Middlebury Festival on the Green

The Middlebury Festival on the Green will celebrate its 30th season during the week of July 13 through 19, 2008. A much anticipated highlight of the summer, the Festival has remained faithful to its mission of bringing top-quality, free, family-friendly entertainment to the residents and guests of Addison County since its debut just over a quarter-century ago. Over the years, we have introduced more than 430 performance artists or groups to collectively more than 120,000 audience members. The roster of “alumni” performers includes homegrown talent from the Green Mountain State and entertainers from half-a-world away, solo artists and entire parades, traditional entertainers and those who’ve earned a reputation as “cutting-edge.”

The Festival on the Green has been acclaimed by Vermont Life as “the best series of free performances in Vermont” and as Vermont's “Favorite Festival.” The event has again earned the Addison Eagle’s “Readers’ Choice Award for Best Summer Festival.” In September 2005, the Festival Committee was honored with the Theresa S. Brungardt Award for outstanding service as an organization to Recreation and Parks in Vermont and on Town Meeting Day 2003, Festival representatives were on hand to accept the Robert Collins Recreation Service Award from the Middlebury community. We have also been distinguished seven times with selection as a Vermont Chamber of Commerce “Top Ten Summer Event.” Members of the media and of our Festival audience have graciously complimented the event with these words:

“Small town, big fun!”
“One of the best community-oriented music festivals imaginable.”
“A gift to the entire community.”
“Middlebury at its finest.”
“Excellent quality and variety of performers.”
“Love it all -- what a treat!”
“The Festival on-the-Green is the very essence of New England in summer. A blanket tossed on the grass, free music, good ice cream, friendly neighbors' faces and children dancing in the shadows of the gazebo. This is the America we have mostly left behind, and to which we keep trying to return.”

Featured artists:

Chatham County Line
Genticorum
Marta Gomez
The Holmes Brothers
Maiden Vermont
Nightingale
No Strings Marrionettes
Pipeline
The Red Stick Ramblers
Robert & Gigi
The Vermont Jazz Ensemble
Tom Verner
Vorcza
Steve White
Young Tradition

...and more!

Festival Events

Brown Bag Specials

Monday-Friday, 12:00-1:00

“Brown Bag Specials,” performances designed for a family audience, are presented at noon Monday through Friday. Festival-goers bring a bag lunch or picnic from home, or patronize one of the nearby restaurants for take-out. These shows, which feature storytelling, dance, music, and puppetry, are enjoyed by an audience sprinkled with lively toddlers from local day care centers, youthful residents of nearby camps, downtown shoppers, and employees from businesses bordering the Green.

Evening Performances

Sunday 6:00-7:30
Monday-Friday, 7:00-10:00

Evening performances begin at 7:00 p.m. and are generally done by 10:00. The week's program features something for nearly every musical taste from folk and country blues to rhythmic international melodies. All events take place rain or shine under the tent on the Village Green.

Street Dance

Saturday

Since 1984, our capstone event has been the Street Dance, featuring big-band selections by the always-popular Vermont Jazz Ensemble. With the support of the town Selectboard and businesses surrounding the Green, Main Street is closed to all but pedestrian traffic so that Festival-goers can "cut the rug" on the street.

Thank You!

Without the active support of Middlebury College, the Town of Middlebury, the local community and many generous citizens, it would be impossible to bring to Middlebury the quality performances for which the Festival has been famous. Advance donations/sponsorships ranging from $5 to $2000 fund this free performing arts event and allow us to continue the tradition of featuring hometown and Vermont artists as well as entertainers who have gained fame on a regional, national, or international level.

Many organizations provide us with equally valuable in-kind services in lieu of financial support. Examples include gracious accommodations for out-of-town artists at the historic Middlebury Inn, tasty snacks or entire meals for performers from local restaurants, the loan of folding chairs from Middlebury College, and trash removal services compliments of Casella Waste Management. The Festival has also periodically received support from the Vermont Arts Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Vermont Community Foundation, and the Walter Cerf Community Fund.

Contact Us

We're always looking for new members to help out in putting on this special event! The Festival Committee, a diverse group of nearly 40 dedicated volunteers, meets beginning in early January to organize each year's event. For further information about the Middlebury Festival on the Green, email us at "midfog at gmail dot com", write to P.O. Box 451, Middlebury, VT 05753 or call (802) 462-3555.

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Send us your comments or questions! -- "midfog at gmail.com"

Last modified May 3, 2008