The Fluffy Bus at Highlight New Year’s Eve, Waterfront Park in Burlington, Wednesday, December 31:
It was the chilliest New Year’s Eve in recent years, and Burlington City Arts’ Highlight celebration at Waterfront Park was ready for it. Options abounded to keep the body temperature up: Take a break at one of the nearby indoor venues, make open-fire s’mores with Miss Vermont, circle up at one of the many blazing firepits or hang out at the Fluffy Bus. Also known as Fluffy the Floating Cloud Bank, it’s a 40-foot school bus outfitted with a sound system, elevated DJ booth, dance floor and more than 14,000 programmable LEDs nestled in the cloudlike designs wrapping its frame. The art car was originally built to transport a convoy to Nevada’s annual Burning Man festival. What makes Fluffy a good hang on a cold day is the 17-foot “poofer mast” — a propane-powered vertical flamethrower operated by a large red “BLAST” button. While Two Sev was on the decks, I made my way to the controls and lit up the area with a few blasts. The heat from the poofer is intense and brought back to life my uncovered fingers and face. I climbed down and danced my way back into the park.
This article appears in January 7 • 2026.
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