Samantha Inside Out Credit: Courtesy

Portrait of a Lady

Friday 30

Shaker Bridge Theatre brings the drama with a one-night-only staged reading of Marisa Smith’s Samantha Inside Out at Briggs Opera House in White River Junction. Pulitzer Prize finalist (and theater-kid icon) Theresa Rebeck directs Broadway veteran Jayne Atkinson in the new one-woman show about chaos, wreckage and starting over.

Organized Chaos

Friday 30
Brass Balagan Variety Show Credit: Courtesy

High-voltage talent takes over the Montpelier Performing Arts Hub for the Brass Balagan Variety Show, where giddy guests find a circus full of fun. The social justice street band (whose name means “chaotic mess” in Yiddish) brings its usual red jumpsuits and horns, while standup comedy acts get hands clapping and klezmer, Latin, Balkan and blues tunes get toes tapping.

Petal to the Metal

Thursday 29
Bike Bloom Credit: Courtesy

Road riders of all ages have a wheelie wicked time celebrating cycling culture and the great outdoors at the annual Bike Bloom at Burlington’s Intervale Center. Group treks of varying paces from mellow to zippy include a meandering Riparian Ride — focused on the center’s ecology and conservation efforts — and a Tour de Toddler to accommodate striders and trailers for wee passengers.

A Night to Remember

Thursday 29
Anne Frank Credit: Courtesy

“Anne Frank: A History for Today” — an unmissable traveling exhibit curated by the University of South Carolina — makes its way to Woodstock Union High School for a powerful Community Night. Attendees ages 12 and up take in a short film, a keynote presentation by author K. Heidi Fishman and thought-provoking discussions with local student docents trained by the university.

Feels Like Home

Thursday 29
“Common Ground” by Evvi Tower Pierce Credit: Courtesy

This year’s Fair Housing Month Community Exhibit closes out with an inspired reception at Burlington City Hall. Neighbors gather to hear readings by teen authors from the Young Writers Project, get creative with a hands-on letterpress activity, and reflect on key themes of inclusivity and the importance of home. Check out the show’s artworks and writing selections before it concludes on May 31.

Smoke Signals

Saturday 31
Pig Jig Credit: Courtesy

Yeehaw! Country music, backyard barbecue and lawn games make for the perfect Pig Jig at the Green Mountain Lounge at Mount Ellen in Warren. Attendees rope in the good vibes with an ice-cold beverage in one hand and saucy pig roast bites in the other, while live honky-tonk tunes by Red River North, Wild Leek River and Hobo get two-steppin’ hoofers out on the dance floor.

Rhapsody in Stowe

Monday 2
Mike Bjella and Tom Gershwin Credit: Courtesy of Luke Awtry

The Tom Gershwin Quintet brings down the house with musical precision and improvisational wizardry at Field Guide Lodge in Stowe. Headed by the eponymous Northeast Kingdom trumpeter-composer, the five-piece ensemble grabs listeners’ attention with expressive jazz compositions from forthcoming album Wellspring — the product of a Vermont Arts Council Creation Grant.

This article appears in May 28 – Jun 3, 2025.

Rebecca Driscoll joined Seven Days as calendar writer in 2024. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in art history and theater performance at Marymount Manhattan College and previously worked as senior coordinator for the Oscars’ library in Los Angeles.