| VOLUME 30 | * * All Arts News On the Web * * | April 9, 2026 |
ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column. STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS
Franklin County's arts and music gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. There are also booked and acoustic Open Mic Nights that feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.
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ART ON THE WALLS
ST. ALBANS--The Franklin County Quilters Guild hosts its 26th Anniversary Quilt Show in the St. Albans City Hall on Saturday at 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. There will be a special quilt challenge called "Celebrate America" to celebrate the 250 year anniversary. Guild members have created challenge quilts that depict Celebrate America and what it means to them. In addition to the quilts on display, there will be a Members' Boutique and the Raffle Quilt.
Quilts of Valor will present quilts to veterans on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on Sunday at 1 p.m. The quilts for veterans are designed to comfort, heal, and honor their service.
The event is free and open to the public.
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild will celebrate its 9th Anniversary on Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. There will be raffles, door prizes, artist demonstrations, wine tasting and food, and live music by the Buck Hollers, Rebecca Padula, and Vermont Suzuki Violins. MAG will also team with the Milton Historical Society to celebrate 250 years of American art. They will lend antiques that show how Vermonters created and express artistry throughout the state's history.
The MAG art center and gallery showcases the work of over 145+ artist members in Milton Square behind the Milton Post Office. They are open Monday and Wednesday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and closed Tuesday. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
ST. ALBANS--The Artist In Residence collection spotlight is on photographer and mixed media artist Cat Mckeen. The art and fine craft cooperative features paintings, fiber arts, stained glass, sculpture, lamps, pottery, folk art boxes, scarves, hats and more by 38 Franklin County and surrounding area artists. It is owned and operated by the artists and sponsors. The gallery on South Main Street is open Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here or find them on Facebook for more info.
JEFFERSONVILLE--Bryan Memorial Gallery features Butterfly in a Thunderstorm by Michael Glier. It is in the Jeffersonville gallery and on Facebook .
The gallery has exhibits of the landscape painters of New England. The main showcase in Jeffersonville is open Wednesday-Sunday 11 - 4 and the Stowe Gallery is open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 11 - 4, and Friday and Saturday, 11 - 5. Appointments are available. Call ahead (802.644.5100) to schedule or click here for more info.
ART YOU CREATE
SWANTON--The Swanton Arts Council hosts two workshops at the library this week.
Cardmaking with Barb happens in the Maker Space of the Swanton Free Public Library today at 2 - 4 p.m. All supplies are provided but feel free to bring your own glue and scissors. The card making workshops take place the first Thursday of each month. Space is limited and registration is required. Call Barb Switzer (802.752.7917) or Email or the Swanton Library , to register or for more info.
Marie Speer leads Barn Quilting with Marie to make a barn quilt painting in the Maker Space of the Swanton Free Public Library Tuesday at 1 - 3 p.m. Space is limited and registration is required. Click here to register and for more info.
ST. ALBANS--14th Star and Once Upon a Rock host a Pebble Art Workshop this evening at 6 p.m. This workshop will use pebbles, rocks, stones, driftwood, and lake glass to create unique art. They provide guidance and inspiration; what you make will be completely your own creation.
The cost is $35. Click here or find them on Facebook for tickets and more info.
FAIRFIELD--Hearthside Handcrafts meet at Bent Northrop Memorial Library on Friday at 10:30 a.m. Fiber arts and crafting enthusiasts bring their own projects and connect to share skills and create memories on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. Click here for more info.
SOUTH HERO--Snow Farm Vineyard hosts a Paint & Sip with Elizabeth Cleary on Saturday at 1 p.m. The step-by-step afternoon will create 20" x 16" acrylic paintings complete with textured backgrounds, playful splatters, and a snowflake style. All supplies are provided. The cost is $40. Click here to reserve a seat and for more info.
HIGHGATE--Coffee and Crafts meets at the Highgate Library and Community Center on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Materials and a hot coffee, tea, or cocoa are provided by HLCC. The program runs every Tuesday morning and is free adult library patrons. Email or call the Library (802.868.3970) to register and for more info.
ENOSBURG--Sip, Stitch, & Share meets at the Enosburgh Public Library every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Have a warm drink, learn a new craft (or work on honing an existing one), and chat. Any craft is welcome. Click here for more info.
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild hosts Yarn & Yak with Kelli Shepherd on Wednesday at 5 - 7 p.m. The free, drop-in workshop is for projects to knit, crochet, or craft with fiber. All skill levels are welcome. No registration is required.
CALL FOR MUSICIANS
ENOSBURG--The Enosburg Falls Town Band rehearsal season has begun. The band will rehearse in the Enosburg High School band room on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.. Arrive early to organize and warm up. Formed in 1858, it may be the oldest town band in Vermont.The weekly Tuesday night concerts in Lincoln Park begin June 16, weather permitting. The Band will also perform at the Vermont Thunder program on Sunday, May 31
DANCE
ALBURG--Between the Lines Line Dancing offers Beginner Line Dancing at the American Legion Landon Post #60 on Fridays at 6 p.m. Bring clean, dry shoes to change into and dance in. Admission is by $5 donation per class, which is donated to the Alburgh Volunteer Fire Department. Find them on Facebook for more info.
HIGHGATE--The Highgate Manor offers Beginner Line Dancing with Michelle Nordberg on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. The class will teach progressive dance rhythms to varied genres of today's music. Line dance is not limited to country music. No experience needed. Bring clean, dry shoes to change into and dance in. Admission is $10 per class. Find them on Facebook for more info.
FILM
ST. ALBANS--It is Classic Movie Night (and Matinee!) at the St. Albans Free Library with Oh Brother, Where Art Thou on Thursday at 6 p.m. and reprised at the Friday matinee at 1 p.m. Escaped convicts George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, pursued by the law, go on an odyssey for buried treasure. The free presentation includes the show, the popcorn, cocoa, and tea. This showing is an after-hours event. Please arrive before the doors close at 6 p.m. Click here for more info.
GATHERINGS
FAIRFAX--Sarah Barnes leads Sketchbook Club at the Fairfax Community Library on Tuesday at 3 p.m. The relaxed space is open to all ages and all skill levels to draw, try new art media, and build an artistic community. Bring your own supplies but materials will be provided.
GEORGIA--The Georgia Public Library Crafting Club meets at the library to craft together and give back to the community on Wednesday evenings at 6 - 8 p.m. They have plenty of equipment and materials with the instructions to make homemade fiber crafts to donate to those in need. Or bring your own knitting, crocheting, and sewing projects to the craft circle on Wednesday evenings.
HUMANITIES
ST. ALBANS--The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Spring 2026 season continues with State Historic Preservation Officer Laura V. Trieschmann to discuss Historic Preservation In Vermont in the Greg Brown Lodge this morning at 11 a.m. She will introduce how the state Division for Historic Preservation preserves and rehabilitates historic buildings and promotes the state heritage and landmarks.
The weekly series will offer eight lectures, mostly on Thursdays. A St. Albans series membership is $40 individual/$70 couple for all eight events, or $10 per program if purchased individually. Call 802.656.8407 or email for registration questions. Click here for more info.
FAIRFAX--Stone's Throw Pizza & Cafe hosts a Coffee Hour to discuss the pressing issues of the day on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. They will choose one issue each week for all participants to voice their views, learn from each other, and attempt to find common ground as a basis for working together. Local, state and national issues will all be in play. Green Mountain Indivisible "welcomes and values all sides coming together."
FRANKLIN--Vermont Humanities and the Haston Library present historian Jill Mudgett to tell the story of Murder in the Vermont Woods in the Franklin Town Hall on Saturday at 11 a.m. An Indigenous man from southern New England was murdered in Vermont in the 19th century. Click here for more info.
THEATER
GEORGIA--GEMS Theater presents Too Many Detectives at the Murder Mansion for two performances on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes before the show. The comic mystery by Ian McWethy offers a cast of eccentric characters--Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, Miss Marple, Batman, and more--all become suspects in this whodunnit.
Admission is by donation at the door.
HIGHGATE--MVU Musicals presents Anastasia, the Musical, in the Trahan Theater today, tomorrow, and Saturday at 7 p.m. with a matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m. The production travels away from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the vibrant world of 1920s Paris. Imagine that Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, the youngest daughter of the Tsar, survived the execution of her family. The historical mystery is a story with a haunting melody, a profound quest, and a remarkable journey.
Admission is $10. Tickets are available at the door or online from BookTix for a service fee.
WORKSHOPS & CLASSES
MORRISVILLE--River Arts has two workshops this week.
Chiara No leads the free Creative Art Series for 60+ Session 5, Watercolor Postcards at River Arts on Friday at 10 a.m. The series takes place every Friday morning and covers a variety of art disciplines from painting and ceramics to bookmaking, writing, and even creative clothes mending. Click here for more info and to register for this free workshop.
Beginner Acrylic Painting with Callie Hastings begins Wednesday at 5 p.m. The three-part, beginner-friendly workshop will cover the materials and foundational skills needed. The cost is $40 for a single workshop or $105 for all three. Click here to register and for more info.
ST. ALBANS--ReMarketVT offers workshops in the "basement" creative space. This week, Just Add Water with Dot Goulet is a watercolor workshop on Saturday at 1pa.m. The hands on workshop is for beginners, returning painters, and anyone who wants focused time to practice with guidance. The cost is $65. Click here to register and for more info.
FRANKLIN--Stephania Fregeau concludes the Three Class Pottery Workshop on Saturday at 3 p.m. Ms. Fregeau will lead the class through all the steps to glaze the small pots built in the earlier classes. This workshop builds on skills learned in the first class and will build a mug and phone holder. The cost for the series is $105 which includes all materials. Classes will be held on the first Friday of the month. Click here to register. Email or click here for more info.
JEFFERSONVILLE--60 Main Arts (SMArts) hosts two classes each week.
Community Drawing Night has a live model on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The cost of $10 per person or less includes a "split model fee."
Creativi-Tea Tuesdays with Karen Winslow uses watercolor, gouache, and pastel pencils, and include tea and cookies on Tuesday at 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.The cost is $30 per person, seniors free. The free Seniors class meets on the first Tuesday of each month.
MILTON--The Milton Artists' Guild has two workshops this week.
Social Sundays continue at the MAG Art Center with free weekly art classes for families at MAG on Sunday at 1 p.m. Each week offers a different project. Stay for 30 minutes or the whole two hours. Click here for more info.
Watercolor artist Shanley Triggs will conclude the two-session Introduction to Watercolor Class on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The cost is $85 for members or $90 for non-members. Students will supply some materials for this workshop. Click here to register and for the supplies list.
MONTGOMERY--Annette Goyne leads a new Spring Intro to Watercolor at Montgomery Center for the Arts on Saturday at 10 a.m. This class to paint songbirds all in a row will explore the basic techniques and give recommendations for paper, brushes, and paints. The cost is $35. Email or click here to register and for more info.
ONLINE--CVOEO hosts a webinar on Intellectual Property Basics on Zoom on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Especially in this time of AI, protect art, websites, designs, and brand is crucial. A panel of experts from Vermont Law and Graduate School's Small Business Law Clinic will demystify intellectual property, and identify tools for the business of art. This class is appropriate for startup and existing businesses. Click here to complete the CVOEO survey and to register for the Zoom webinar or email for more info.
ON STAGE LIVE
Thursday, April 9
NORTH HERO--The North Hero House hosts Live Music on Thursdays. This week, the series continues with Rockin' Ron Gagnon live this evening at 6 p.m. with the hit songs from classic rock to country and blues Find them on Facebook for more info.
Thursday-Saturday, April 9-11
ESSEX JUNCTION--On Tap starts a weekend of music with Shane's Apothecary tonight at 6 p.m. two shows Friday night, She Was Right at 5 p.m., and then the Hitmen return for late night music starting at 9 p.m., plus two more shows live on Saturday night with the Tim Brick Happy Hour at 5 p.m., and Before This Time after that at 9 p.m. Call 802.878.3309 or email for more info. Click here to reserve a table.
Thursday-Wednesday, April 9-15
MORRISVILLE--Moog's Place has long weekends, Thursday through Wednesday, of music in April. Michael Perry leads Open Mic Night tonight. The Seth Yacovone Band lights the night afire on Friday. The Cat Spruce Band climbs aboard on Saturday. Beg Steal or Borrow stars on Sunday. Seth Yacovone returns for a solo acoustic set on Monday. The sound system takes the day off on Tuesday. And John Paul Arenas is there for Wednesday night live.
Friday, April 10
COLCHESTER--Nathan Michaud plays classic rock songs. I'll be playing tunes from Pink Floyd, Cream, CCR, Allman Brothers, the Beatles, the Stones, and more in the live and free Friday Night Live Music at the Spanked Puppy on Friday at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH BURLINGTON--Sibling Reverie returns to the Old Post on Friday at 8 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
Friday-Sunday, April 9-12
ST. ALBANS--The Taphouse at Mill River has shows on Friday and Saturday nights in April. Dan Parks plays Friday and the Smokey Newfield Project is live on Saturday. Music starts about 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
JERICHO--The Jericho Cafe and Tavern fills the weekend with April's Epic Live Music Lineup. The Lloyd Tyler Band plays Friday. The Stragglers perform live on Saturday night. Music starts at 6 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
SOUTH HERO--Two Heroes Brewery has music most weeks. David Karl Roberts takes the stage on Friday and the Burlington-based indie folk duo Lavendair Band plays live on Saturday. Music starts at 6 p.m. Click here for more info.
ST. ALBANS--Twiggs often has shows on Friday and Saturday nights. This week they host Roger Giroux with an acoustic show on Friday and Rockin' Ron Gagnon live on Saturday night. Music starts about 6:30 p.m.
Call 802.524.1405 or find them on Facebook for more info. Click here to book a reservation or to visit the art on the walls.
Saturday, April 11
FRANKLIN--The Franklin Arts Department and AARP VT winter concert series presents the Misty Bay Ramblers Live at the Pub on Saturday at 6 p.m. Acoustic duo Todd Gevry and Flora Hurteau play folk, Irish, country, bluegrass, rock and roll, alt rockand originals. Admission is by suggested donation of $10. Click here for more info.
BURLINGTON--The Champlain Valley Unitarian Church presents the Young Tradition-VT Touring Group on Saturday at 7 p.m. The program showcases the traditional musical influences of Scandinavia, as well music rooted in Québec and greater New England. Admission is by $20 suggested donation with all proceeds going to support the Touring Group.
ST. ALBANS--CTUD Productions returns Carlos to the Depot for a special all live comedy drag solo show on Saturday night at 8 p.m. There will be costume changes, comedy, feather fans, audience interaction, and more. Admission is $25-$40 (plus service charges). Find them on Facebook for more info and click here for tickets.
Wednesday, April 15
SWANTON--Located in the historic Champlain Theater building, the Green Mountain Bistro has live music every Wednesday night from 6 - 8 p.m. Find them on Facebook for more info.
FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF
GEORGIA--The Friends of the Georgia Library holds an Inaugural Meeting at the library on Saturday ar 10 a.m. All are welcome to join this new volunteer group to support the library. Email for more info.
HIGHGATE--The Highgate Library and Community Center continues the Muffin Monday Senior Social Hour on Monday at 10 a.m. The program is a community connect to brainstorm opportunities for senior support. Each week will also include coffee and tea, as well as fresh pastries. The program will run every Monday morning and is free for anyone 55 and older. Registration is mandatory as space is limited. Call the Library (802.868.3970) to register and for more info.
ISLE LA MOTTE--The Isle La Motte Recreation Department continues the ILM Book Club with the club's fifth novel Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown. Book Pickup is at the ILM Town Office parking lot on Sunday at 3 p.m. Book Return and Discussion will be hekd at ILM Veterans Park on Monday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. Spots are limited. Email to RSVP and click here for more info.
ST. ALBANS--The St. Albans Free Library hosts two book broups this week.
The Tuesday Night Book Group will discuss Becoming Madam Secretary, the fictional biography of Frances Perkins by Stephanie Dray, on Tuesday Evening at 6 p.m. The group reads an eclectic mix of titles and meets the second Tuesday of each month in the Martha Dalton Meeting Room. Copies are available at the circulation desk.
The Banned Books Group ("read them if you dare") will meet to discuss Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury on the first floor on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The 1953 dystopian novel is set in a future American society where books are banned and "firemen" burn them, along with the houses where they're hidden. That could never happen here, right? Right?
Both Book Groups meet after hours at the library. Please arrive before the doors close at 6 p.m. Click here for more info.
Good News!There are so many events around the region that we miss some of them.Be sure to check these calendars for what's happening near you ... |
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Music!Links to the Summer Music series in Franklin County |
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Dick Harper, Chair
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Highgate Springs, VT 05460
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