This month is peak summer. Vermont is warm and green, and the arts-and-entertainment scene is heating up as well. The nice thing at this time of the year is there are enough outdoor events to let you soak up the last full months of summer but plenty of indoor activities when the cool breeze of air conditioning is what you need.
Whether you’re in the hunt for music, theater, visual art or something that’s just a little harder to squeeze into a category, Vermont has got the goods. Read on to find out what might be really good for the month of August.
Through Sunday, Aug. 7, the Dorset Theatre Festival’s 45th season continues with “Back Together Again: The Music of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway,” a performance by Christina Acosta Robinson and Ken Robinson, Dorset Playhouse. $48. www.dorsettheatrefestival.org
Through Saturday, Aug. 13, the Weston Theater Company gets into a ‘60s state of mind, man, when it presents the classic musical “Hair,” Weston Playhouse. $39-$74. www.westontheater.org
3 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 28, the Bread & Puppet Theater continues to present the latest version of its long-running show “Our Domestic Resurrection Circus,” this one subtitled “The Apocalypse Defiance Circus,” Bread & Puppet Farm, Glover. Admission by suggested $10 donation. www.breadandpuppet.org
6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, the youth-driven company Very Merry Theatre presents the classic Broadway musical “The Music Man,” Maple Street Park, Essex Junction. The troupe follows that show with performances at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, Bristol village green, and Wednesday, Aug. 3, Old North End Community Center, Burlington. Free. www.verymerrytheatre.org
6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, singer-songwriter Megan Bee, who’s based in Athens, Ohio, plays Radio Bean in Burlington. Free. www.radiobean.com
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival returns with its “Sunset Series” featuring the films of Meryl Streep, starting on this night with “August: Osage County” and continuing on consecutive evenings with “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Florence Foster Jenkins,” “Silkwood” and “Sophie’s Choice,” beneath the tent at the Swift House Inn, Middlebury. $13 per film, $60 for series pass. www.middfilmfest.org
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, reggae veteran Burning Spear takes the stage with DJ Big Dog, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $40 in advance, $45 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, the “Music on the Bricks” series resumes with the jazzy-blues group Red Hot Juba and continues with Honey and Soul (Aug. 10) and Jenni Johnson & the Junketeers (Aug. 17), Church Street Marketplace, Burlington. Free. www.churchstreetmarketplace.com
8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, rock-guitar legend Adrian Belew, known for his work with King Crimson and David Bowie, plays a seated show, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $45 in advance, $49 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, indie-folk duo and identical twins Adam and David Moss go by the moniker The Brother Brothers, and they’ll join local act Atom & the Orbits at ArtsRiot, Burlington. $15 in advance, $17 day of show. www.artsriot.com
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, local act Lillian and the Muses keeps the food-and-music event Summervale going, with concerts to follow by Al’s Pals (Aug. 11), the Mal Maiz Trio (Aug. 18) and Joe Adler (Aug. 25), Intervale, Burlington. Free. www.intervale.org
5:45 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, the film “Charlie Loves Our Band” by Montpelier filmmaker Vic Guadagno, which tells the story of the band From Good Homes that released a couple of albums through RCA Records in the 1990s, will be screened at the Savoy Theater in Montpelier, following a one-hour performance by the band’s former drummer, singer-songwriter-guitarist Patrick Fitzsimmons of Middlebury. $10. www.savoytheater.com or www.charlielovesourband.com
1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, the Stowe Jazz Festival returns after a hiatus with a performance by the Jon Davis Trio, the lawn at The Alchemist, Stowe. Also performing at the festival that runs through Sunday, Aug. 7, are the Jonathan Moran Quartet, the Chico Pinheiro Quartet with Amanda Brecker, Allison Miller and Boom Tic Boom and Manuel Valera and The New Cuban Express, among other acts at The Alchemist and elsewhere in town. Free. www.stowejazzfestival.org
Friday, Aug. 5, the exhibition “You Have to Believe It to See It!” by abstract artists Melinda McDaniel and Fernando Orellana begins its run through Sept. 21 and includes a reception and gallery talk with curator Kara Jefts at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, Red Mill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson. Free. www.vermontstudiocenter.org
4-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, Montpelier painter Regis Cummings will be on hand for a reception for the painter’s exhibit, “Retrospect,” that will be on display through Oct. 28, Vermont State House, Montpelier. Free. https://curator.vermont.gov/
Friday, Aug. 5 through Sunday, Aug. 7, the 15th Festival of Fools brings street performers including Big Nazo, El Gleno Grande, FLiP, Modern Times Theater, The Red Trouser Show and Sara Twister as well as musicians such as Vieux Farka Toure, Monsieur Perine, Acqua Mossa and Willy Watson of Old Crow Medicine Show to the Church Street Marketplace and environs, Burlington. Free except for shows by Toure and Watson ($10 each). www.vermontfestivaloffools.com
5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, the traveling film festival Lunafest is preceded by a market, food, drink and live music from the Smokey Newfield Project, followed by the screening of short films by and about women, the green at the Essex Experience. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. www.essexexperience.com
Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, the 2022 Summer Dog Party lets dogs romp around while their two-legged friends eat barbecue and hotdogs and listen to live music by Jim McLaughlin and Chris White, Dog Mountain at the Stephen Huneck Gallery, St. Johnsbury. Free. www.dogmt.com/Events.html
6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, the Champlain Philharmonic Orchestra performs a pops concert, Lincoln Peak Vineyard, New Haven. Free, but online registration is required at www.townhalltheater.org
8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, Quebecois indie-pop trio Men I Trust joins Rachel Bobbitt, a fellow Canadian, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $23 in advance, $28 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, a hip-hop show featuring Homeboy Sandman & Deca with Felix Fast4ward and Mister Burns takes place at The Monkey House, Winooski. $15 in advance, $18 day of show. www.monkeyhousevt.com
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, Vermont Stage, which just concluded its indoor season, goes outside for the second straight summer, this time with the Wendy MacLeod comedy “Women in Jeopardy,” Isham Family Farm, Williston. $31.05-$38.50. www.vermontstage.org
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, singer-songwriter Faye Webster starts this year’s Backside 405 series presented by Higher Ground in the parking lot behind the Burlington City Arts studio on Pine Street, Burlington. $25 in advance, $30 day of show, $99 season pass. www.highergroundmusic.com
7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, Lyle Lovett and his Large Band play for a capacity crowd on the green at the Shelburne Museum in a concert presented by Higher Ground. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, stand-up comic Ryan Hamilton, known for his Netflix special “Happy Face,” opens a three-night stand that includes performances at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday, Aug. 13. $35. www.vermontcomedyclub.com
7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, Douglas Anderson, who established the Town Hall Theater and the Opera Company of Middlebury, has now created a musical, “Welcome to Paradise,” that premiers in workshop form (with presentations also scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14), Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. $20. www.townhalltheater.org
7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, the roots/rock/reggae/etc. band Cabinet continues the Backside 405 series presented by Higher Ground behind the Burlington City Arts studio on Pine Street, Burlington. $20 in advance, $25 day of show, $99 season pass. www.highergroundmusic.com
11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, international kite artist Kisa Sauer leads a kite-making workshop until 2 p.m., then delivers a talk from 2-3 p.m. before the day ends from 3-4 p.m. with a group kite-flying adventure, Cold Hollow Sculpture Park, Enosburg Falls. Free. www.coldhloowsculpturepark.com
5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, Amy Helm, the singer-songwriter who’s the daughter of late rock legend Levon Helm, and Burlington singer Kat Wright share a bill on the green at the Essex Experience. $40. www.essexexperience.com
6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, international musician Daby Toure performs two sets at Shelburne Vineyard. $10 in advance, $12 day of show. www.shelburnevineyard.com
4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, singer-songwriter Will Oldham, aka Bonnie Prince Billy, headlines a show presented by Astral Projections that includes New Hampshire act Footings and Philadelphia band Empath as well as a DJ, food and drink, Town Hall Theatre, Woodstock. $30. www.pentanglearts.org
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, young indie-rocker Lindsey Jordan, who performs as Snail Mail, joins Momma and Hotline TNT at the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $25 in advance, $30 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, the Vermont Philharmonic presents a pops concert, Moose Meadow Lodge, Duxbury. $5-$20. www.vermontphilharmonic.com
7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, jazz singer Veronica Swift performs in the bucolic setting of “Music in the Meadow,” Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe. $12-$35; free for ages 5 and under. www.stoweperformingarts.com
6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, singer-songwriters Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen and Julien Baker share a triple bill presented by Higher Ground that also features opener Quinn Christopherson, Shelburne Museum. $55 in advance, $59 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, the opening night of the Vermont State Fair features an “I Love the ‘90s” concert presented by the Paramount Theatre featuring Vanilla Ice, Coolio, Rob Base, Tone Loc and Young MC, Vermont State Fairgrounds, Rutland. $45-$65, plus $3 for fair admission. www.paramountvt.org
8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, blues-guitar whiz Joe Bonamassa returns to the Flynn, Burlington. $97-$110. www.flynnvt.org
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, the Kander and Ebb musical “The World Goes ‘Round” gets the Stowe Theatre Guild treatment through Saturday, Sept. 13, Town Hall Theatre, Stowe. $15-$20. www.stowetheatre.com
8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, singer/actress Linda Lavin, perhaps best known for her work on the 1970s diner-set sitcom “Alice,” performs as part of the “Broadway in Vermont” concert series, Arkell Pavilion, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester. $35-$80. www.svac.org
Friday, Aug. 19-Sunday, Aug. 21, the Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival welcomes acts including Watchhouse, Punch Brothers, Sarah Jarosz, Leftover Salmon, Caitlin Canty, Twisted Pine, Bella White and more, Hunter Park, Manchester Center. $200 weekend pass. www.greenmountainbluegrass.com
6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, the Vermont theater company Foul Contending Rebels Theatre Collective stages “Shrew,” a take on the controversial William Shakespeare play “The Taming of the Shrew” that focuses on the play within the play and presents a cast consisting largely of femme and non-binary-identifying actors, Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center, Burlington. The show will also run there at 2 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, then relocates to Veterans Memorial Park in South Burlington for performances at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26-Saturday, Aug. 27 and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 and Sunday, Aug. 28. Free for Burlington shows (pre-registration recommended) and sliding-scale admission with a recommended price of $20 in South Burlington. www.foulcontendingrebels.org
7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, Chicago pianist/singer-songwriter Neal Francis keeps the Backside 405 series presented by Higher Ground going in the parking lot behind Burlington City Arts on Pine Street. $20 in advance, $25 day of show, $99 season pass. www.highergroundmusic.com
3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, the concert event known as “Ciderstock” this year features New Jersey rockers Bleachers as well as MisterWives, Ripe and Luke Mitrani, The Woodchuck Cidery, Middlebury. $40. www.highergroundmusic.com
3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, one of the highlights of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, which runs Aug. 20-28, is this concert of piano quartets honoring the late pianist Joseph Kalichstein of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, which included violinist and former Vermont Symphony Orchestra music director Jaime Laredo, Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester. $25-$40. www.lccmf.org
7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22, Tundi Productions returns with its “Wagner in Vermont” festival starting on this night with “Das Rheingold,” which will also be presented at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, as well as “Die Walkure” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23 and Saturday, Aug. 27, Latchis Theatre, Brattleboro. $25-$200. www.wagnerinvermont.org
7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, the eighth-annual Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival opens with the Lisa Hurwitz documentary “The Automat,” Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. $60 for opening-night tickets that includes a question-and-answer session with Hurwitz and an after-party at the Swift House Inn. Other events at the festival that runs through Sunday, Aug. 28 include appearances by actors Maggie Gyllenhaal and Karen Allen. www.middfilmfest.org
7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, the veteran rock band Wilco joins Kamikaze Palm Tree on the green at the Shelburne Museum. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com
7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, one night after Wilco plays to a capacity crowd from the same stage, Ohio folk band Caamp follows suit with openers Bahamas, Shelburne Museum. Sold out. www.highergroundmusic.com
8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, Brooklyn art-punk group Bodega hits the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington. $13 in advance, $15 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, the Champlain Valley Fair opens its 100th season, which means the grandstand music returns as well, in this case with country star Scott McCreery and opener Dylan Scott, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $39-$59. www.champlainvalleyfair.org
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8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, New York rapper Jay Critch follows Mally Bandz and Vendetta in the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $30 in advance, $35 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
12:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, The Friends for ‘A_Dog’ Foundation celebrates the late Vermont DJ Andy “A_Dog” Williams with the ninth A_Dog Day, featuring performances by Skyzoo, A2VT, Dino Bravo, Greaseface, DJ Big Dog, Omega Jade, DJ Steal Wool and many more acts, venues including Andy “A_Dog” Williams Skatepark, Foam Brewery and Nectar’s/Club Metronome, Burlington. All free (donations accepted) except for performances at Nectar’s/Club Metronome. $15-$25 for access to both floors, $10-$15 per floor. www.facebook.com/FriendsForADog/
See also:Nectar's has new owners and they've got big plans for the legendary Burlington music venue
3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, the fifth Nightshade Festival features a food menu from Nightshade Kitchen’s in-house chefs as well as music on two stages from acts including Thus Love, Coral Moons, Carinae, Lily Seabird, Takahiko Matsui, Ivamae, Willverine and more, Red Barn Gardens, 8939 Williston Road, Williston. $25. www.facebook.com/nightshadekitchen/
7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, an event called “The Great Vermont Barn Dance Show” features music from acts including Jon Gailmor, Rik Palieri and Rebecca Padula & Clare Innes, storytelling by Bill Schubart and comedy by Helen Weston, Isham Family Farm, Williston. $15. https://ishamfamilyfarm.com/firstearth-summer-series/
7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, the Champlain Valley Fair hosts rapper Nelly with opening act Justin Champagne, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $39-$175. www.champlainvalleyfair.org
8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, the Nashville-based string band Old Crow Medicine Show joins Dom Flemons, formerly of Carolina Chocolate Drops, for a concert at the Stateside Amphitheater, Jay Peak Resort. $25-$50. www.jaypeakresort.com
8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28, Connecticut rapper Chris Webby follows Rittz and Ekoh at the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington $30-$250. www.highergroundmusic.com
8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, veteran indie-rock band Built to Spill, plus Wetface and Blood Lemon, plays the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $25 in advance, $28 day of show. www.highergroundmusic.com
9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, comedian Steve Hofstetter returns to the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $25-$100. www.highergroundmusic.com
Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck.