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festivals
Kids dance in the foundation to DJ music during Splash Dance
Summer in the City Branding

Summer in the City

Join BCA and Love Burlington for a summerlong celebration of downtown arts and culture! Events feature longtime City Hall Park and Church Street Marketplace favorites like lunchtime Summer Concerts, Sunday Classical, and Party on the Bricks, plus new fun for the whole family like Flicks in the Park and the Twilight Block Party.   

Summer in the City 2025 is underwritten by the Pomerleau Family Foundation and The WaterWheel Foundation. Presenting Sponsors: East Rise Credit Union and AARP. Supporting Sponsors: Lake Champlain Chocolates, Soundtoys, City Market, Onion River Co-op. Community Sponsor: American Flatbread Burlington Hearth. Media sponsors WCAX and Seven Days.  In-Kind Support: Chocolate Thunder Security.  
 

New! Twilight Block Party
Every other Saturday, 4-8pm 
June 7 – September 27, City Hall Park
It’s time to party! Burlington’s newest Block Party features eclectic artists and maker vendors, inspiring art activities, and outstanding music for a sunset shindig in City Hall Park every other Saturday. Lounge on the lawn, grab a bite, sip a drink at the Twilight bar. Concerts begin at 5pm.

Summer Concerts
Wednesdays & Fridays, 12:30pm 
June 4 – August 22, City Hall Park
This staple of the summer brings new and familiar musicians to the park for a great afternoon set. Bring your friends, bring your lunch!

 

Sunday Classical 
Sundays, 10am 
July 6 – August 27, City Hall Park 
This beloved series showcases Vermont classical musicians with great music and coffee in City Hall Park. It’s not to be missed!

Splash Dance 
Fridays, 4pm & Saturdays, 2:30pm 
June 6 – September 27, City Hall Park
Calling all kids and grown-ups! Come dance with some of Vermont’s best DJs as they spin tunes in concert with the splash pad in City Hall Park.

Flicks in the Park 
Thursdays, 8pm 
August 7-28, City Hall Park
This big screen lineup under the stars will make for a quintessential downtown summer experience in City Hall Park. In partnership with VTIFF.

BCA Summer Exhibitions
June 6-September 14, BCA Center
Opening Reception June 6, 5pm
Experience Jacob Hashimoto’s immersive, site-specific installation made of thousands of hand-made papers, or submerge into a world of art animation at BCA’s summer exhibitions. Join free artmaking sessions during the Twilight Block Party inspired by the patterned and colorful works on view.

Party on the Bricks
Thursdays, 5:30-8pm
July 10 – August 21, Church Street Marketplace

Each week, the party pops up on a different block of the Church Street Marketplace. Think patio dining, dancing in the street, good food, refreshing drinks, outdoor shopping, and warm summer nights! 

Sidewalk Sale
Wednesday-Sunday, all day
August 6-10, Church Street Marketplace
One of the Marketplace's longest-running traditions, the Sidewalk Sale brings four days of unbeatable deals--up to 80% off--as stores spill onto the bricks each August.  Refuel at local restaurants and cafes while you shop!

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BTV Winter Market, BCA Love Burlington over a photograph of an outdoor market at dusk, with people milling about wooden sheds decorated with evergreen garlands and twinkly lights and blue and green adirondack chairs around firepits

BTV Winter Market

BCA and Love Burlington present the BTV Winter Market! Building on the 20+ years of BCA's Holiday Artist Market and the Love Burlington Winter Market, this European-style outdoor market will make for a magical month-long experience featuring a rotating group of 20 local artists, makers, and food vendors in a festive atmosphere that will capture the spirit of the season in City Hall Park.  

With both seasoned makers with emerging local vendors, The BTV Winter Market will support a wide spectrum of local artists while creating a vibrant, joyful space for our community to gather and celebrate the most wonderful time of year. 

 

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Highlight New Year's Eve Celebration

BCA and Signal Kitchen partnered in 2018 to produce a new New Year’s Eve celebration for the City of Burlington following 35 successful years for First Night. Highlight now welcomes revelers from far and wide to celebrate with unique, in-person experiences in downtown Burlington and at the Waterfront. We’ll set the stage for the biggest party of the year as we come together to count down the experiences and ideas that make our community a hub of incredible creativity. Artists, food vendors, musicians, and everyone in between helps build an event that HIGHLIGHTS Burlington and the best of Vermont, live for one glorious night as we cheers to auld lang syne.

Highlight’s events are designed and built by your friends and neighbors. Through an open call for proposals, we Highlight funds and supports eclectic ideas driven by creativity, innovation, and our events team brings them to life at Highlight.

Check out Highlight.Community for more information.

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Festival of Fools

Burlington City Arts has proudly produced the Festival of Fools since 2007. The festival is a curated celebration of street performance devoted to community engagement through the celebration of circus arts, music, and comedy for family audiences. Festival of Fools is on pause and plans to return in 2026!