Vermont Public Community Calendar

Made Here Film Festival is a regional festival for filmmakers residing in New England and Québec. MHFF is New England’s only competitive festival dedicated entirely to films made by creatives based in our region. Made Here Film Festival takes place at Burlington Beer Company in an historic building constructed in 1903 as the North American factory of Auguste and Louis Lumière, the film pioneers often credited with the invention of motion pictures and the first cinematic presentations.

MHFF is free to the public. Donations are encouraged.

Take a trip through our solar system to learn about Earth, our Moon, and all the planets in the Milky Way with daily activities and demonstrations at ECHO’s out-of-this-world spring festival. Plus, celebrate what makes our home planet special with the beloved Mud Fling! Discover Mother Nature’s recipe for perfect mud, then join the mud parade and throw mud balls from ECHO’s upper deck.

Bring your whole creative crew together for a drop-in artmaking activity inspired by artists' work featured in BCA's spring exhibitions, "Human Impact: Art and our Environment" and "What's the Difference? Sculptural Ideas".

Champlain Valley Quilt Guild presents our biennial quilt show! The theme this year is “Star Struck.” there will be gorgeous quilts on display, as well as the extraordinary quilts of our featured artist, Hope Johnson. Vendors, raffles, members craft sales, and judges’ awards are all part of the fun.

Made Here Film Festival is a regional festival for filmmakers residing in New England and Québec. MHFF is New England’s only competitive festival dedicated entirely to films made by creatives based in our region. Made Here Film Festival takes place at Burlington Beer Company in an historic building constructed in 1903 as the North American factory of Auguste and Louis Lumière, the film pioneers often credited with the invention of motion pictures and the first cinematic presentations.

MHFF is free to the public. Donations are encouraged.

Take a trip through our solar system to learn about Earth, our Moon, and all the planets in the Milky Way with daily activities and demonstrations at ECHO’s out-of-this-world spring festival. Plus, celebrate what makes our home planet special with the beloved Mud Fling! Discover Mother Nature’s recipe for perfect mud, then join the mud parade and throw mud balls from ECHO’s upper deck.

International ambassador of Latin jazz, Vermont Public radio host, and distinguished music educator, Ray Vega brings his undeniably brilliant mix of Latin and Afro-Caribbean jazz to the First Congregational Church of Essex Junction. A portion of the proceeds will support Age Well.

The Ray Vega Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble will present a program of music from a refreshingly original and contemporary perspective combining Jazz with elements of music from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and more!!

The Community Concerts at First music series celebrates amazing artists from Vermont and New England and brings our community together. Community Concerts at First is an opportunity to hear great music and raise funds for FCCEJ and our community partners.

A portion of the 2026 CC@F concert proceeds will support AgeWell. Their mission is to empower and support individuals as they age by providing community connection and access to services.

Samir Chatterjee, a world-renowned tabla maestro, will guide us through the hidden world of rhythmic cycles, known as tala. Through a dynamic mix of demonstration and discussion, he will break down complex rhythms, showing how they mirror natural patterns and storytelling. Whether you’re new to Indian classical music or a seasoned fan, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for the beauty and precision of tabla.

Join Vermont residents and professionals for a day of workshops and speakers, discussing topics related to supporting the health care, education, and well being of Vermont children/youth with disabilities and special health needs. Keynote speaker, Jeneva Burroughs Stone, is an author and advocate for health care and disability rights.

WORKSHOP TOPICS:
• Strategies Navigating Complex Systems
• Shared Decision Making: When Families and Care Teams
Decide Together
• Beyond High School: Resources & Supports to help Students Build Their Best Life
• Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind Absenteeism: Family Centered Approaches to School Attendance
• Executive Functioning: Common Challenges & Effective Supports
• A Seat at the Table- What Youth with Disabilities Want You to Know

People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors. April 28 & 29th

This immersive exhibit features inspiring stories of compassion and service, interactive activities that explore the realities of poverty, and opportunities to reflect on how we are called to love and serve our neighbors.

Come be inspired by stories of faith, dignity, and hope—and discover how you can make a difference in your community.

Visitors will be invited to record their own inspirational stories of service, and the museum will highlight opportunities for them to engage in service across the country through Catholic Charities agencies and other mission-aligned organizations. Recent surveys show that two-thirds of people are open to volunteering for three simple reasons: to help others, to express empathy for those who need help and to feel more connected to their community.

This project was made possible by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc

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.

The City of Burlington has launched planBTV 2050, a citywide planning initiative aimed at shaping how current and future residents live, move, and work as the City evolves. For the first time, four City departments—the Office of City Planning, Community and Economic Development Office, Department of Public Works, and Burlington Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront—are collaborating to create a holistic vision for a more livable, affordable, sustainable, inclusive, and accessible Burlington.

You are invited to a Community Open House on Thursday, April 30th from 3:30-8pm at One Main Street to explore the challenges, opportunities, and trends that are shaping this plan and share your priorities for Burlington’s future! Community input will inform the unified vision that guides all elements of planBTV 2050.

Visit www.burlingtonvt.gov/planbtv2050 to learn more about this comprehensive planning effort and other ways you can get involved.

Get out the wheelbarrow and brush off your gardening gloves! Vermont Edition invites you to be a part of a live studio audience for their annual spring gardening show. Local gardening expert Charlie Nardozzi will join host Mikaela Lefrak. He’ll share tips for kicking off a good growing season, from new varieties to try in your garden to protecting your plants from pests. Bring your spring gardening questions for a chance to ask Charlie!

Charlie Nardozzi is a gardening consultant, speaker, and TV personality and host of All Things Gardening on Vermont Public.

After the show, Zoe McDonald from our Sprouted newsletter will host a seed and seedling swap. You’re invited to bring your own locally saved or packaged seeds, as well as plant seedlings. Please make sure they are labeled with the type and date harvested. Most seeds will remain viable for 2-4 years if kept in a cool, dry place, out of the light. Some seeds, like onions and leeks, may only be good for one year. We’ll provide envelopes to bring your seeds home with you and paper bags for your seedlings. You do not need to bring seeds or seedlings to participate in the swap.

Event Schedule
Doors open: 11:30 a.m.
Audience must be seated by 11:50 a.m.
Live Broadcast: 12-1p.m.
Seed Swap: 1-1:30 p.m.

Accommodations
Vermont Public is committed to providing access and accommodation for individuals with disabilities at our events. To request accommodations, please email events@vermontpublic.org or call us at 802-655-9451 at least seven days in advance of the event.

Cancellation Policy
Please let us know by emailing events@vermontpublic.org if you are not able to join us so that we may release your tickets to someone else.

Directions and Parking
Vermont Public is located at 365 Troy Ave. in Colchester, in Fort Ethan Allen. The studio is within walking distance of the #2 GMT bus stop on Ethan Allen Ave. Free parking is available at Vermont Public - 365 Troy Ave. in Colchester. If the parking lots are full you may park on the north side of Troy Ave.

Recording Disclosure
This is a live radio broadcast.

Other questions?
Email us at events@vermontpublic.org.

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.

Relax at the Venetian Soda Lounge with VSO Music Director Andrew Crust and composer James Stewart as they take you through Carl Orff’s renowned score, providing historical background, musical analysis, and commentary on Carmina Burana, with visual and musical examples. While you don’t need to be familiar with Medieval Latin to enjoy Carmina Burana, impress your concert-going friends with added insight from this listening party (before the VSO at the Flynn: O Fortuna! concert at 7:30pm on May 9). Tickets to Carmina on the Rocks are available on a sliding scale. German-inspired bites will be served as part of your ticket; cash bar available.

Some movies you have to see to believe; count The Unknown among them. The most celebrated and exquisitely perverse of the many collaborations between director Tod Browning (Freaks) and his legendary leading man Lon Chaney, The Unknown features a wrenchingly physical performance from “the Man of a Thousand Faces” as the armless Spanish knife thrower Alonzo (he flings daggers with his feet… for real!), whose infatuation with his beautiful assistant (very young Joan Crawford)—a woman, it just so happens, who cannot bear to be touched by the hands of any man—drives him to unspeakable extremes. Sadomasochistic obsession, deception, murder, disfigurement, and a spectacular Grand Guignol climax—Browning wrings every last frisson from the lurid premise.

This screening features a live improvised score by Wren Kitz & John Flanagan. Wren is a songwriter and field recordist who blends traditional guitar-and-voice songwriting with field recording and tape collage experimentation. In his attempt to develop a ghostly and contemplative form of musical expression, Wren considers ways to break down walls between genre categorizations. John plays guitar in the surf power trio The Wet Ones! and has participated in many bands and projects including Heavy Plains, Friends Below the Gangway, Spirit Animal/Wolvings, In Memory of Pluto, and Reorder Narcotic.

WHITE is a thought-provoking comedy by James Ijames being brought to Burlington! The play is being produced by Between the Willows and directed by Delanté Keys. The show will be at Off Center for the Dramatic Arts from 5/6-5/17!

Rejected by the gallery of his dreams, a spurned gay white cis male artist hires a local Black actress to pose as the creator of his paintings. Together, they create the perfect candidate for the "New America" exhibition: the charismatic, unapologetic Balkonaé Townsend.

Legal Services Vermont is a non-profit law firm that serves low-income Vermonters across our state. Stop by on Thursday, May 7, from 4:00-7:00 PM, for our inaugural Open House! Meet our dedicated staff, see behind the scenes of our office, and learn about how our free legal services make a difference for Vermonters in need.

Our office is located at 274 N Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401.

Join us at ECHO for a new event series! At Café Sci, we invite you to grab a drink, pull up a chair, and explore the ”what-ifs“ shaping our world alongside the pioneering experts at the frontier. This first discussion will center around AI + Medicine.

AI Is Already in Your Doctor's Office — Now What?
Presenters: Bob Gramling, Matthew Price, Juniper Lovato
Moderator: Chris Danforth

Tuesday, May 7, 2026 | Café Sci @ ECHO | 1 College Street
Doors open at 5:45 pm | Discussion at 6:30 pm
$10 suggested donation | Free Hors d’oeuvres | Cash Bar
This is an 18+ event. 21+ to enjoy the cash bar.

For most of human history, the patient was the primary witness to their own body — you felt something, you reported it, and a clinician interpreted it. AI is changing that. The body produces data constantly, and AI is learning to read it before the patient feels anything, sometimes before the clinician does. The machine is no longer just a tool. It is becoming a presence in the room: observing, measuring, concluding. Join UVM researchers who are tackling this new world to discuss these topics at ECHO’s first new Café Sci event:

• Bob Gramling records and analyzes thousands of hours of conversations between doctors and dying patients, using AI to find the patterns that make those conversations genuinely human.
• Matthew Price uses phones and wearables to deliver mental health care to trauma survivors in the moments and places traditional care can't reach.
• Juniper Lovato asks who's accountable when AI reshapes the stories we tell about ourselves — and who owns the data those stories are built from.
• Chris Danforth, moderating, has spent his career measuring human health through data.

Together, they're circling the same unsettling question from four different angles: AI is in the room; now what? No slides. No scripts. Just an honest conversation about where all this is heading.

Presented by: ECHO, UVM EPSCoR, Vermont Complex Systems Institute, and aiVermont

More info: https://www.echovermont.org/event/cafe-sci-ai-medicine/