Tabatha and her amazing group of teenagers who live out there with her. And I lived with them for three years in order for me to learn everything I could about them before I even started filming this movie.”

Brimming with authenticity, Beecroft’s auspicious docufiction debut immerses us in the triumphs and trials of the Zimiga family while showcasing the beauty of the Badlands and the people who call it home. Featuring star-making performances by Tabatha and daughter Porshia Zimiga (already a TikTok star and rodeo queen), as well as awe-inspiring cinematography by Austin Shelton, East of Wall is a revelatory exploration of women who refuse to back down.

Gerald K. Stoner Sculpture at Switchback Brewing – South End Art Hop 2025
Experience the bold, hand-forged steel sculptures of Gerald K Stoner at Switchback Brewing’s restaurant and taproom during the South End Art Hop.
Sip fresh craft beer, enjoy delicious food, and take in art that shapes space with organic movement and industrial strength.
📅 Dates: September 5th-7th
📍 Location: Switchback Brewing Co. – Restaurant & Taproom, 160 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT
Come for the art, stay for the bites and brews.

The South End Arts + Business Association (SEABA) presents Art Hop, a family friendly, free-to-attend arts festival September 5-7. This annual celebration of all that the South End Arts District has to offer returns with open studios, diverse art exhibits and kid-friendly activities.
Art Hop is an amazing opportunity for the community to come together as we all explore the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Burlington’s arts district. Art Hop is co-created by hundreds of community members hosting and showing work across the 1.5 miles festival. Highlights include:

-The 110+ open studios and small businesses
-Artists in the Juried and SEABA-curated shows
-Designers and models in the STRUT! Fashion show (get your tickets now!)
-Vendors at the Saturday Artist Market
-Participants in Kids Hop, a mini festival for kids to explore art activities and services

You can explore these free events and more Friday, September 5, 5 p.m.-10pm, Saturday, September 6, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday, September 7, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Plus, it doesn’t stop there! SEABA Curated Sites host art exhibitions for 1–3 months after the opening weekend, both at South End sites and online! Visit our website for more details, maps, and ways to volunteer!

The South End Arts + Business Association—known more commonly as SEABA—is a small non-profit arts organization with a mission to promote the interdependence between art and business to enhance the vibrant, creative and diverse community of the South End Arts District.
Facilitating Art Hop is one way we can introduce you to new artists and businesses that you will love to support! Come explore Labor Day weekend and return year-round to enjoy Burlington’s Arts District.

The South End Arts + Business Association
outreach@seaba.com
seaba.com
@seaba

Tickets for STRUT!, Art Hop's fashion show, are available now! Tickets are $20-$30 in advance.

In honor of Spike Lee’s latest effort, Highest 2 Lowest, we present the source material for that film: Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 masterpiece High & Low, as well as Lee’s most iconic film, Do the Right Thing.

One of Kurosawa’s greatest modern-dress tales, High and Low (the literal translation of the Japanese title is “Heaven and Hell,” but why quibble?), focuses on shoe company exec Toshirō Mifune (utterly magnificent, as usual), who is in the midst of a high-stakes corporate takeover when he gets word that his son has been kidnapped, and a ransom is expected. But all is not as it seems…

Adapted from an Ed McBain 87th Precinct novel—the only Kurosawa film to directly come from an American source, unless you count the uncredited Dashiell Hammett at the heart of Yojimbo—Kurosawa gives us the ultimate kidnap movie, replete with numerous classic set pieces (the money drop on the bullet train! The drug pass in the dance hall!).

The first half of the film is confined to Mifune’s office, packed with distraught family, cynical advisers, and super-cool detective Tatsuya Nakadai. Moral and ethical arguments rage until the second half, which descends to street level, as Mifune plays cat-and-mouse with the kidnapper. The New York Times calls it “One of the best detective thrillers ever filmed” and they’re not wrong. It’s also one of Kurosawa’s greatest films and, given that he’s The Best, that’s saying a lot.

This is a Story Listening Workshop for adult LGBTQIA+ Vermonters with cancer experiences who have a story they would like to share and an interest in listening to the stories of others. Family caregivers of LGBTQIA+ Vermonters with cancer experiences are also welcome to attend. The workshop will take place on Saturday, September 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Vermont. To register for the workshop, use the QR code on the flyer to reach the registration form or use the link: https://qualtrics.uvm.edu/jfe/form/SV_3t5jK1SW04cAEAe. Participants will be compensated for participating in an optional research study. Meals and snacks will be provided. Once participants register for the workshop, a team member will reach out to them via phone to confirm their attendance and share the exact location. Please email qtcancer@uvm.edu with any questions.

Workshop participants will learn supportive approaches for facilitating meaningful, connectional conversations. Participants will explore techniques to create an open, invitational space for dialogue, including self-preparation, methods for opening and closing communication, and navigating challenging situations, such as intense disclosures. This workshop is ideal for people 18 years of age and older who want to build community through sharing their stories and listening to others. Opportunities for participating in research include filling out surveys and audio recording stories.

The South End Arts + Business Association (SEABA) presents Art Hop, a family friendly, free-to-attend arts festival September 5-7. This annual celebration of all that the South End Arts District has to offer returns with open studios, diverse art exhibits and kid-friendly activities.
Art Hop is an amazing opportunity for the community to come together as we all explore the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Burlington’s arts district. Art Hop is co-created by hundreds of community members hosting and showing work across the 1.5 miles festival. Highlights include:

-The 110+ open studios and small businesses
-Artists in the Juried and SEABA-curated shows
-Designers and models in the STRUT! Fashion show (get your tickets now!)
-Vendors at the Saturday Artist Market
-Participants in Kids Hop, a mini festival for kids to explore art activities and services

You can explore these free events and more Friday, September 5, 5 p.m.-10pm, Saturday, September 6, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday, September 7, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Plus, it doesn’t stop there! SEABA Curated Sites host art exhibitions for 1–3 months after the opening weekend, both at South End sites and online! Visit our website for more details, maps, and ways to volunteer!

The South End Arts + Business Association—known more commonly as SEABA—is a small non-profit arts organization with a mission to promote the interdependence between art and business to enhance the vibrant, creative and diverse community of the South End Arts District.
Facilitating Art Hop is one way we can introduce you to new artists and businesses that you will love to support! Come explore Labor Day weekend and return year-round to enjoy Burlington’s Arts District.

The South End Arts + Business Association
outreach@seaba.com
seaba.com
@seaba

Gerald K. Stoner Sculpture at Switchback Brewing – South End Art Hop 2025
Experience the bold, hand-forged steel sculptures of Gerald K Stoner at Switchback Brewing’s restaurant and taproom during the South End Art Hop.
Sip fresh craft beer, enjoy delicious food, and take in art that shapes space with organic movement and industrial strength.
📅 Dates: September 5th-7th
📍 Location: Switchback Brewing Co. – Restaurant & Taproom, 160 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT
Come for the art, stay for the bites and brews.

Celebrate back-to-school season with The Flynn Center’s 4th annual Playing Fields Project! Gather with friends and family for an unforgettable night featuring France’s Compagnie OFF’s Les Girafes — a monumental street show that transforms school fields into vibrant stages with a herd of towering red giraffes, music and stunning special effects. Inspired by clowns, vaudeville acts and circus arts, this spectacular show kicks off the school year with fun and delight! Learn more at https://www.flynnvt.org/Community/playing-fields. 

In honor of Spike Lee’s latest effort, Highest 2 Lowest, we present the source material for that film: Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 masterpiece High & Low, as well as Lee’s most iconic film, Do the Right Thing.

Just in time for the end of summer, we present one of the best summer movies ever.

One of the best American films of the past 50 years, Do the Right Thing confirmed Spike Lee as a filmmaker of peerless vision and passionate social engagement. Bolstered by Lee’s brilliant script, the dazzling cinematography of Ernest Dickerson, and dynamic performances up and down the expansive cast, Do the Right Thing remains a cultural lightning rod and a landmark in American cinema.

It’s the hottest day of the year in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, and pizza delivery man Mookie (Spike Lee) is working for Sal (Danny Aiello), the Italian-American owner of a pizzeria in the predominantly Black community. The residents of the neighborhood—including boombox-blasting Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), activist Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito), and Korean shopkeeper Sonny (Steve Park)—coexist tenuously, until a dispute over the pizzeria’s “Wall of Fame”—which showcases famous Italian-Americans, but no Black celebrities—ignites a violent chain of events that ends in tragedy.

Famously dissed by the Oscars, Lee’s film got nominations for its screenplay and Aiello’s supporting performance, losing both, but no nod for Best Picture or its searing cinematography. Even Public Enemy’s rousing classic “Fight the Power,” written specifically for the film, failed to get a Best Original Song nomination. And the biggest insult for Lee came when the Best Picture went to… Driving Miss Daisy. He was not a fan.

The South End Arts + Business Association (SEABA) presents Art Hop, a family friendly, free-to-attend arts festival September 5-7. This annual celebration of all that the South End Arts District has to offer returns with open studios, diverse art exhibits, and kid friendly activities.
Art Hop is an amazing opportunity for the community to come together as we all explore the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Burlington’s arts district. Art Hop is co-created by hundreds of community members hosting and showing work across the 1.5 miles festival. Highlights include:

-The 110+ open studios and small businesses
-Artists in the Juried and SEABA-curated shows
-Designers and models in the STRUT! Fashion show (get your tickets now!)
-Vendors at the Saturday Artist Market
-Participants in Kids Hop, a mini festival for kids to explore art activities and services

You can explore these free events on Friday, September 5, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, September 6, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, September 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Plus, it doesn’t stop there! SEABA Curated Sites host art exhibitions for 1–3 months after the opening weekend, both at South End sites and online! Visit our website for more details, maps, and ways to volunteer!

The South End Arts + Business Association—known more commonly as SEABA—is a small non-profit arts organization with a mission to promote the interdependence between art and business to enhance the vibrant, creative and diverse community of the South End Arts District.
Facilitating Art Hop is one way we can introduce you to new artists and businesses that you will love to support! Come explore Labor Day weekend and return year-round to enjoy Burlington’s Arts District.

Gerald K. Stoner Sculpture at Switchback Brewing – South End Art Hop 2025
Experience the bold, hand-forged steel sculptures of Gerald K Stoner at Switchback Brewing’s restaurant and taproom during the South End Art Hop.
Sip fresh craft beer, enjoy delicious food, and take in art that shapes space with organic movement and industrial strength.
📅 Dates: September 5th-7th
📍 Location: Switchback Brewing Co. – Restaurant & Taproom, 160 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT
Come for the art, stay for the bites and brews.

Celebrate back-to-school season with The Flynn Center’s 4th annual Playing Fields Project! Gather with friends and family for an unforgettable night featuring France’s Compagnie OFF’s Les Girafes — a monumental street show that transforms school fields into vibrant stages with a herd of towering red giraffes, music and stunning special effects. Inspired by clowns, vaudeville acts and circus arts, this spectacular show kicks off the school year with fun and delight! Learn more at https://www.flynnvt.org/Community/playing-fields.

Community Dinner & Forum
September 9
6- 8:30 p.m.
Essex High School Auditorium

Mercy Connections is seeking women across Vermont to join its Vermont Women’s Mentoring Program, an initiative that supports incarcerated women as they transition back into the community. This program trains mentors to provide guidance, encouragement, and support to women affected by the criminal justice system. A new five-week training series begins September 10 and runs through October 8 every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mercy Connections in Burlington. Upon completing training, mentors are carefully matched with mentees—women currently incarcerated, under community supervision, or in pre-trial services—through a collaborative process. No prior experience with the justice system is required.

SHINE is the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence’s annual fundraiser and celebration that brings our community together in support of a vision for a violence-free world. It’s a time to lift each other up, honor our collective work and party with a purpose!

The evening will feature delicious appetizers, a silent auction, music, dynamic speakers and more!