It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since the launch of Foam Brewers. The Burlington brewery opened its doors on Lake Street by Waterfront Park on April 28, 2016, and has grown from a cool little beer spot into one of the most important venues in the local music scene.
“We began with a simple vision, but Foam has evolved into something far greater, shaped by our staff, our community, and our constant drive to innovate,” said cofounder Dani Casey in a press release announcing the brewery’s birthday celebration, which kicks off this Friday, May 1, and runs through the weekend.
The anniversary party features special beer releases, food trucks, games and kids’ activities, as well as a stacked lineup of great local music for free. The bill on Friday includes DJ Disco Phantom, Doctor Rick, Hammydown, Acqua Mossa and Kate Kush. Saturday, May 2, has DJ KANGANADE, theHigh Breaks, Wild Leek River and Bob Wagner. Things wrap up on Sunday, May 3, with sets by Ponyhustle and Reid Parsons.
Of course, there’s the big blowout at the Higher Ground Ballroom on Saturday night as well, as Foam brings indie-rock powerhouse Built to Spill to the South Burlington club, with local darling Lily Seabird providing support. That bad boy sold out a looooong time ago, so here’s hoping you got tickets! If not, take heart — there’s a ton of food, beer and free music at Foam all weekend.
“For 10 years, Foam has been a place for music, great beer, creativity, and community,” cofounder Jon Farmer said in the press release. “This weekend is our way of saying thank you.”
Visit foambrewers.com for more information.
Get your Vans out, polish the pins on your denim jacket and get ready for this year’s Punk Rock Flea Market in Rutland. Started by local musician Nick Grandchamp (Get a Grip) in 2022, the market features more than 40 vendors selling vinyl, CDs and tapes, along with books, clothes, art and even video games. Rabbit Rabbit mobile kitchen dishes up food. Unhappy Hour, the DJ duo ofBobby Hackney Jr. (Rough Francis) and David Zacharis (theSmittens), spins tunes throughout the day.
Grandchamp founded the flea market four years ago to bring together local punk communities. “Honestly, I just wanted to find a way to showcase my friends’ art,” he told Seven Days in 2024, when the event moved to Merchants Hall.
This year, he’s dubbed the flea market the Rutland Forever Fest, and it goes down at Neighborhood Church, 73 Williams Street, on Saturday, May 9.
For more than 20 years, the Young Tradition Festival has been a showcase for folk and dance music from Vermont and beyond. The latest iteration takes place in Burlington on Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9, at City Hall Auditorium and other venues.
Friday kicks off with a Community Dance Party at city hall, featuring Tibetan dance leader Tenzin Pasang accompanied by musician migmar tsering, Bhutanese Nepali and Bollywood instructors Urmila Chhetri and Susmita Dhakal, and contra and square dance caller Mary Wesley.
Saturday features a student/mentor showcase at the Burlington Farmers Market on Pine Street, including a wide variety of folk music from Ireland, Sweden, Tibet, West Africa and more. The showcase is followed by a free, family-style jam at the SEABA Center, before festival headliners Alex Kehler and Nicholas Williams perform a selection of Scandinavian and Québécois music at city hall in the evening.
Check out vtfolklife.org to learn more.
Destroy Audio is a new recording studio in Wolcott, founded by musicians Zeph and Liz Courtney. The rural studio, set off a dirt road and next to a little pond, has already hosted a slew of local artists including Dave Keller, Glorious Leader, and the a cappella duo of Emily Bate and Heidi Wilson.
The studio also hosts live music. In collaboration with Undertow Shows, a company that specializes in bringing live music to offbeat venues such as private houses, museums and yoga studios, Destroy Audio presents Brooklyn singer-songwriter Kevin Devine on Thursday, May 7. Tickets can be purchased at undertowshows.com.
Two musicians from opposite coasts are meeting up in Burlington for a rare performance. Los Angeles saxophonist and composer Henry Solomon has joined forces with New York City experimental electronic composer Elori Saxl to craft the new record Seeing is Forgetting. Locals may recall Saxl from her time at Middlebury College and playing with the indie-folk band Alpenglow.
Artist Zach Pollakoff and his production company Bauschaus VT booked Solomon and Saxl to play at Doma Bar in Burlington on Friday, May 1. Local singer-songwriter Cam Gilmour opens the show. Check out bauschausvt.com for more.
This article appears in April 29 • 2026.
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