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The country turns 250 years old this month. That, to put it mildly, is a big deal. Numerous activities will take place to celebrate that rare occasion, many of which we at the Burlington Free Press have written about elsewhere<\/a>.<\/p>\n A couple of the 31 Vermont events listed below are tied into that patriotic party. The remainder are less starry and stripey and more about just having a good time and being enlightened and uplifted in that way only a good performance can accomplish.<\/p>\n Either way, it’s as good a time as any to celebrate the artistic bounty that the nation\u2019s 14th<\/sup> state so prodigiously provides us.<\/p>\n 5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, the weekly music series \u201cJammin\u2019 in July<\/strong>\u201d kicks off with the Lara Cwass Band<\/strong><\/a> and continues at the same time each week with, on July 8, The Grift<\/strong>; July 15, the All Night Boogie Band<\/strong>; July 22, Soul Porpoise<\/strong> with The Project<\/strong>; and July 29, Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits<\/strong>, The Old Stage at the Essex Experience. Free. doubleevt.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra<\/strong> begins its 2026-27 season with the tour \u201cAmerica 250<\/strong>,\u201d showcasing iconic American music starting on this night at the Saskadena Six Ski Area, South Pomfret, and continuing (all at 7:30 p.m.) Thursday, July 2, Burke Mountain Ski Resort, East Burke; Friday, July 3, Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center; Saturday, July 4, Shelburne Museum; and Sunday, July 5, von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort concert meadow, Stowe. $10-$45 except Stowe ($15-$50); free for ages 5 and under; fireworks following concerts in East Burke, Grafton and Shelburne. vso.org<\/a><\/p>\n 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, influential rock band Tortoise<\/strong> follows BASIC<\/strong> in the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $30. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Thursday, July 2, a veteran of legendary bands including Lambsbread and Death, Vermont musician Bobby Hackney Sr.<\/strong>, plays a night of original songs at Radio Bean, Burlington. $15. radiobean.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, the Stowe Theatre Guild<\/strong> presents the musical \u201cBe More Chill<\/strong>,\u201d Town Hall Theatre, 67 Main St., Stowe. $15-$20. stowetheatre.com<\/a><\/p>\n 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, South Burlington-raised guitarist Nick Cassarino<\/strong>, who\u2019s gone on to play with performers including The Nth Power, Jennifer Hartswick and Christian McBride, comes home to celebrate his 40th<\/sup> birthday with guests including his high school mentor, teacher\/saxophone player Dave Grippo<\/strong>, Foam Brewers, Burlington. $15 in advance, $18 day of show. foambrewers.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, the Manchester Music Festival<\/strong>, which presents its 52nd<\/sup> season through Sept. 6 with the program \u201cSounding America: Music that Shaped Us<\/strong>,\u201d begins its five-date concert series with \u201cAppalachian Spring: Music from the Mountains<\/strong>\u201d featuring works by composers including Charles Ives and Aaron Copland, Arkell Pavilion, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester. $15.30-$76.50. mmfvt.org<\/a><\/p>\n 8 p.m. Thursday, July 9, Nebraska-based folk-Americana trio The Wildwoods<\/strong> visit the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington. $22. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n Friday, July 10-Saturday, July 11, the 11th<\/sup> annual Jeezum Crow Festival<\/strong> starts with Yonder Mountain String Band, Dead Man Strumming<\/strong> and Beg, Steal or Borrow<\/strong>, then continues Saturday with The Disco Biscuits, Lee Ross, Railroad Earth, Shane Goodwin, Magoo, Tim Comings, Charlie Parr, Koa Phoenix<\/strong> and Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits<\/strong>, Stateside Amphitheater, Jay Peak. $45-$75; free for ages 6 and under. jaypeakresort.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Sunday, July 12, the weeklong Middlebury Festival on the Green<\/strong> starts with the Colorado sextet Mojo Birds<\/strong>, town green, Middlebury. Free. festivalonthegreen.org<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, rock star Jack White<\/strong> visits Vermont for a show on the midway lawn at the Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction; free for ages 12 and under. $69.50. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Friday, July 17, two weeks after celebrating Nick Cassarino\u2019s birthday (see above), Vermont sax legend Dave Grippo leads the Grippo Funk Band<\/strong> with trumpeter\/singer\/Vermont native Jennifer Hartswick<\/strong>, The Old Stage at the Essex Experience. $20. doubleevt.com<\/a><\/p>\n Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, July 18, the first von Trapp Music & Food Festival<\/strong> offers plenty of the latter as well as music from Uprooted<\/strong> featuring Michael Glabicki<\/strong> of Rusted Root plus Dwight & Nicole<\/a><\/strong>, the All Night Boogie Band, Blues Over Easy<\/strong> featuring Gina Coleman<\/strong> and Mal Maiz<\/strong>, von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort concert meadow, Stowe. $40-$125. vontrappresort.com\/musicfestival<\/a><\/p>\n 8 p.m. Sunday, July 19, punk rock veterans Social Distortion<\/strong> return to the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. Sold out. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 6 p.m. Monday, July 20, Broadway performer and Colchester native Merritt David Janes <\/strong>brings his \u201cBroadway in Vermont<\/strong>\u201d show featuring special guests to Moose Meadow Lodge, Duxbury. $30-$45. moosemeadowlodge.net<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, acoustic favorites Gillian Welch and David Rawlings<\/strong> perform as part of the Concerts on the Green series presented by Higher Ground at the Shelburne Museum. $56; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, Lost Nation Theater<\/strong> begins its run through Sunday, Aug. 2, of the ever-popular Stephen Sondheim musical \u201cInto the Woods<\/strong>,\u201d Montpelier City Hall Arts Center. $15-$47. lostnationtheater.org<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, the jazz-and-more sounds of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue<\/strong>, joined by JJ Grey & Mofro<\/strong>, continue the Concerts on the Green series at the Shelburne Museum. Sold out. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 24, comic Jordan Jensen<\/strong> takes the stage at the Flynn, Burlington. $32-$63.50. flynnvt.org<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 24, musical comedy weirdo \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic <\/strong>follows Puddles Pity Party <\/strong>in a performance on the midway lawn, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $69.50; seated admission is sold out; free general-admission tickets for ages 12 and under.\u00a0highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n Saturday, July 25, the daylong celebration known as The Ramble<\/strong> offers its 22nd<\/sup> iteration with a schedule of DIY arts events to be announced, locations throughout the Old North End, Burlington. Free. theramble.org<\/a><\/p>\n Noon Saturday, July 25, the half-day Maple Roots Music Festival<\/strong> offers performances by the Vermont Jazz Ensemble, <\/strong>the Lara Cwass<\/a> Band<\/strong>, festival organizer Michael-Louis Smith & Friends, Bob Wagner, High Summer<\/a>, Mikahely, Linda Bassick, Doug Perkins\u2019 \u201cHot Pickin\u2019 Party<\/strong>,\u201d the Eames Brothers Band, <\/strong>the Onion River Jazz Band <\/strong>and more, Morse Farm Maple Sugar Works, Montpelier. Free; donations accepted; parking passes available upon entry for a fee. maplerootsfest.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25, Canadian comic legend Kevin McDonald<\/strong> begins his night with a performance of his show \u201cKevin McDonald Superstar<\/strong>\u201d ($25), and follows that at 8:30 p.m. with \u201cKevin McDonald: Forced to Improvise<\/strong>\u201d ($15), Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington. vermontcomedyclub.com<\/a><\/p>\n 6 p.m. Sunday, July 26, two guys named Alejandro Rose-Garcia and Angus Stone \u2014 better known as Shakey Graves<\/strong> and Dope Lemon<\/strong> \u2014 share a Concerts on the Green bill that includes an opening performance from Texino<\/strong>, Shelburne Museum. $54.50; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30-Saturday, Aug. 1, and 9 p.m. Friday, July 31-Saturday, Aug. 1, stand-up comic Rosebud Baker<\/strong> presents five performances at the Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington. $25. vermontcomedyclub.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, bassist and singer Thundercat<\/strong>, joined by Maari<\/strong>, jump-starts four straight days of music presented by Higher Ground in its Waterfront Concert Series, Waterfront Park, Burlington. $54.50; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, the nascent Goddard Institute of Dramatic Arts<\/strong> concludes its summer season with a run through Aug. 8 of Abe Koogler\u2019s play \u201cDeep Blue Sound<\/strong>,\u201d Haybarn Theatre, The Creative Campus at Goddard, Plainfield. $5-$40. goddarddrama.com<\/a><\/p>\n Friday, July 31-Saturday, Aug. 1, the street-performer celebration Festival of Fools<\/strong>, following an up-and-down 2025 event, is back on solid ground (except for the numerous aerialists) on and around the Church Street Marketplace, Burlington. Free. vermontfestivaloffools.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7 p.m. Friday, July 31, electropop duo Sylvan Esso<\/strong>, featuring Bennington College alum Amelia Meath, follows Landlady<\/strong> at Higher Ground\u2019s Waterfront Concert Series, Waterfront Park, Burlington. $54.50; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 31, the Dorset Theater Festival<\/strong> begins its run through Aug. 15 of the Brent Askari comedy \u201cAdvice<\/strong>,\u201d Dorset Playhouse. $59-$68. dorsettheaterfestival.org<\/a><\/p>\n 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 31, a week after comic Jordan Jensen plays there (see above), comedian Jordan Klepper <\/strong>hits the Flynn, Burlington. $38.36-$101.28. flynnvt.org<\/a><\/p>\nJammin\u2019 in July in Essex<\/h2>\n
VSO celebrates \u2018America 250\u2019<\/h2>\n
Tortoise strolls into Higher Ground<\/h2>\n
The music of Bobby Hackney Sr.<\/h2>\n
Stowe Theatre Guild plans to \u2018Be More Chill\u2019<\/h2>\n
Nick Cassarino turns 40<\/h2>\n
Manchester Music Festival starts concert series<\/h2>\n
The Wildwoods settle down in South Burlington<\/h2>\n
Jeezum Crow at Jay Peak<\/h2>\n
Middlebury Festival on the Green gets going<\/h2>\n
Get the blues with Jack White<\/h2>\n
Dave Grippo again, with Jennifer Hartswick<\/h2>\n
Music and food in Stowe<\/h2>\n
A night of Social Distortion<\/h2>\n
Broadway in Vermont in Duxbury<\/h2>\n
Welch and Rawlings go to Shelburne<\/h2>\n
Lost Nation Theater heads \u2018Into the Woods\u2019<\/h2>\n
Long lines for Trombone Shorty<\/h2>\n
The Flynn welcomes Jordan Jensen<\/h2>\n
Getting weird with Al Yankovic<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s time to Ramble again<\/h2>\n
Maple Roots Music Festival takes shape<\/h2>\n
Kevin McDonald goes for two<\/h2>\n
Shakey and Dope sing in Shelburne<\/h2>\n
Comedy from Rosebud Baker<\/h2>\n
Thundercat starts Waterfront Concert Series<\/h2>\n
GIDA ends summer with \u2018Deep Blue Sound\u2019<\/h2>\n
Festival of Fools comes back<\/h2>\n
Sylvan Esso goes down to the water<\/h2>\n
Dorset Theater Festival offers \u2018Advice\u2019<\/h2>\n
Another Jordan mines laughs at the Flynn<\/h2>\n