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Gypsy Jazz Meets Balkan Swing in a High-Energy Bandwagon Double Bill: Rhythm Future Quartet and DiTrani Brothers Perform August 23 at Putney Inn Field

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts continues its Bandwagon Summer Series with a twin bill of genre-bending acoustic brilliance: Rhythm Future Quartet and The DiTrani Brothers perform on Saturday, August 23 at 6:00 PM at the Putney Inn Field, 57 Putney Landing Road in Putney, VT. Gates open at 5:00 PM. Tickets are $22 in advance, $25 at the gate, and free for children under 12. Food will be available from Smokin’ Bowls.

This all-ages outdoor concert promises a vibrant mix of gypsy jazz, Balkan folk, and early American swing—an unforgettable evening of music under the summer sky.

Kimberly Carmody on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

KIMBERLY CARMODY is “Bringing it all back home”. River Gallery School of Art has been her locus and inspiration, from her first art class in 1976 to becoming Executive Director in 2023. In between, she’s traveled and taught and painted and is back in Brattleboro – a perfectly drawn full circle.

Caribbean Vibes and New Orleans Soul Head to Putney for Bandwagon Summer Series

by hahrenholz | Music

Putney, VT — The Bandwagon Summer Series rolls into the Putney Inn Field on Saturday, August 16 at 6:00 PM, bringing with it a wave of island rhythms and joyful melodies for a midsummer night to remember. Headlining the evening is Charlie & The Tropicales, the 1960s-style Caribbean lounge band led by New Orleans trombone maestro Charlie Halloran. Opening the show is the ever-soulful Heather Pierson Trio, offering a vibrant blend of jazz, folk, and blues.

Tickets are $22 in advance, $25 at the gate, and kids under 12 get in free. Food will be provided by Smokin’ Bowls, and a dedicated kids’ play area ensures the whole family can enjoy the night.

StompBoxTrio Brings Soulful Roots Music to Twilight on the Tavern Lawn Series in Putney

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY — Twilight Music and Next Stage Arts Project continue their beloved summer tradition with the 22nd Twilight on the Tavern Lawn concert series, presenting StompBoxTrio on Sunday, August 10 at 6:00 PM. The concert will take place on the Putney Tavern lawn in downtown Putney—bring a lawn chair or blanket for a relaxing evening of roots-infused rhythms under the open sky. In case of rain, the show will move indoors to Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill.

The Twilight on the Tavern Lawn series has become a hallmark of summer in Windham County, offering a diverse lineup of bluegrass, Americana, world, swing, and pop music every other Sunday through August 24. Now in its 22nd year, the free concert series is supported by Next Stage Arts, the Town of Putney, Rod’s, and a host of local businesses and organizations. Food will be available on site, and while the concerts are free, donations are welcome to help sustain the series.

Banjo Brilliance in Bellows Falls: Tony Trischka’s “EarlJam”

by hahrenholz | Music

As summer rolls on in Southern Vermont, so does the Bandwagon Summer Series, bringing family-friendly outdoor performances to ballfields, farms, and parks across Putney, Brattleboro, and Bellows Falls. On Saturday, August 9 at 6:00 PM, the series hits a high note with a very special show: Tony Trischka’s EarlJam, a heartfelt musical tribute to bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs, at Robertson Paper Company Field in Bellows Falls.

Opening the evening are The Stockwell Brothers, beloved local favorites known for their rich vocal harmonies and contemporary folk/bluegrass blend.

WSESD Board Meeting Minutes – July 8, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Summary
– The Board welcomed two new student representatives for the 25-26 school year.
– Universal Pre K contracts were approved for the upcoming school year.
– A summary will be requested from Legal Counsel of work and cases litigated, settled or considered for litigation or currently awaiting resolution involving WSESD/SU in the past three years.
– In light of the approval of bill H.454 by the Senate and House of Representatives on June 16, 2025, the WSESD board voted to remain within a Supervisory Union within a larger governance region to the extent practical to the new redistricting task force.

WSESD Board Meeting Agenda July 8, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Motion that the legal counsel prepare in writing a summary of all cases involving the WSESD/SU within the past 3 years. The summary should include all cases litigated, settled, considered for litigation, or currently awaiting resolution. The summary should also include the nature of the matter and any financial or policy implications to the extent permissible by law. It is understood that this summary will be discussed only in Executive Session by the WSESD Board and not revealed to the general public.

NECCA on NBC Today Show (Video)

by cgrotke | Media

Here’s the clip that NECCA said could be found on the Today Show video page. It is a short piece featuring Brattleboro’s NECCA and the Silver Circus, showing how folks can run away and join the circus even when they are over 60!  (Video below)

Bill Holiday on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Education

BILL HOLIDAY’s teaching style was outside the box and outside the classroom – taking students on Field Studies to the places where history happened. He is the author of two books. Bill also gives tribute to his late nephew Reggie Martell through stories of their travels together.

Some Funky Summer Music – xoxo Xopher – About Time

by cgrotke | Music

I have a new album of funky instrumental tunes to share with you.  It was my winter/spring creative project to distract myself when I had bits of free time, which allowed me some fun playing with keyboards, drum machines, bass, guitar, and other toys to pay homage to some of my musical influences.

When you have a bit of time, give it a listen, and share with anyone you think might like it.

Silverback Swing Brings Gypsy Jazz to “Twilight On The Tavern Lawn” – Sunday, July 27

by hahrenholz | Music

Putney, VT – The enchanting sounds of Gypsy Jazz will fill the air in downtown Putney as Silverback Swing takes the stage for the next installment of the Twilight On The Tavern Lawn summer concert series, presented by Next Stage Arts. The performance takes place Sunday, July 27 at 6:00 PM on the Putney Tavern Lawn, located at 133 Main Street. The concert is free and open to the public, with donations gladly accepted.

Silverback Swing transports listeners to the ambiance of vintage French cafés with music inspired by the legendary Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club of France. Known for their authentic take on Gypsy Jazz—also called Jazz Manouche or Hot Club music—the group performs classic instrumentals and jazz standards from a golden era of swing.

Paris Meets Brooklyn at NECCA: The Blue Dahlia Brings Global Fusion to Bandwagon Summer Series

by hahrenholz | Music

Brattleboro, VT — On Saturday, July 26 at 6:00 PM, the Bandwagon Summer Series, presented by Next Stage Arts, continues its vibrant season with a special performance by The Blue Dahlia at the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA), 10 Town Crier Drive in Brattleboro.

Led by Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter and ukulele player Dahlia Dumont, The Blue Dahlia weaves a colorful tapestry of world music that bridges continents, languages, and cultures. Singing in both French and English, Dumont’s sound fuses the romance of French chanson with Latin rhythms, klezmer violin, ska, reggae, and jazz — all steeped in her unique life journey through New York, France, and Senegal.

Vermont Suitcase Company Presents Whodunnit Puppet Mystery “The Duke Is Dead” at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Entertainment

PUTNEY — The Vermont Suitcase Company returns to the stage this summer with an all-new, puppet-filled mystery, The Duke Is Dead: A Vermont Suitcase Mystery, coming to Next Stage Arts in Putney on Friday, July 25 at 7:00 PM.

Equal parts comedy, mystery, and theatrical whimsy, this one-hour, family-friendly show invites audiences to join a cast of colorful characters—and plenty of puppets—as they attempt to solve the curious case of Duke Didi’s untimely demise. When the Duke is found unresponsive the day before his prized art collection is set to be unveiled at the national gallery, everyone becomes a suspect. Is it his sly niece and only heir? The all-knowing butler? The clueless constable? Or could the national curator herself have something to hide?

Next Stage Arts Presents Armo and JMMR in the Bandwagon Summer Series – July 19 at Putney Inn Field

by hahrenholz | Music

Putney, VT – The groove is coming to Putney this July as Next Stage Arts presents Armo and JMMR as part of the 2024 Bandwagon Summer Series, on Saturday, July 19 at 6:00 pm at the scenic Putney Inn Field, 57 Putney Landing Road.

An evening of high-energy Afrobeat and futuristic jazz awaits under the open sky, with tickets just $22 in advance, $25 at the door, and kids under 12 always free. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or fold-up chair, enjoy local food from Smokin’ Bowls, and soak in a night of world-class music and community vibes.

Brattleboro’s Air Disaster of 1922

by cgrotke | History

In 1922, a big flying event was held on the Retreat Meadows, back when it was still a meadow. The World war had ended and Brattleboro was interested in the potential of aviation for civilians.  Pilots flew in for a weekend of events, competitions, and demonstrations at a special aviation event that Governor Hartness, a big fan of flying, helped bring to town. Everything was going  fine until late on a Friday afternoon, when disaster struck.

This is the story as it appeared in The Phoenix August 25, 1922. It isn’t hard to imagine how a tragedy such as this would perhaps sour the local citizenry on any plans of aviation or airports for quite a long time.

….

AIRPLANE MEET HAS TRAGIC END

Three Passengers Lose Lives When Curtiss Oriole Burns

Were Miss Evelyn Harris and Joseph Trahan and Son – Crowd of About 3,000 Sees Disaster – Inquiry Held.

Update on Funding and Timeline for the 2025-26 Brattleboro Town Arts Fund Application Cycle

by Not Signed In | Arts

Program Update: In light of the reduced funding allocation for the Brattleboro Town Arts Fund, we have decided to postpone the launch of the 2025 application cycle until January 2026, effectively combining this year’s and next year’s application process and funding resources.

While the Brattleboro Selectboard voted in April to restore $15,000 for the Town Arts Fund in the revised FY26 Town budget, the finalized budget that was sent to and approved at Representative Town Meeting in May included an additional reduction of $5,000 from the TAF program, for a final award of $10,000 for FY26.