Winter Wunderland
Friday 5
The Lane Series rocks Burlington with a rare “small hall” performance by Weimar cabaret icon Ute Lemper at the University of Vermont Recital Hall. Lemper — considered the greatest living interpreter of the flamboyant form of entertainment harking back to 1920s Germany — delivers Broadway-caliber renditions of songs by composer Kurt Weill, as well as other notable voices of the era.
Laugh Factory
Friday 5 & Saturday 6
You might recognize Dulcé Sloan from her stint as a senior correspondent alongside Trevor Noah on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” Now the fast-rising standup star brings her sharp wit and fabulous style to Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington, where attendees find out why she’s hailed as a top act to watch by Variety, Rolling Stone and Time Out Los Angeles.
Golden Guys
Thursday 4
What do you get when you mix Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Duke Ellington and roots supergroup Mr. Sun? A cracking-good time! Feel the spirit of the season at Richmond Congregational Church when the high-octane four-piece calls upon jazz music’s central figure for inspo, playing his artful reinterpretation of the world’s most hummable holiday soundtrack, The Nutcracker Suite.
Bake It Easy
Saturday 6
At the Gingerbread Festival at Tracy Hall in Norwich, a gallery of handcrafted houses designed by local volunteers boasts serious curb appeal. Tiny-home hunters can bid to leave with one; proceeds benefit the Family Place parent-child center. A learning nook with gifts and resources for kids, cookie demos and decorating, and other festive activities complete the holiday happening.
Merry Moment
Saturday 6
AVA Gallery and Art Center’s Holiday Exhibition Open House in Lebanon, N.H., beckons aesthetes, connoisseurs and collectors to a showcase of fine art and crafts created by gallery members. Artist demos and open studios offer the perfect opportunity to grab a gift for that someone special — or keep for yourself. (It’s called self-care, right?)
Night Watch
Saturday 6
Waterbury’s annual River of Light Lantern Parade transforms the town into a bustling mecca of illuminated cheer. The enchanting evening commences at Brookside Primary School, where marching bands set the tone for a procession of paper lanterns made by area students and community members. The spectacle concludes with hot cocoa and live entertainment at Dascomb Rowe Field.
All That Jazz
Tuesday 9
Saxophonist Jeff Coffin and Tuvan throat-singing ensemble Alash join Béla Fleck & the Flecktones on the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington to present “Jingle All the Way.” The rollicking reunion tour — helmed by the beloved banjoist — features the group’s jazz-infused holiday classics, including a clever rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” performed in 12 different keys and time signatures.
This article appears in Dec 3-9 2025.
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