Vermont Public Community Calendar

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s dynamic duo is back and this time, it's all about Carmen! VSO Music Director Andrew Crust and composer James Stewart explore this epic Sevillian story with passion, jealousy, and freedom at the core in preparation for VSO's Valentine's Day concert featuring Carmen orchestral suites. Relax with Andrew and James as they take you through George Bizet’s renowned score, providing historical background, musical analysis, and commentary on this work, with visual and musical examples. While you don’t need to be familiar with opera to enjoy Carmen, impress your concert-going friends before Valentine's Day with added insight from this talk and listening party. Nibbles provided; cash bar on site.

Young boys are making headlines these days, and the reasons aren't that positive. Fewer boys are enrolling in college, many are struggling with isolation and addiction, and there are problematic messages out there telling boys to be tough and "suck it up". What is the manosphere, and how do parents differentiate between positive and negative online spaces? What impact may the world have on our sons as they move through adolescence? Join Dad Guild and gender expert Kate Mangino for this town hall-style discussion.

“The Librarians” takes viewers from Texas to Florida and beyond, where local libraries have become unexpected battlegrounds in a national struggle over parental control, intellectual freedom, and democracy itself. Sparked by the controversial “Krause List” in Texas, which targets 850 books centered on race and LGBTQIA+ stories, the film takes a deep investigative dive into the escalating movement against book banning. The film captures the courage and resilience of the everyday heroes, librarians, as well as concerned parents and students flanking them, who have become first responders in the fight for the freedom to read, standing defiantly against censorship at all costs.

Film debrief facilitated by Stephen Kiernan following the movie. Tickets are free, but registration is required.

Click here to watch a preview of the film.

Join us for an 8-class series taught by Technology for Tomorrow! Designed to help adult learners build advanced workplace-ready technology skills, BTC's Tier 2 Digital Literacy course is intended for learners who already have basic computer experience and are ready to strengthen their confidence using Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, cloud-based tools, and cross-platform navigation. Each 1.5-hour session provides hands-on, practical instruction using Google Drive, Docs, Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, and Slides, with clear connections to how these skills transfer to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

VSAC tuition assistance may be available to eligible adult learners and can cover all or part of the program cost. For more information or to inquire about eligibility, contact btcadulted@bsdvt.org.

Young boys are making headlines these days, and the reasons aren't that positive. Fewer boys are enrolling in college, many are struggling with isolation and addiction, and there are problematic messages out there telling boys to be tough and "suck it up". What is the manosphere, and how do parents differentiate between positive and negative online spaces? What impact may the world have on our sons as they move through adolescence? Join Dad Guild and gender expert Kate Mangino for this town hall-style discussion.

Center Centre Clay Studio is hosting hand building pottery workshops in February!

All workshops will be taught by Katie Cameron (Cry Baby Clay), are best suited to ages 16 and up, are beginner friendly, and include all materials. After the workshop, finished work will be glazed (food safe) and fired in our kilns. Students will be notified when their work is ready for pickup.

WIGGLE VASES - Friday, February 13, 6-8pm - learn how to use a paper template and slabs to build a super chic wiggle vase.

GOBLETS - Saturday, February 14, 6-8pm - pinch, sculpt, assemble, and decorate goblets

PINCH POT MUGS - Friday, February 20, 6-8pm - pinch, sculpt, and decorate a mug with colorful underglazes

FREESTYLE SCULPTURE - Friday, February 27, 6-8pm - learn how to turn a hunk of clay into anything you can dream up!

Pre-registration required at: centercentreclay.com/workshops

How are gender roles perpetuated in our own homes? What is the "mental load"? What are the models of partnership for a two-income household? How do both parents benefit from gender equity in the home? Explore the topic of gender equality at home with Dad Guild and author Kate Mangino and receive a free copy of her book, "Equal Partners".

Nella rapidly rose to international fame thanks to her powerful voice and undeniable presence. In a short period of time, she went from graduating from Berklee College of Music to winning the 2019 Latin GRAMMY® Award for Best New Artist. That same year, her full-length debut, Voy (I Go), produced by the award-winning Javier Limón for Casa Limón Records, featured the hit “Me Llaman Nella (They Call Me Nella)” and garnered enthusiastic praise from NPR. The title track was named the one of the best songs of 2019 by The New York Times.

Vermont Symphony Orchestra joins Grammy Award-winning violinist Jennifer Koh for Philip Glass’ Violin Concerto No. 1 for a matinee concert on Valentines Day. The afternoon also features music by Frank Zappa, Augusta Holmes, and suites from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. Conducted by Andrew Crust. Student tickets $10; adult tickets $25 - $62 (+tax/fees).

Pete Francis is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known for blending eclectic genres and collaborating across the musical spectrum. Initially one-third of the legendary New England indie band Dispatch, Pete and the group sold over 700,000 albums and achieved monumental live success, including five sell-outs at Madison Square Garden and a record-breaking 100,000-person crowd at Boston’s Hatch Shell. During Dispatch’s near decade-long hiatus, Pete launched a solo career in 2001, releasing seven albums through his Dragon Crest Collective label and establishing himself as an emotive and dynamic artist.

Following Dispatch’s reunion in 2011, Pete balanced solo projects with his band role. In 2019, he left Dispatch to fully embrace his solo career. His 2023 album PTRN SKY! marked a major shift as his first self-recorded and self-produced effort. The album blends vibrant electronic beats with his signature style and was recorded in his home studio alongside Grammy-winning producer Scott Jacoby. Since then, he’s released several home-recorded singles and EPs, including Neon Light Blind, the self-titled Pete Francis EP, and Hurricane Candle, a heartfelt tribute to his late father.

As of 2025, Pete is gearing up for new releases, including remixes of his Summer 2024 hit Smile, featuring G. Love and Demarco, and an upcoming album with producer Mikey Bar-Lavi. He’s also regularly performing at iconic New York and New England venues, where he continues to connect with both longtime fans and new listeners.

The soul of Mama Afrika meets the fire of Motown and Soul… in a pint-sized packet of dynamite. After a mere six years in the industry, and with over twenty international tours under her belt, Nomfusi has become one of South Africa’s most sought-after performers worldwide. Indeed, there is nothing small about the tiny songstress with the gigantic voice and tons of charm. With sheer will and determination, she has risen from the squalor of South African squatter camps to some of the finest stages of the world.

Likened by critics to a young Miriam Makeba with a twist of Tina Turner, the multiple SAMA and Metro FM Award nominee embraces both her African heritage and the sounds of Soul and Motown she grew up with. Like a purifying wild fire that cuts through the bone, her cathartic performances have been praised across the globe.

Supported by Mid Atlantic Arts.

Enjoy live music from Yankee Chank and Mango Jam, dancing, cajun snacks and cash bar.

Mardi Gras in Burlington on the official date for Fat Tuesday featuring live Cajun and Zydeco music from Yankee Chank and Mango Jam. Not required but costumes and dancing are welcome. Burlington joins other parts of the world like Brazil, Venice and New Orleans who host large public festivities with tens of thousands attending. A dance floor is included as well as snacks and a cash bar.

Presented by MS Projects LLC with support from Hotel Vermont, Iapetus Wine, the Alliance Française of the Lake Champlain Region and others. A majority of the evening will consist of live Cajun and Zydeco music and dancing. Proceeds continue to support families with children being treated for cancer.

Join the Kelly Brush Foundation on Wednesday, February 18, for an evening celebrating the power of community and 20 years of KBF’s impact. Enjoy a drink and a special screening of the award-winning documentary Best Day Ever, followed by a Q&A with Kelly Brush and stars from the film. The documentary follows KBF Chief Program Ambassador Greg Durso and community member Allie Bianchi as they navigate life with disability and find joy, connection, and belonging in Vermont’s mountain biking community.

February 18 marks 20 years since Kelly sustained a life-changing spinal cord injury while competing in an NCAA Alpine ski race, inspiring the founding of the Kelly Brush Foundation. What began as one moment has grown into a powerful community dedicated to empowering people with spinal cord injuries to lead active lives, and we’re excited to celebrate all we’ve accomplished together.

Center Centre Clay Studio is hosting hand building pottery workshops in February!

All workshops will be taught by Katie Cameron (Cry Baby Clay), are best suited to ages 16 and up, are beginner friendly, and include all materials. After the workshop, finished work will be glazed (food safe) and fired in our kilns. Students will be notified when their work is ready for pickup.

WIGGLE VASES - Friday, February 13, 6-8pm - learn how to use a paper template and slabs to build a super chic wiggle vase.

GOBLETS - Saturday, February 14, 6-8pm - pinch, sculpt, assemble, and decorate goblets

PINCH POT MUGS - Friday, February 20, 6-8pm - pinch, sculpt, and decorate a mug with colorful underglazes

FREESTYLE SCULPTURE - Friday, February 27, 6-8pm - learn how to turn a hunk of clay into anything you can dream up!

Pre-registration required at: centercentreclay.com/workshops

Set in a rural, remote Chilean mining town in 1982, Diego Céspedes’ dazzling debut feature follows young Lidia, who grows up within a vibrant queer household led by drag performers and trans women. When a mysterious illness—rumored to spread through the gaze between men—sows fear and hysteria, the community becomes the target of suspicion and violence. Through Lidia’s eyes, Céspedes crafts a haunting allegory of love, myth, and prejudice that reimagines the early AIDS era as a queer western with poetic intimacy and desert-dry surrealism.

Winner of the Un Certain Regard Award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo recalls the emotional vibrancy of Almodóvar and continues Chile’s proud legacy of queer cinema—marking Céspedes as one of the most exciting new voices in world cinema.

Renee Rosnes, pianist/leader of jazz quintet, Artemis, is a creative, technically dazzling and intelligent pianist. Her husband is masterful jazz eminence Bill Charlap. When they perform together, each on their own grand piano, “Neither pianist compromises their artistic inclinations…, instead merging effortlessly to create a tapestry of refined and tasteful statements.” (All About Jazz) Theirs is a performance best experienced in the intimate surroundings of the UVM Recital Hall.

Run first, mascot breakfast after! The FREE Youth Fun Run includes a ½-mile or 1-mile out-and-back course along Market Street in South Burlington’s City Center. Check-in begins at 8:15 AM, and both distances start promptly at 9:00 AM. After the run, participants can warm up inside the school and enjoy the FREE Mascot Breakfast with Vermont’s favorite mascot celebrities, hosted by South Burlington Recreation & Parks. Fun Run registration is required (online or in person). The Mascot Breakfast requires separate registration and space is very limited. Parents/guardians are welcome to cheer—only runners need to register.

Step right up to the most electrifying festival of the year! ECHO’s Circuit Circus will spark your scientific curiosity with daily hair-raising science shows, crowd-dazzling spectacles, and hands-on activities all about the wonders of electricity.

If you’ve ever dreamed of a personal visit with the Dalai Lama—who hasn’t?—this film is about to make your dream come true. Wisdom of Happiness shows us that happiness is still possible, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. This powerful message of hope is delivered as a personal audience with one of the greatest living thinkers, Nobel Peace Prize winner Tenzin Gyatso, known to billions around the world as the Dalai Lama. Speaking as a member of our single global community, he shares practical wisdom for finding peace, compassion, and hope in the midst of chaos. With disarming clarity and deep humanity, he invites us to imagine—and help create—a world where compassion is activated as our strongest force for change, and happiness is within reach for everyone.

If you’ve ever dreamed of a personal visit with the Dalai Lama—who hasn’t?—this film is about to make your dream come true. Wisdom of Happiness shows us that happiness is still possible, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. This powerful message of hope is delivered as a personal audience with one of the greatest living thinkers, Nobel Peace Prize winner Tenzin Gyatso, known to billions around the world as the Dalai Lama. Speaking as a member of our single global community, he shares practical wisdom for finding peace, compassion, and hope in the midst of chaos. With disarming clarity and deep humanity, he invites us to imagine—and help create—a world where compassion is activated as our strongest force for change, and happiness is within reach for everyone.