| Free Burlington Press
6 New Year traditions around the world
Some will incorporate the new year with red underwear or eating 12 grapes at midnight. Here are 6 traditions you might never have heard of.
USA TODAY
The highlight in Burlington for this year’s New Year’s Eve is (ahem) Highlight. The celebration that replaced the long First Night Burlington soiree in 2018 has benefited greatly from having one more year at their fingertips.
Last year’s Highlight had little time to gather its programming following the demise of First Night, but despite its late start it drew more than 6,000 attendees to a full day of activities. This year’s version has allowed organizers to more carefully plan this year’s schedule, which includes more than 40 events. This luxury of time has not helped any part of Highlight other than the Bright Ideas Project, so organizers are asking community members to come up with their own ideas for the activities.
Stay home? Books related to Vermont to make gifts and read during the winter
We’ve removed the Highlight program to highlight (again) some of the major events you might want to attend on Tuesday, December 31st. You will also find a section on logistics (admission, parking and the like) and other non-outstanding New Year’s Eve events for your possible entertainment on the last night of 2020. Enjoy and happy new year!
Month: Your guide to non-alcoholic fun in Burlington on New Year’s Eve and holidays
Bright Ideas Events
From 1 to 5 p.m., the Vermont Folklife Center Virtual Reality Lounge uses VR camera technology to tell stories of the state in a new way, Fletcher Free Library.
From 4:00 pm to 12:30 pm New Year’s Eve Festival within the Highlight festival will be conducted by a musician from Burlington, raised in Costa Rica Maiz Vargas Sandoval of the band Mal maiz to celebrate the art and culture of Latin Americans living in Vermont, the Contois Auditorium, Burlington City Hall.
17.00 to 12.30 The CyberZoo it consists of virtual animals made by artists from the Generator maker space, in the Main Street airstrip.
17.00 to 12.30 “Illuminated Eve” includes lighting projects, a musically interactive light party and other facilities at Main Street Landing.
17: 30-18: 30, the chamber ensemble Playing for good has a mission to raise awareness of local organizations and will contribute donations of the performance to FlynnSpace to educational scholarships at Burlington City Arts.
From 6 to 9 p.m., a fire program appears bonfires from 6 to 9 p.m., a show by the Vermont Fire Performance Group Circus of Fire at 7:30 p.m. fireworks at 8 p.m., Waterfront Park.
19-10 h, Nightshade the New Year includes food provided by Nightshade kitchen and music by the African-born performer Daby Toure, who has signed with Cumbancha Records in Charlotte, BCA Center.
8 to 9 p.m., artist Sean Clute and interpreter Otto Muller honors the work of renowned Vermont photographer “Snowflake” Bentley to your presentation “Winter “ Main Street Landing.
From 8:30 to 10:00 p.m., the Central Vermont Classical Organization Scrag Mountain Music presents a “John Cage is happening “ focusing on the adventurous works (including his famous and very silent “4’33”) of the modern composer, First Congregational Church.
From 9pm to 12.30pm, a native of Vermont Jennifer Hartswick, known for her singing and trumpet with the band Trey Anastasio, performs at The Skinny Pancake.
Other highlights
From 1 to 3 p.m. Girls Rock Vermont Variety Show celebrates the annual summer music camp, FlynnSpace.
From 1pm to 7pm, one of the highlights of First Night Burlington, based in Vermont Circ Smirkus, offers shows at 1, 3 and 6 p.m., Edmunds Middle School.
From 2 pm to 5 pm, for children Mister Chris and Friends Band performs at 2 and 4 p.m., ECHO Center.
From 4 to 10 p.m., a mini-music festival on Pine Street, “Hibernate in the soft drink plant” has bluegrass and honky-tonk music directed by Brett Hughes and allows building companies like Brio Coffeeworks and Tom Girl Juice to display their wares, The Soda Plant.
From 16:30 to 17:00, driven by dogs PAWrade walk down Church Street on all fours.
From 5 to 7:30 p.m. Inconceivable theater company presents an immersive installation entitled “Sudden death and resurrection “ at 4 and 6 p.m., Main Street Landing.
From 5:30 to 18:00, simple humans drive the Highlight Parade, Church Street Marketplace.
7-10: 30 p.m., the soulful Burlington-based group Dwight and Nicole joins with special guests to a performance entitled “Sound and color “ Unitary Universalist Church.
From 19:45 to 12:30, the “Ball of the 1920s ” combines the flapper era with the modern era and includes music from the Green Mountain Swing Band i Hot Box Honey, ECHO Center.
Highlight entrance, parking, etc. of Burlington.
Entry: A button covering admission to all events costs $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for children ages 3-12. However, there is a caveat: some events may reach capacity, so it’s best to get to the activities you really want to see soon.
Parking: The usual parking spaces are available in the city center, but can also reach capacity. Highlight offers a shuttle service from the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington and the Miller Center in Champlain College, right next to Pine Street, as well as the College Street shuttle service from the boardwalk to the University of Vermont Medical Center.
Information – www.highlight.community
Other New Year’s activities
1 pm, Anit Sant Albans celebrates the end of 2020 with activities that include a children’s carnival, a cheese and beer tasting and an hour of comedy in venues across the city, followed at 7pm by fireworks at Taylor Park and a gala at 9pm at City Hall ballroom with music by the Shane Murley Band. $ 5 for admission buttons, $ 20-20 for the gala. www.lastnightvt.com.
At 5 p.m., Burlington rockers the Steph Pappas Experience (free admission) starts a night of music culminating in more Burlington rock from 9:30 p.m. The Bubs, Rough Francis i Grease the face ($ 25), Radio Bean, Burlington. (802) 660-9346, www.radiobean.com.
5:30 p.m., guitarist from downtown Vermont Dave Keller delves into soul and blues music with the pianist Ian Friedman, Unitarian Church, Montpelier. $ 15 in advance, $ 20 at the door. www.davekeller.com.
7 p.m., Folknight Richmond is hosted by the trio Pete’s Posse and includes music from Spintuition, Shady Rill (also known as Patty Casey i Tom MacKenzie) i Dana and Susan Robinson, Richmond Congregational Church. A $ 20 donation was suggested for the benefit of the historic round church. www.facebook.com/folknightrichmond.
At 7 p.m., the New Year’s set The celebration has a rotating collection of musicians who perform the music of The Grateful Dead, with a special guest Beg, steal or lend, Nectar’s, Burlington. $ 15 (802) 658-4771, www.liveatnectars.com.
19:30 h Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Lyric Theater and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra combine for the second consecutive New Year ‘s Eve for Burlington on Broadway, Flynn Center. $ 25 to $ 60. (802) 863-5966, www.flynntix.org.
20 and 22:30 h, comic DeAnne Smith joins Christophe Davidson for two shows at the Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington. $ 40 to $ 50 for the show at 8 p.m., $ 50 to $ 60 for the 10:30 p.m. show that includes dessert bar, party chocolates, midnight countdown and toast with champagne. (802) 859-0100, www.vermontcomedyclub.com.
8:30 p.m., pop-rockers born in Middlebury The Grift acting, Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. $ 17 in advance, $ 20 at the door includes a champagne toast at midnight. (802) 382-9222, www.townhalltheater.org.
At 9 pm, New Year’s Eve party with music from the Phil Say Band i DJ CRE-8 includes hors d’œuvres, a coffee / dessert bar and a midnight champagne toast, Hotel Vermont, Burlington. $ 85 (855) 650-0080, www.hotelvt.com.
9 p.m., hosts Nikki Champagne i Evil Emoji drive the dance party and the drag-burlesque show New Queers Eve, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $ 15 to $ 25. (802) 652-0777, www.highergroundmusic.com.
The Illusion Girls rock Higher Ground in the showcase of Girls Rock Vermont
Four girls who had never played together until a few days before perform confidently in front of a crowd in the South Burlington Music Room
Brent Hallenbeck, writer of the free press staff
At 9 p.m., at a doorstep of New Queers Eve, the instrumental duo Soule World with Russ Lawton on the battery i Ray Paczkowski the Hammond B-3 organ plays at the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington. $ 20 in advance, $ 25 per day of show. (802) 652-0777, www.highergroundmusic.com.
9:30 p.m., Nashville Rock Band Liz Cooper and the stampede titles a program that includes local talent Hammydown i Francesca Blanchard, ArtsRiot, Burlington. $ 22 (802) 540-0406, www.artsriot.com.
10 p.m., the West African group based in Burlington Sabouyouma joins It’s -K and The Monkey House, Winooski. 5 USD. (802) 655-4563, www.monkeyhousevt.com.
22:00, DJ Svpply supplies hip-hop sounds for New Year’s Eve at the Metronome Club, Burlington. $ 10 (802) 658-4771, www.clubmetronome.com.
At 10pm, yacht rock became a thing of the 2010s, so it makes sense to end the year (and decade) with the styles of The Full Cleveland, Zenbarn, Waterbury Center. $ 20 (802) 244-8134, www.zenbarnvt.com.
Contact Brent Hallenbeck at (802) 660-1844 or [email protected]. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck.
5 strange objects fell on New Year’s Eve
If the classic ball drop in New York’s Times Square isn’t your setting, you might like one of those more unusual celebrations.
USA TODAY