Summertime in Burlington feels like a long, sweet festival earned just for surviving the winter. Mud season warms us with a dirty tease, then suddenly the green bursts as brilliantly as a bouquet of perennials in the garden. Color is everywhere and the celebrations are one after the other, taking advantage of the short season to celebrate.
First and foremost with the warm summer weather, the walk along the waterfront at sunset is like a celebration all of its own. The fresh air and ability to stroll in shorts and dresses makes everyone feel lighter and more joyful. The lake is calm and full of boats, sailing and under power. The ferry crosses, an excursion by itself just for the chance to be on the water.
Along the bike path, strollers, rollers, bikers and walkers in a variety of colors and a collective smile populate but rarely over-crowd the long strip of pavement. Across the Lake, the Adirondack Mountains silhouette the sun setting, green growing darker and the bright orange and purple sky settles into the night. Picnics on the rocks and sandy beaches make a quiet evening romantic.
A series of events line-up from week to week, activities all summer to please many crowds. The first major event is the Vermont City Marathon which has grown to attract top name runners and sets the goal for New Englanders after Boston. Five thousand runners participate and nothing feels better than witnessing the stories of personal triumphs one after the other across the finish line.
The first ten days in June are dancing with music when the Discover Jazz Festival serves styles in nearly every venue around town. Hour after hour up and down the block and in the nooks and crannies of restaurants and alley ways, cool jazz floats and sizzles. All-star names and local legends have their moments, sharing stages or strolling the sidewalk. The city beats and snaps its finger on the pulse. At the same time, the Arts Alive Festival hangs paintings in every store front on Church Street, visual splendor to match the jazz.
In July, the Fireworks over the lake are truly outstanding, even if they are on the 3rd. The Vermont Brewers Festival quickly follows, putting all of the local flavors in one place on the Waterfront under sparkling skies and golden sunsets. The tastes of many varieties and non-stop music blend a large crowd into a mellow evening in the City’s backyard.
Early August begins with the Dragon Boat Festival to celebrate survivors of breast cancer. Twenty person teams of volunteers paddle in unison to the pounding beat of a drum, theoretically in competition, but in truth just for the sake of participating in support. Personal triumphs and camaraderie are the themes of the day, producing tears of joy.
August continues with the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival, a newer addition that crowns the Waterfront with a jewel growing ever brighter. Displays and exhibits celebrate and educate the centuries of commerce, battle and recreation that have made Lake Champlain such a vital waterway. Each night highlights local talent opening for nationally touring artists, culminating with Vermont’s own Grace Potter who this year is introducing a mini-festival within the larger.
Each and every day, the Lake glistens with activity. Majestic and beautiful, it draws locals and tourists to enjoy the serenity in the midst of busy lives. On a blanket, in a boat, along the boardwalk and bike paths, the shimmering lake waters highlight Burlington’s most attractive feature celebrated in festivals.
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