Vermont Public Community Calendar

Open to all ages: spoken word, storytelling, skits. Sing along, listen and enjoy! Refreshments, snacks and soft drinks will be available as well as a potluck dinner. Call Greg Beeman for more details: 802-324-0308.

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present contemporary folk singer/songwriters Antje Duvekot and Seth Glier for an evening of luminous storytelling — songs of heart, conscience, and connection that illuminate both inner and outer landscapes.

Known for her poetic lyricism and deeply empathetic writing, Antje Duvekot has earned top honors from the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, Kerrville Folk Festival, and the Boston Music Awards. A captivating performer, she has toured internationally and appeared at leading festivals including Newport, Philadelphia, and Mountain Stage.

A five-time Independent Music Award winner and Grammy-nominated artist, Seth Glier brings a visionary voice to modern folk. His work as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and cultural diplomat has taken him around the world, collaborating with artists across continents and championing songwriting as a vehicle for positive change.

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Some months on 3rd Saturdays there is a Waltzing Session 7-7:45. Check the website or Facebook page. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org. $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.

Celebrate the season with an afternoon of light, song, and community at Next Stage’s Winter Solstice Celebration! Join us from 2:00–3:00 pm for luminaria decorating and our festive cookie swap drop-off (bring a batch to share!). Return from 4:00–4:30 pm to pick up an assorted selection of cookies to take home.

From 3:00–4:30 pm, join friends and neighbors for a joyful Putney Holiday Community Sing-Along. Led by Rich Grumbine on guitar, the sing-along invites everyone to request and join in on favorites from a songbook of 60 beloved holiday tunes—traditional, secular, and children’s classics. Lyrics will be projected on the big screen so everyone can follow along.

Free and open to all!

Join us for a joyful holiday performance with Beth Telford and Justin Park on Sunday, December 21 at 2 PM, as they share music from their Cape Breton repertoire alongside festive seasonal favorites. Their blend of fiddle, guitar, and mandolin creates tight interplay, vibrant energy, and a fresh take on traditional tunes.

Beth has been part of Vermont’s traditional music community since 1983 and is known for her deep expertise in Celtic styles, especially the music of Cape Breton, which she studied with legendary fiddler Jerry Holland. She has performed widely throughout the region and has taught fiddle to students of all ages.

Justin Park (mandolin, guitar, vocals) has performed at Chandler Music Hall, New World Festival, and Bluegrass Brunch this year. Audiences may also recognize him from Trifolium, Mountain Dog, or past collaborations with Beth.

A new musical concert experience celebrating the holiday spirit!

This holiday season, Koolist Entertainment is proud to launch a world premiere tour. From the creators of Koolulam – The Mass Global Singing Sensation that swept the hearts of millions to sing together worldwide.

Join Carol, Carole, and Caroline as they take you through an immersive, fun musical journey – sing all your favorite holiday songs.

The heart of community, music & honest conversation.

Join us for a special evening as longtime collaborators and musical storytellers Andrew James & John Gratton step back into duo mode, bringing the spirit of their band Citizen Bare together once more in this intimate all-ages BYOB venue.

From 2007, John and Andrew co-founded Citizen Bare, writing songs steeped in hope, freedom, and social justice under the mantra “live free, die naked.” They shared stages, wrote albums (including 2011’s Carnival), and crafted a sound dubbed “Blusicana” — Americana and blues with harmony-rich textures and a message. Now they reunite for a night of originals, deep harmonies, and stories told through guitar, voice and heart.

Expect two hours of dynamic interplay — Andrew’s & John’s honed songwriting and harmony sensibilities coupled with roots-inflected grit. They’ll revisit key Citizen Bare tunes alongside new compositions born from that same desire for transparency, reconciliation, and musical truth. And they’ll do it in the welcoming, creative space that the Dick Wright Public House has become — a gathering place in Franklin that champions arts, live music and community conversation.

Whether you’ve followed their journey since the early days, discovered Andrew’s work with his duo/trio The Owl Stars, or are just arriving fresh to their live sound — this evening promises meaningful songs, soulful expression and an atmosphere that invites connection.

Arrive at 6:00 pm, bring your own drink if you like, enjoy the local vibe, and settle in for a show where two musicians who have known each other for decades bring their shared story into the moment. A hand-picked set that blends roots, soul, blues-tinged Americana and vocal harmony — all served up in a space that believes in bringing people together.

Mark the date. Bring friends. Let’s make December 27 a night of song, story and community in Franklin. See you there!

Come on over to the Pub to ring in the New Year!

We’ll have a countdown and toast every hour on the hour, so you can still make your 8:00 winter bedtime. Non-alcoholic bubbly will be provided, or bring your own adult beverage.

Franklin favorite Jim Branca celebrates with us from 6pm to 9pm, probably joined by a few special guests.

We’ll be open until midnight if anyone else wants to stick it out that long!

This event is all-ages, BYOB.

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.

A Stephen Kellogg performance is like watching Ted Lasso live. Whether he’s playing music or doing stand-up, his shows leave people inspired and restored. For more than two decades, this wordsmith, TedX speaker, stand-up comic, author and troubadour has delighted audiences around the world.

Planet Bluegrass calls him “a first class songwriter with a poet’s gift for fresh imagery,” and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz says of Kellogg, “there are few people in rock n’ roll who are just so great.” He has received the Armed Forces Entertainer of the Year award and has had his work nominated for a Grammy. Rolling Stone magazine describes his sound as “John Prine fronting the Heartbreakers.” The recent “Sit Down & Stand Up” Tour was a one man show that opened to rave reviews from fans and critics alike, culminating in a two-night filming for a forthcoming one-hour comedy special.

A mix of music, humor and storytelling, each performance paints a unique canvas that covers the full spectrum of human emotions. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll go home with a full heart.

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Some months on 3rd Saturdays there is a Waltzing Session 7-7:45. Check the website or Facebook page. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org. $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.

Experience the timeless genius of Ellington's music, brilliantly reimagined by Moran.

Guided by Duke Ellington's great canon, Moran takes a solo piano climb up "Mount Ellington" in this extraordinary celebration of the composer's enduring legacy 125 years after his birth.

A MacArthur Fellow and Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz, Moran is known for pushing boundaries. He blends tradition and innovation, weaving together history, memory and modern sound. His work is at once cerebral and soulful, deeply grounded and wildly free.

Performances:
Wed, Jan 21 at 7 p.m. (May be sold out. Please contact the Box Office at 603.646.2422 for ticketing availability) & 9 p.m.

Exhilarating jazz with unexpected turns and fearless improvisation.

Groundbreaking pianist and composer Jason Moran is one of the most visionary artists of his generation. His longtime trio, The Bandwagon—with bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits—is revered for its intuitive and bold interplay, that is rooted in tradition and fearless in its contemporary exploration of the genre.

Guitar slung low, microphone turned up, and emotion overflowing, Joe Samba taps into rock ‘n’ roll spirit and reggae soul all at once. The Massachusetts-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist sonically teeters on an axis of island-inflected grooves and gritty guitar-craft balanced by his dynamic vocals. He finds the sweet spot between smoked-out Caribbean bliss and sweat-soaked punkified energy. It’s why he’s quietly emerged as a phenomenon, toppling charts at #1 and performing alongside everyone from The Dirty Heads to Pepper.

American music masters Edgar Meyer (bass) and Mike Marshall (mandolin) join together with George Meyer (violin) for a special collaboration usually only heard on the summer bluegrass festival circuit! Expect to hear works from the genre bending Short Trip Home album of many years ago as well as new music written specifically for this tour. Edgar’s son George is charting his own course in the musical world and represents the next generation of artists expressing their unique voices and perspective. He certainly has strong roots!

An electrifying fusion of sound, storytelling and pure energy.

With his violin in hand, the indie-rock artist weaves together lush, layered melodies that pulse with life. His music stretches across boundaries—symphonic folk, Brazilian jazz, 70s funk, orchestral rock and Japanese city pop—blending them into something new. With a backup band that is pure energy, Kishi Bashi's songs create an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience.

In his latest album "Kantos", the California-based multi-instrumentalist otherwise known as Kaoru Ishibashi, explores the possible end of humanity as we know it in a party album; at turns deeply unsettling and sublimely joyful.

Don't miss a screening of "Omoiyari: A Song Film" by Kishi Bashi about WWII-era Japanese incarceration and what it means to be a minority in America today.

The Montpelier Contra Dance happens every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday at the Capital City Grange Hall. We dance to live music with contra dance bands and callers from around New England and beyond. Beginners, singles, and all ages are welcome; all dances are taught. We use gender neutral role terms. There's a newcomers lesson at 7:45 pm and dancing 8-11pm. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes. More info at www.montpeliercontradance.org $12 adults, $5 kids/low-income, $20 dance supporters. Cash preferred. Venmo or CC accepted. Questions? 802-225-8921 or cdu.tim@gmail.com.

With his signature beard and African headgear, Billy F. Gibbons is instantly recognizable and best known as the centerpiece of ZZ Top.

BFG is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest guitarists working in the blues-rock idiom. The sound originates from the uncanny knack to squeeze unheard of sounds out of the electric guitar with the blues, pop, R&B, country, gospel, western, hillbilly and West Africa. That BFG down ‘n dirty growl is unmistakable heard on such hits as “La Grange,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Cheap Sunglasses."

Billy F. Gibbons is much more than an iconic guitar slinger with a monumental length of chin whiskers… He’s an internationally recognized collector of guitars and cars, noted in the best-selling book, Rock + Roll Gearhead.

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.