Vermont
Green Mountain Club celebrates rehabilitation of a popular Camel’s Hump trail – VTDigger
HUNTINGTON — After three years of seasonal restoration work on the popular Burrows hiking trail on Camel’s Hump, the Green Mountain Club and Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation have announced its completion.
On Wednesday morning, a group of hikers, including University of Vermont staff and state officials, gathered at the trailhead as yellow and orange leaves swirled through the air. The celebration included speeches from members of the Green Mountain Club and an educational hike along the trail.
“This rehabilitation project is the largest trail project the GMC has undertaken in modern history,” said Mike DeBonis, the executive director of Green Mountain Club, during the event in Huntington. “The Burrows Trail, based on its level of use, which is exceedingly high, and its condition and climate risk, made it the perfect candidate for this kind of large scale investment.”
The Burrows Trail, built over 100 years ago, before sustainable trail design principles were developed, is among Vermont’s busiest hiking routes. Its popularity is largely due to its location near Burlington and the relatively short hike it offers to the summit of Camel’s Hump, one of the state’s tallest and most iconic mountains.
“Thinking of this project, two key attributes of success stand out,” DeBonis said. “First, the impact of the state’s financial investment and second is the power of partnerships.”
Planning for the project began in 2018, and work on the 2.1-mile trail started in June 2022, targeting more than 300 areas on the trail that needed improvements. The effort, led by the club and the department, included various partners, such as the Vermont State Trail Crew, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, Northwoods Stewardship Center, National Civilian Conservation Corps and several volunteer groups.
“It was an amazing opportunity to bring together a bunch of different groups who work in outdoor recreation already on state lands onto one project,” said Kathryn Wrigley, an outdoor recreation specialist at the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, during Wednesday’s event.
One of the key improvements to the trail included the strategic placement of large branches, tree trunks and natural debris along its edges, a technique referred to as “brush-ins” by the Green Mountain Club. These brush-ins are used to prevent trail-widening and the creation of “social trails,” which are unofficial paths made by hikers seeking shortcuts or bypasses around obstacles or people. These unauthorized trails contribute to the loss of vegetation and increased trail erosion.
The club and the department identified 117 sections along the trail where the path had widened excessively. The trampled areas were more noticeable after the Covid-19 pandemic reached Vermont because people were staying far apart from each other, according to Wrigley.
“So the sticks are intended to keep people off and allow vegetation to start regrowing,” she said.
Keegan Tierney, the Green Mountain Club’s director of field programs, pointed out other harder-to-see changes during Wednesday’s hike: for instance, hardened crossings, which involve fortifying the banks of a stream so it doesn’t become a mud pit.
The club also installed 150 waterbars to reduce trail erosion. The structures are designed to channel water off the trail, helping to prevent further damage caused by water runoff.
The project, which cost nearly $700,000, was funded through a combination of sources, including a one-time allocation of state general funds for outdoor recreation improvements; the department’s Enhancement of Recreation Stewardship and Access Grant, and private donations to the club.
The cost of the project was impacted by the lack of access to mechanized equipment. Tierney said all of the work had to be done manually, pointing at the rocks to create the treadway.
“It’s labor intensive,” said Tierney. “It’s probably two weeks of brute time right here.”
Both Wrigley and Tierney emphasized the magnitude of the partnerships. The club has recently started to train its 250 volunteers to recognize trail structures and clean them to keep trails open in the long run.
“We’re investing the time in those folks so they can go out and be like ‘oh I see this, I need to clean it’,” said Tierney. “That’s a huge investment on their part as volunteers. They’re given their time and money to get here.”
Smoke from Canadian wildfires continued to obscure Vermont skies on Friday as the Department of Environmental Conservation issued another air quality alert for the northwest portion of the state. The alert, which includes the counties of Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle, is set to end at midnight.
An expanded alert will be issued by the agency Saturday, according to the National Weather Service office in Burlington. The air quality alert will last from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and cover the counties of Caledonia, Chitteden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington.
“It’s a moderate level of pollutants, so it’s not going to affect everybody, but it’s mainly for sensitive groups like people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children,” said Peter Banacos, science and operations officer at the National Weather Service’s office in Burlington. While rain is helping to drown out the particulates, smoke that’s hovering over the St. Lawrence Valley could move into northern Vermont over the weekend, according to Banacos.
Those tiny particles within the smoke, known as fine particulate matter or PM 2.5, can get trapped in people’s lungs before entering their bloodstream, causing possible health problems. The wildfire smoke brings elevated concentrations of those particles that can be unhealthy for sensitive groups like older adults and children, pregnant people, outdoor workers and people living outside.
People with asthma should keep their relief medicine nearby, and if residents experience scratchy eyes or throat, a headache or coughing, they’re encouraged to move indoors, according to a media release from the Department of Environmental Conservation on Friday.
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On Friday afternoon, the air quality for much of the state was good, and residents could enjoy outdoor activities. But in Burlington and St. Albans, the Environmental Protection Agency’s fire and smoke map indicated that the levels of PM 2.5 were above 100 on the air quality index, meaning the air was unhealthy for those sensitive groups.
The smoke has migrated from more than 200 wildfires churning through Canada, with six new fires starting Friday. Canada faces an especially severe and early start to its fire season, as more severe wildfires become more common under climate change, which is primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels. While 69 fires are burning in British Columbia, more than 100 have consumed the country’s less fire-prone prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
“With these wildfires so far removed from Vermont, we’re not expecting real significant issues,” Banacos said. He recalled worse conditions in 2022, when wildfires raging in Quebec brought thick, low-level smoke to Vermont that reduced visibility and increased air quality issues. “If we get fires that are closer, that could change,” Banacos said.
The worst effects are across the Great Lakes, where smoke has settled over major cities like Detroit and Toronto, but unhealthy air has traveled as far south as Florida this week.
Vermont
Vermont Attorney General settles with private parking company after they ‘trick consumers’ into paying fines – VTDigger
A parking company with more than two dozen private lots in the Burlington area has agreed to pay a hefty fine after the Vermont attorney general found it was using deceptive ticketing practices.
Unified Parking Partners — a New England parking company acquired by hospitality and parking giant Towne Park in 2024 — is set to pay the state $150,000, according to a June 5 press release from Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark’s office.
The attorney general’s investigation found that the company violated the Vermont Consumer Protection Act by using government-style language like “citations” and “fines” on notices sent to drivers for violations made in its private lots.
The company’s notices also mischaracterized the penalties for not paying fees, suggesting that it could impact someone’s credit rating, vehicle registration, license renewal and ability to rent a car.
In the settlement, Clark wrote that Unified Parking Partners is a “private commercial entity with no governmental authority.”
“Companies have a right to charge for services rendered, but not to trick consumers into paying out of fear that disputing a charge could come with consequences the company has no power to impose,” Clark said.
Clark mandated that the parking company stop “making any representation that may cause a reasonable consumer to believe that a notice of violation is issued by a municipality or governmental authority.”
The settlement between the attorney general and Unified Parking Partners is enforced through an Assurance of Discontinuance, a common way for attorney generals to resolve conflicts. The company plans to pay the $150,000 fine by June 20.
Clark is not the first attorney general to go after the company. Last summer, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha filed a complaint against UPP Global LLC — Unified Parking Partners’ parent company — accusing it of “a pattern of unfair and deceptive conduct including charging customers fees disguised as a ‘tax,’ charging junk ‘service fees,’ failing to disclose parking rates until customers have already parked, and issuing ‘citations’ that mimic government-issued parking tickets and falsely threaten consequences from the Division of Motor Vehicles.”
United Parking Partners has faced criticism from Vermonters for years. In 2017, Seven Days wrote a column about the company’s potentially deceptive ticketing practices.
When reached for comment, United Parking Partners spokesperson Bev Drivin said, “UPP is committed to complying with all applicable local laws and regulations. All practices, policies, signage, and enforcement notices are fully compliant with applicable laws.”
Pitchfork Music Festival Will Not Return To Chicago In 2025
After 19 years, the Pitchfork Music Festival has announced it will not return to Chicago in 2025.
unbranded – Entertainment
Looking forward to spending time outdoors at a festival or fair this summer?
Luckily, Vermont has plenty of exciting festivals lined up to celebrate the season all summer long, from June through September. From food festivals to outdoor concerts to historical agricultural fairs, the state is sure to have the perfect festival for the whole family to enjoy.
Here are 10 festivals in Vermont to attend this summer.
Vermont State Fair
The Vermont State Fair, Vermont’s oldest agricultural fair, will return this summer for the 179th time. Hosted by the Rutland Agricultural Society, this five-day event will include live entertainment, carnival rides and food trucks, as well as agricultural demonstrations like animal races or tractor shows.
Hours and ticket information for the 2025 Vermont State Fair will follow in the coming weeks.
When: Tuesday, Aug. 12 through Saturday, Aug. 16
Where: 175 S Main St., Rutland
Do Good Fest
Back in Montpelier this July is Do Good Fest, a charity music festival that benefits the Vermont Foodbank. This year, Do Good’s headliner is Grammy award-winning band The Fray, who will be joined by the Plain White T’s and Sammy Rae & The Friends.
Along with the big concert, this festival will also have two dozen food trucks, a beer garden, a donation drive and a fireworks show. General admission to Do Good Fest costs just $5, but all size donations are accepted. Children ages five and under enter for free.
When: Saturday, July 12 from 2-9 p.m.
Where: National Life Group, 1 National Life Dr., Montpelier
Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival
Head over to the 45th annual Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival for a dreamy weekend of hot air balloon rides through the scenic Upper Valley sky. As the longest-running hot air balloon festival in New England, this event also features live music, a kids zone and over 50 artisan vendors of local foods and goods.
Tickets, which cost $25 for adults or $5 for children, include admission for the whole weekend, so guests may come and go throughout the three-day festival. Balloon rides are sold separately.
When: Friday, June 20 through Sunday, June 22. Hours are 3-8 p.m. on Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Where: Quechee Green Park, 70 Village Green, Quechee
Vermont Blueberry Festival
Nothing says summer like fresh blueberries, and Southern Vermont’s Deerfield Valley is celebrating the popular fruit with a 10-day festival.
The area-wide festival will feature various blueberry-themed events, including a blueberry parade, a blueberry kids fair, a blueberry craft fair, a blueberry parade, blueberry planting classes, a blueberry dessert competition and a blueberry pie eating contest. Additionally, the festival will be accompanied by lots of live music, farmers markets and special blueberry-infused creations from local restaurants and bars, including blueberry chicken tacos, blueberry pancakes and blueberry lemon martinis.
While most of the events for the blueberry festival are free, some may have individual costs. A full schedule with details can be found online.
When: Friday, July 25 through Sunday, Aug. 3.
Where: Various locations in Deerfield Valley
Champlain Valley Fair
Close out summer at the 103rd Champlain Valley Fair, coming to Essex Junction at the end of August. The iconic fair has plenty of agricultural demonstrations and competitions, cooking competitions, carnival rides and games, a demolition derby and more.
The ten-day fair also features a different entertainment act each night, including Lil Jon, Dustin Lynch and Gabriel Iglesias this year.
Tickets are now available online, with single-day admission starting at $12 for adults and $6 for children. Concerts and rides are sold separately.
When: Friday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, August 31. Gates open at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.
Where: 105 Pearl St., Essex Junction
Vermont Brewers Festival
Established in 1991, the Vermont Brewers Festival is a popular two-day craft beer event located on the picturesque shores of Lake Champlain. While sipping on beer from over 30 craft breweries, guests can shop from local food and goods vendors, enjoy live music and play lawn games like giant beer pong.
Tickets cost $60 in advance or $65 day-of. Each ticket includes 15 tabs to use as drink tickets, with five extra tickets available for purchase inside. Designated driver tickets are also available for $22 on-site only.
When: Friday, July 18 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 19 from noon to 4 p.m. or 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Where: Waterfront Park, 10 College St., Burlington
Art in the Park
Each summer, the Chaffee Art Center hosts an Art in the Park Festival showcasing fine art, photography and crafts from local artists. The free festival also includes specialty foods, children’s activities, live music and demonstrations of artworks in progress.
When: Saturday, Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Main Street Park, 5 S Main St., Rutland
Burlington Wine & Food Festival
Burlington is celebrating summer with the perfect festival for wine lovers – a day of wine tasting and food sampling on the shores of Lake Champlain. The festival will feature wines from all over the world, including Italy, Spain, France and right here in Vermont, as well as artisan cheeses, meats and chocolates.
Admission costs $80 per guest for advance tickets or $95 on the day of the event. The price of the ticket includes all food sampling, wine tasting and on-site presentations.
When: Saturday, June 21 from 12:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-8 p.m.
Where: Hula Lakeside, 50 Lakeside Ave., Burlington
Best of Vermont Summer Festival
Back for a fifth year, the Best of Vermont Summer Festival is a newer festival that celebrates summer with live music, craft beverages, artisan products, specialty foods, antique tractors and kids activities. Ticket and scheduling information for this fair will be published online when made available.
When: Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Okemo Field at Route 103 and Bixby Road, Ludlow
Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
In early June, jazz music will fill the streets of downtown Burlington for the 42nd Burlington Discover Jazz Festival. Musical acts will range in everything from local high school bands to a closing night tribute to Alice Coltrane, one of the most influential women in jazz.
Ticket prices vary depending on the specific show. All tickets can be bought online.
When: Wednesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 8
Where: Various locations in downtown Burlington
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