Spice up your Vermont fall with these 30 arts and entertainment events in September

So many people decry the end of summer, but if you think about it, we love celebrating everything a Vermont fall has to offer.

The air is crisp, and the leaves start to turn all sorts of shades. Soups soothe the soul. Scads of shoppers make a beeline for any place offering pumpkin spice-flavored coffee or scones or ceiling tiles or whatever product you can or can’t imagine.

The cusp of fall is also a great time for the arts. Theater companies kick off new seasons. Concerts happen indoors and outdoors. (You’ll find some of the latter at the tail end of our summer concert preview.) Comedians welcome the darkening days with lightening humor.

OK, September actually begins with three weeks of summer; that’s a fair point. But the month heralds a busy season that gets fans of arts and entertainment especially excited. Here are 30 events that don’t need pumpkin spice to spice up your days and nights.

Denzel Washington, Spike Lee on film

4 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Vermont International Film Festival screens the new Spike Lee film “Highest 2 Lowest,” starring fellow Oscar winner Denzel Washington, Main Street Landing Film House, Burlington. $6-$12. www.vtiff.org

New design gallery in Burlington

4-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, the new design space Gallery Nurture by Nature, founded by Kate Swanson, will present exhibitions and collectible works starting with a reception celebrating the debut exhibition “Unknown Friends,” on display through Oct. 30, 47 Maple St., Burlington. Free. www.n-by-n.com

Art Hop bounds into South End

5-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, the street party and self-guided gallery tour that is the South End Art Hop returns for its 33^rd year in Burlington, with a three-day run ending at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, throughout the city’s South End. Events are free except for the STRUT! Fashion Show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at the former ArtsRiot space on Pine Street ($20-$30). www.seaba.com/arthop

A weekend for Pride

8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, a weekend of Pride events includes a Pride Ball with the circus-themed “Freak Show” featuring DJs and drag performers, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $25. www.highergroundmusic.com. The weekend culminates from noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, with a Pride parade and festival, downtown and at Waterfront Park, Burlington. Free. www.pridecentervt.org

‘Crazy People’ in Middlebury

2 p.m. Saturday Sept. 6, the Gail Freedman documentary “No One Cares About Crazy People,” inspired by the book by Vermont author Ron Powers with narration by Bob Odenkirk and music from Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, explores the crisis of severe mental illness in America and will be screened before a discussion that includes Freedman and Powers, Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. $5-$17. www.townhalltheater.org

Jeffersonville showcases new art exhibit

5-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, the exhibition “Across the Spectrum,” which runs through Nov. 2 and features the work of Vermont artist Cynthia Rosen, includes this meet-the-artist event, Bryan Fine Art Gallery, Jeffersonville. Free. www.bryangallery.org

Steph Pappas plays Charlotte

1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, Burlington music veteran Steph Pappas performs at a fundraiser for the Charlotte Memorial Museum. Free; donations welcome. www.charlottevthistory.org

Montreal musician at Radio Bean

7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, Montreal singer-songwriter Ada Lee follows Burlington performer Audrey Pearl, Radio Bean, Burlington. $15. www.radiobean.com

Indie-pop from Nashville

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, Nashville indie-pop musician Maya Manuela joins opener Frankie White, Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington. $12. www.highergroundmusic.com

Grace Potter returns with Grand Point North

4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, Vermont rocker Grace Potter is back with her Grand Point North concert series, starting with her performance with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra as well as sets by Britney Spencer, The Wet Ones!, Burly Girlies and Grace Palmer; followed at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, with a performance by Potter after sets by Melt, ISTA, Slob Drop, Heady Betty and Dutch Experts; and at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, with a concert by jam-rock favorites Goose, Waterfront Park, Burlington. $54 per show Friday-Saturday, $94 for a two-day pass; Goose is sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com

‘A Taste of Ireland’ in Vermont

7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, the Celtic music-and-dance performance “A Taste of Ireland” begins a trio of Vermont shows at the Flynn, Burlington. $42-$73. www.flynnvt.org. Other performances (both at 7:30 p.m.) are Saturday, Sept. 13, Dibden Center for the Arts, Vermont State University, Johnson ($42-$62, www.catamontarts.org), and Sunday, Sept. 18, Paramount Theatre, Rutland ($42.80-$74.90, www.paramountvt.org).

Bob Mould visits Higher Ground

8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, the leader of ‘80s alt-rockers Husker Du, Bob Mould, plays a show following opener J. Robbins, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $35. www.highergroundmusic.com

Night Moves on a Monday night

7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, the Minneapolis foursome Night Moves — they describe their sound as “cosmic twang rock disco” — join Raybody in the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington. $18. www.highergroundmusic.com

A whole lot of Jim Gaffigan

7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan begins a five-show, four-day stay that includes performances at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19; 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, the Flynn, Burlington. $48-$165.25. www.flynnvt.org

Burlington goes baroque

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, the second-annual Burlington Baroque Festival, under the direction of Eric Milnes, begins a four-day run of concerts that also take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 20, as well as 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, College Street Congregational Church, Burlington. $10-$80; $140-$285 for festival passes; free for children. www.burlingtonbaroque.org

Comedy from Kondabolu

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, comedian Hari Kondabolu is back for sets that also happen at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, and Saturday, Sept. 20, Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington. $25. www.vermontcomedyclub.com

‘Parent on Board’ drives for laughs

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, the Middlebury Acting Company and Interact Creative join to present “Parent on Board,” a sketch-and-music performance that also runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, and 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. $17-$55. www.townhalltheater.org. The troupe is also scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, and 6:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, Off Center for the Dramatic Arts, Burlington. Ticket prices to be announced. www.offcentervt.com

Fiddlehead features fall festival

6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, Shelburne’s Fiddlehead Brewing begins its FallFest featuring music from Burlington favorite Kat Wright and continues at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, with the University of Vermont-born indie band Rubblebucket, Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville. $22.50-$86.02. www.smuggs.com

UVM’s Lane Series returns

7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, the University of Vermont Lane Series celebrates 70 years of performances with its opening concert this season by pianist Evren Ozel, UVM Recital Hall, Burlington. $7.50-$38.50. www.uvm.edu/laneseries

TURNmusic concerts in Waterbury, Burlington

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, TURNmusic celebrates the 75^th birthday of Vermont composer Erik Nielsen with the TURNmusic string quartet (Mary Rowell, Brooke Quiggins, Elizabeth Reid and John Dunlop) and clarinet player Dan Liptak, The Phoenix Art Gallery and Music Hall, Waterbury. That’s followed at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, with a concert at the Main Street Landing Film House, Burlington. $30-$50. www.turnmusic.org

Capital City Concerts begins 26th year

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, the 26^th season of Capital City Concerts commences with pianist Robert McDonald, Unitarian Church, Montpelier. $10-$50. www.capitalcityconcerts.org

African diaspora music at Clemmons Family Farm

4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, soprano Brenda Marie Turner, kora player John Hughes and pianist Kyle Walker perform classical music of the African diaspora, Clemmons Family Farm, Charlotte. Free; advance reservations required. www.clemmonsfamilyfarm.org/african-diaspora-classical-music

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ turned into musical

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, through Wednesday, Sept. 24, the film-turned-musical “Mrs. Doubtfire” hits the stage for two performances at the Flynn, Burlington. $71-$100. www.flynnvt.org

‘Come From Away’ comes to Northern Stage

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, the musical “Come From Away” begins the season at Northern Stage and runs through Oct. 26, Byrne Theatre, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction. $40-$100. www.northernstage.org

Vermont Stage turns 31

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, the 31^st season of Vermont Stage starts with the humor-filled Lindsay Joelle play “The Garbologists,” Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington. $34-$59. www.vermontstage.org

Mary Chapin Carpenter, Brandy Clark in concert

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, singer-songwriters Mary Chapin Carpenter and Brandy Clark share a bill at the Paramount Theatre, Rutland. $69-$129. www.paramountvt.org

‘The Other Mozart’ appears in Middlebury

7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, the Middlebury Performing Arts Series, in its 106^th year, continues its new season with the play “The Other Mozart” written and performed by Sylvia Milo, Wright Theatre, Middlebury College. $5-$30. www.middlebury.edu/college/arts/performing-arts-series

VSO starts Flynn season

7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra begins its 2025-26 season with “East Meets West,” a concert led by conductor Andrew Crust and featuring tabla player Sandeep Das and sitarist Rajib Karmakar, the Flynn, Burlington. $8.35-$62. www.vso.org or www.flynnvt.org

Honey & Soul ends its roll

Saturday, Sept. 27, the Burlington folk-soul musical group Honey & Soul marks the end of its eight-year run with one final concert, Radio Bean, Burlington. Time and ticket prices to be announced. www.facebook.com/honeyandsoulmusic

‘Cosmic Country’ hits Higher Ground

8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, rock band Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country settles into the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $25. www.highergroundmusic.com

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Things to do in Vermont in September: Music, theater, comedy and more