Air Time
February 15
African circus star Yamoussa Bangoura founded his own troupe, Cirque Kalabanté, after performing with Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Éloize. Inspired by daily life in Guinea, this awe-inspiring spectacle showcases acrobats who execute gravity-defying moves accompanied by live Afro-jazz, percussion and kora.
Sunday, February 15, 7 p.m., at the Lyndon Institute Auditorium in Lyndon Center. $18-54. Info, 748-2600, catamountarts.org
Now You See It…
November 29
Kids —and grown-ups — won’t believe their eyes at Champions of Magic: Holiday Spectacular, a high-energy evening of jaw-dropping illusions.
Saturday, November 29, 7 p.m., at Paramount Theatre in Rutland. $45-65. Info, 775-0903, paramountvt.org.
Night Lights
November 21-January 4
The Shelburne Museum grounds are lit this winter — literally. A nighttime stroll through the museum’s music-enhanced light installations during Winter Lights has become a new holiday tradition.
Select dates from Friday, November 21, through Sunday, January 4, at Shelburne Museum. $10-20; free for kids 2 and under. $65 per car on special drive-around nights. Info, 985-3346, shelburnemuseum.org.
Music Makers
December 7
The student musicians of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association travel to the Queen City from across the state for the annual OrchestraPalooza holiday concert. This year’s features senior soloist Jonathan Kafumbe playing the golden tones of Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto. All three of the VYOA’s performing ensembles share the stage for a rendition of“Sleigh Ride.”
Sunday, December 7, 4 p.m., at Flynn Main Stage in Burlington. $21-24. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.
Sweet Treats
December 12, 20 & 21
There are a few ways to watch a performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Christmastime classic this season. Here are two that stand out: In the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s The Nutcracker, Ukraine’s most prestigious ballet dancers bring Clara and her prince to life in a show organized by KCP Presents.
Friday, December 12, 7 p.m., at Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph. $39-69. Info, 728-9878, chandler-arts.org.
The young dancers of Vermont Ballet Theater and surrounding communities offer their version in Vermont’s Own Nutcracker.
Saturday, December 20, 2 & 7 p.m., and Sunday, December 21, 1 & 6:30 p.m., at the Flynn in Burlington. $22.20-52. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.
Nice Ice
January 22-24
Professional carvers cut into blocks of ice to create elegant sculptures throughout the village during the annual Stowe Winter Carnival. Spectators watch as experts try to outdo each other in the annual competition.
Thursday, January 22, through Saturday, January 24, in Stowe. Free.
Info, 467-8693, gostowe.com.
Cold for a Cause
February 7
In the 31st Penguin Plunge, kids and adults go for a quick dip in the frigid waters of Lake Champlain to support Special Olympics. Participants commit to raising $250 each for this wildly popular annual fundraiser, which supports more than 2,900 Vermont athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Saturday, February 7, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Burlington waterfront.
Free for spectators. Info, 863-5222, specialolympicsvermont.org.
This article appears in Kids VT Winter 2025.
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