there are a bunch of great fairs & festivals coming up in the next few weeks. Here’s a quick sampling:

The Festival of Fools:
August 5 – 7, Burlington VT

Burlington City Arts is proud to present the Festival of Fools, now in its fourth year, on August 5-7th, 2011. The Festival of Fools is a curated festival of street theater devoted to community engagement through the celebration of circus arts, music and comedy for family audiences. In accord with Burlington City Arts’ mission to make the arts accessible in greater Burlington, the Festival of Fools offers free events, open to the public and appropriate for all age groups.

The Festival of Fools features the best international street performers from around the globe. Four main stage locations surrounding the Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park will feature continuous street theater, performing to over 10,000 visitors to Church Street each day. The Festival wraps up on Sunday, August 7th with a grand finale featuring all the performers of the festival.

Rhinofest
August 5 – 7, Plainfield VT
rhinofestvt.com/

The RhinoFest site is a natural amphitheater tucked away in the hills of Plainfield, Vermont. This beautifully unique landscape atop Maple Hill provides every “Rhinofestivillian” with a view of our Main Stage, Side Stage, and DJ Dome from each and every campsite. Our Main Stage was constructed from fallen trees taken from the land surrounding the festival. We are sponsored by local businesses and we are proud to not accept corporate sponsorship or investment. RhinoFest was born from a group of friend’s passion of music, respect for the land, and love for community.

Entering our fourth year of fun, all festival-goers can expect that the positive vibes and amazing music of prior years will be reached and surpassed. RhinoFest 2011 will truly be a summer event that no one should miss! Rhinofestivillians, let’s celebrate!

Addison Fair & Field Days
August 9 – 13, Addison County, VT
www.addisoncountyfielddays.com/

Vermont’s largest agricultural fair always takes place during the first full week of August. Celebrating its 63rd year, this family-oriented fair is a deeply rooted community tradition. From the 4H competitions to the Tractor Pull, the Demolition Derby to the Ferris Wheel, The Fair & Field Days is both wholesome & hopping…and it is absolutely the quintessential agricultural fair…so come one, come all August 9th (Tuesday) through August 13th (Saturday).

Grand Points North Festival
August 13 – 14, Burlington, VT
www.grandpointnorth.com/

Grace Potter, Taj Mahal, Wood Brothers, Anais Mitchell, Rubblebucket & much much more. All on the Burlington Waterfront. Looks like a GREAT time…

Valley Stage Festival
August 13, Huntington, VT
www.valleystage.net

A phenomenal one day gathering!!! Wholesome for the whole family, always an extremely tasteful line-up & a setting that cannot be topped! This is a VT gem, folks. If you’ve been there before, you know. If not, check it out!!!

The Great Vermont Corn Maze
Ongoing, Danville VT
www.vermontcornmaze.com/

Granted, this is not an ‘upcoming fair or festival,’ but I can’t resist highlighting this time-honored tradition. Voted 2nd best in the nation, the Great Vermont Corn Maze boasts an ‘epic journey of adventure’ on 8.5 acres. While it is somewhat far afield for most folks on this mailing list, who knows…perhaps you’ll be passing through Danville sometime in the next few months? If so, be brave!!!

Montpelier Green Drinks is next Tuesday!

Join us on Tuesday, August 9th from 6 – 8 pm in City Center’s lobby for Montpelier Green Drinks. As always, there will be 50 pints of local microbrew, generously bought by our sponsors. We are also thrilled to welcome Pirogi Union back this month…btw, other than Green Drinks, you can get their product at both City Market & Hunger Mountain Coop!

Sponsors? Yep! This month’s sponsor is
1% for the Planet:

And of course, recognition & gratitude is due for our sustaining sponsors:

Thanks to our host sponsor, City Center Associates, for sharing their lobby with us!

Seven Days wants you to check ‘em out online at www.7dvt.com. You can also get ‘the Daily 7′ – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today: http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility is excited to bring it’s next Networking Get-Together to Hardwick’s Food Venture Center on August 18th.  The event is co-hosted by the Cellars at Jasper Hill and Caledonia Spirits & Winery, so there will be plenty of opportunities to experience award winning wines, spirits and cheeses.  VBSR would also like to remind everyone that the new edition of the BUY LOCAL Coupon Book & Resource Guide will hit stores, shelves and counters starting September 1st.  The book features coupons from over 140 businesses in Chittenden, Addison and Washington counties and will be distributed through over 20 different sites across the region.

Specials at the Skinny Pancake this week: 

Screamin’ Summer (Montpelier): A delightful medley of Sauteed Escarole, Summer Squash, Zucchini, garlic and fresh herbs from Scremin’ Ridge Farm with Pete’s Eggplant and Landaff Cheese.  Wrapped up in a savory crepe with a side of local greens. $10.95

Caprese Salad (Burlington): Pete’s Greens airloom tomatoes, Arethusa Farm basil chiffonade, Maple Brook Farms Burrata Mozzerella & balsamic reduction. $9.95.

Blue-balicious (Burlington): fresh picked blueberries from Charlotte erry Farm with a splash of lemon, & granulated sugar. Comes with a side of Cabot whipped cream. $7.50

Hear ye, hear ye: let it be known by all who walk the earth (or at least those who actually read this newsletter) that the Chubby Muffin is now serving ALL NATURAL CREEMEES!!!

DID YOU KNOW…?

That National Farmers Market Week is August 7 – 13th! This year marks the 12th annual National Farmers Market week. Since 2000, the number of farmers markets has grown from approximately 250%, from 2,863 markets to 7,175 in 2011. Here in VT, we have the highest number of farmers markets per capita. Wahoo!!!

Music this week at the Skinny Pancake:

Thursday, 08.04.11
Nicole Carey (handmade folk)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/nicoleerincarey

The Skinny Pancake is proud to bring on back Miss Nicole Erin Carey, a Burlington native whose charming folk music is as prime as her sewing and knitting skills. Whether wielding an acoustic guitar or banjo, Carey’s sweetly unique voice singing songs inspired by the mountains, farms and birds of Vermont is a dead ringer influence from folk legends like Leadbelly or Woody Guthrie. Unlike those two, however, Nicole Erin’s rosy little tunes are from a winsome young singer-songwriter taking in the greenery and wildflowers of our sugar maple state and using its beauty as an artful ingredient. Hear what we’re so excited about right over here!

Friday, 08.05.11
Shannon Hawley (acoustic / folk / indi)
***$5 suggested donation
shannonhawley.com

If Regina Spektor and Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum had a child, and Tom Waits was her nanny, you’d have Shannon Hawley. Shannon lures audiences in with her sweet voice, imagistic lyrics, and spitfire stage-presence. Her performances are like journeys to the present moment, touching on all things that make you feel alive – all the pain and all the joy – and sometimes both at once.

“A dynamic performer, this tiny red-haired spitfire connects deeply and effortlessly to both her heart-felt lyrics and to her audience.”

Saturday, 08.06.11
Victoria Vox (acoustic)
***$5 suggested donation
www.victoriavox.com/

clectic, upbeat and clever, Victoria Vox, has been warming the hearts of her audience across the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe. Her songs are honest, moving, but also light-hearted. She is  known among the ukulele community for her refreshingly modern and rhythmic ukulele technique. She has been included in Relix Magazine and Washington D.C.’s City’s Best lists of artists to watch and is a multi WAMA (Washington D.C. Area Music Award) winner for her 2010 release Exact Change. She’s an undiscovered gem… but won’t be for long.

Sunday, 08.07.11
Montpelier Sunday Skinny Series

4 – 6 pm: Katie Trautz & Friends
6 – 8 pm: Phinneas Gage trio
www.facebook.com/phineasgagevt

In the pipleline…

Thursday, 08.11.11
Linda Bassick (alt / americana / blues)
***$5 suggested donation
www.reverbnation.com/lindabassick

Friday, 08.12.11
Jen Chapin Trio (folk / americana)
***$5 suggested donation
http://www.jenchapin.com/www.jenchapin.com/

First off…
PICK YOUR OWN SEASON IS IN FULL SWING!!!

Visit Adam’s Berry Farm on the Intervale  weekdays from 10-6 and weekends from 10-4. Enjoy 10 varieties of blueberries…’til raspberry season starts in a few weeks. More info on his farm can be found here: adamsberryfarm.com/. In Montpelier, Richmond, elsewhere…here’s a quick list of PYO farms: The Charlotte Berry Farm, Littlewood Farm in Plainfield and Waitsfield’s Hartshorn’s Farm all have an ongoing or upcoming PYO strawberry season.

On the subject of bumper crops: The Skinny Pancake is currently receiving 200 lbs of basil a week from Arethusa Farm on the Intervale…that’s 40 of the containers pictured here, along side our Chubby Muffin Kitchen Manager, Andrew Godek & his kid brother, Little G. Nobody seems to know his real name. Mr. Godek senior tells me the total will be 1.5 tons of basil, which will be processed into pesto and frozen for use this winter throughout Pancakia. We work closely with Arethusa Farm & were excited to commit this winter to the purchase of this bulk purchase…allowing them to grow ALOT of basil with a gauranteed buyer!

We’ve got new t-shirts!!! They come in two colors…brown & maize….and they’re made on super-soft, premium quality Alternative Apparel fabric.

You can get them at either Skinny Pancake location or call us & we can send one to you!

Also…keep your eyes peeled for a limited edition run of hand-made tie-dyed t-shirts from our last round of printing…coming to Pancakia near you in the not-to-distant future.

The sun will be setting. 100+ people will be in the Main St Landing’s Lake Lobby & on their glorious balcony overlooking Lake Champlain. You will be one of them.

Did our Jedi-mind trick work? I ‘spose we’ll know next Tuesday. This part’s for sure: there will be 125 pints of tasty, cold Wolaver’s Organic Beer AT NO COST TO YOU. And, there will be FREE PIROGIS, FREE MASSAGES & INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. Bring your friends, bring your family. Network…or don’t. Have a good time. See you there.

Sponsors? Oh, yeah…we got plent of them. This month’s sponsor is Vermont’s very own…
All Earth Renewables

AllEarth Renewables, Inc. is a Vermont company that specializes in the design and manufacture of grid-connected solar renewable energy systems. Their goal is to lessen dependence on nuclear and fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating sustainable, well-paying jobs. Their flagship product, the AllSun Tracker, produces up to 45% more electricity than fixed solar installations of the same size. The largest solar installation in Vermont, a 2.2 Megawatt project with a total of 382 AllSun Trackers, will be commissioned on July 27 in South Burlington.

One of the unique things about AllEarth Renewables is that they not only make a great solar product but have put together turn-key financing solutions to complement the great Federal and State incentives available right now.  Their Power Purchase Agreement provides an easy and affordable way to have an AllSun Tracker installed for your home and business.

Finally…a deep bow of respect to our sustaining sponsors…

We at Green Drinks Burlington love Seven Days and recom mend you do too. Check them out online at www.7dvt.com & get ‘the Daily 7′ – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today: http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

The Main Street Landing Company has a sweet new website. Check it out here. Also, Melinda Moulton of Main St Landing sends the following message of the month along: ”As the temperatures soar and our Country is burdened with a most unbearable heat wave – and we are perhaps about to head into a dismal economic downturn due to the debt limit, and it seems as the US of A just isn’t leading the World in the areas of economic growth and/or climate change legislation.  That said, Vermont is a leader in both.  We have proven that Vermont’s views on the environment and our strong permitting rules, as well as our commitment to “localism” has supported the State and made us one of the most successful States in the Nation on so many levels.  Here here to Vermont and all of you and the Great work we are doing to stay strong, sensitive, and enlightened.”

The Burlington Young Professionals…Join YP’s for a scavenger hunt for Winooski’s Pop-Up Art show. YP’s will race to collect the randomly selected names and titles of VT artists. First team to make it back to the Monkey House, with the correct information, will win a PRIZE! Runners up for most Foursquare “Check –In”s (#btvypgart) or twitter posts and most creative “Check-in” photo will also win a prize. Teams will meet back at the Monkey House for beer and the bar’s Dirty Bird dinner (food is $8, cash only).  See http://mnkeyhousemusic.co​m/calendar/2011-7-27-dirty​-bird-followed-by-beat-vis​on for more information.
Post your team to register! The scavenger hunt is a free event with priceless prizes!

Wolaver’s Organic Ales (www.ottercreekbrewing.com/wolavers.html) helps keepGreen Drinks going in a big way. For the uninformed, Wolaver’s is: “One of the nation’s original certified organic breweries, Wolaver’s is committed to producing the best beer in the most ecologically sound way.”

Over the weekend, our loving bus ‘Sueno’ was officially declared the Skinny Pancake’s spirit animal. Pictured here is our fantastic crew from the Greyfox Bluegrass Festival along with our new found friend, ‘Smokey’ in the foreground. Smokey makes some mean ‘Que.’ This weekend, you’ll find our crew at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

Where else can you find the Skinny P on the open road? Visit us on South Hero at Snow Farm Winery. Our newly minted airstream, S.P.A.R.R.O.W. (Skinny Pancake Almighty Rad Roving Outdoor Wonder) will be crankin’ out the crepes Thursday evenings, Fridays, Saturday & Sundays this summer.

Green Acres (Montplier): Winding Brook Farm sweet Italian sausage, Screamin Ridge Farm lacinato kale, local purple viking and red norland potatoes finished with Cabot Clothbound Cheddar.  Served with a salad of local greens. $8.95

Blue-balicious (Burlington): fresh picked blueberries from Adam’s Berry Farm with a splash of lemon, & granulated sugar. Comes with a side of Cabot whipped cream. $7.50

Friday, 07.22.11 (9-11 pm)
Last Good Tooth (folk / americana)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/lastgoodtooth

Last Good Tooth is: Penn Sultan (lyrics, vocals, guitar), Arthur Kapp (drums), Kevin Sullivan (bass) and Alex Spoto (fiddle).

Penn Sultan is inspired by his parents and grandmothers home of the mountains of NC and the old Appalachian music from the blue ridge area, mixed with his love and hate of New York City. Penn and Kevin met in Providence, RI at the Rhode Island School of design where they pretended to like art for a while so that they could play music for real. Then they met Spoto fiddlin’ around Brown town. He’s some sort of genius but no one understands when he explains what he studied there. Now: the perfect band mates- a love and happiness in the union along with Arthur, old-time-high-school-drummer-buddy-friend. They’re driving around with the drums but parking the car will always be their biggest obstacle.

Saturday, 07.23.11 (9-11 pm)
Flightless Buttress (folk duo)
***$5 suggested donation
www.flightlessbuttress.com

“This pair crafts casually simple yet brutally intricate pieces out of four hands, two instruments, and ten strings, and the dynamics of the two instruments fill up the [music] with an impossible amount of substance.”
-Boston Band Crush

Boston duo Flightless Buttress, John Nolan and Calin Peters play powerful instrumental music that’s easy to listen to but hard to describe. Singer-songwriters without a singer?
Instrumental film score-y new-folk? How about a recent description from a show in Cambridge, MA: “Flightless Buttress plays a moody mix of jazz influenced acoustic,ambient Americana.”

A recent review from the felllow Boston musician
Allison Preisinger helps to pinpoint their unique sound:
“Flightless Buttress creates a sound that sinks in and carries you through their diverse and winding stories like only the best storytellers can.”

“Armed with only a guitar and a cello, the duo write songs that sound like an intricate conversation between the two instruments.” says Jessica Wailes of New Music Collaborative, another Boston music blog. She continues, “If you just need to get lost in something, this music has a forward momentum and a story waiting to be told.”

Touring in support of their newly released, self-produced debut album Balances, Flightless Buttress is ready to bring their unique sound to brand new audiences up and down the East Coast.

Sunday Series in Montpelier:

Katie Trautz & Friends (4-6 pm)
Flightless Buttress (6-8 pm)

Thursday, 07.28.11
Andrew Sterns & Mike Wheeler (bluegrass / folk)
***$5 suggested donation

Friday, 07.29.11
Jake ‘N Chris (Folk Duo)
***$5 suggested donation

Saturday, 07.30.11
Julia Josephine Sloan (pop / rock /soul)
***$5 suggested donation
www.reverbnation.com/juliajosephineslone

• Best lunch location ***especially this one!
  Best Restaurant, if you’re paying (high quality food, affordable prices).
• Best restaurant to take the kids
• Best vegetarian fare
• Best breakfast / brunch location

Wanna vote? Here’s the link: www.surveymonkey.com/s/daysies11-sm. Think we really are the best in any of those categories (or others)? Well…we sure would appreciate your support. THANK YOU!

This series will be anchored by an old-timey session every week featuring Katie Trautz, Kathleen Moore & Tom Mackenzie from 4 – 6 pm. Everyone is welcomed to listen, intermediates on up are invited to join in! As soon as the weather will allow, we’ll move the music outside to our patio & a second rotating gig will be scheduled from 6 – 8 pm!

Along with this weekly music session, the Montpelier mini-Skinny’s hours will be expanding to 8 pm on Sunday nights!

Burlington Green Drinks is next Tuesday!

As always, Green Drinks is on the last Tuesday of the month (03.29.11) from 6 – 8 pm in the Main St Landing’s Lake Lobby. As always, the first 125 pints of delicious Wolaver’s Organic Ales are bought by our wonderful sponsors.

This month’s sponsor is 1% for the Planet (www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/en/).

Below is a bit about them…but first, here are THREE great reasons to come to Green Drinks this month (other than the beer & the people):

1. Pirogi Union will be hockin’ their delicious wares. Learn more about Burlington’s only pirogi-genius here.
2. Jenn O’Connor of Sustainable Wellness Massage will be giving FREE MASSAGES during Green Drinks. Learn more about Jenn’s business here.
3. 1% for the Planet will be showing a 15 minute film at the end of Green Drinks: “a beautiful documentary follows 4 businesses — a bike shop, a musician, a brewery, and an organic blueberry farmer — that share a unique commitment to the planet. Each year, they send 1% of their sales to the environmental charities they love.”

A bit about our sponsor: “1% for the Planet is a growing global movement of 1419 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 2423 environmental organizations worldwide.” Their mission: “1% for the Planet exists to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet.”

And here’s what they say in the about us section of their website: ”To be perfectly honest, it’s not about us. It’s about businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet. Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well.”

A deep and sincere thanks to our sustaining sponsors:

BTV YPG Burlington Young Professionals is celebrating it’s 1^st Anniversary on April 6^th at 156 Bistro: It’s been one year of our existence…come celebrate BTV YPG Year 1 at 156 Bistro on April 6! Music, food, beverages, mysterious guest speaker, and 100 young professionals kicking it semi-formal style. Tickets are $20 and includes all the food you can eat and a drink. $5 ypg specials after. Help us reach our goal of 100 pounds of food items for the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf! More info here.

Green Drinks Burlington loves Seven Days (www.7dvt.com). Seven Days brings you the Daily 7 – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today: http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

Wolaver’s Organic Ales (www.ottercreekbrewing.com/wolavers.html) helps keep Green Drinks going in a big way. For the uninformed, Wolaver’s is: “One of the nation’s original certified organic breweries, Wolaver’s is committed to producing the best beer in the most ecologically sound way.”

Front Porch Forum goes out to 15,000 ppl in the area daily including more than 40% of Burlington! If you’re not already getting it, sign up today! Learn more about our community’s groundbreaking, remarkable & innovative resource Front Porch Forum at frontporchforum.com/about/.

Message of the month from The Main Street Landing Company:
“Although it looks to most of us as if our World is falling apart:  Japan, nuclear meltdowns, earthquakes, tsunami’s, poverty, climate change, slow economic growth, high unemployment, increased gasoline prices, wars, corporate greed, ….and the list goes on and on and on – That said, Vermont is in a really great place:   We have land, mountains, clean air, fresh water, local food, terrific non-profits,  good schools and colleges, great hospitals, companies with social responsibility in their mission, a strong arts community, and a thriving business climate.  We don’t have political division between our parties, and our folks know how to work together for the betterment of Vermont. Vermont is in a good place, folks, and that’s because of all of us doing our best to help make people, planet, and profit prosper.    Keep up the good work and never stop fighting for what’s right – your voice is your power.” -Melinda Moulton, CEO

Miso Brazen (Montpelier): Red Miso Braised Greenfield Highland Beef Brisket with roasted Shitake mushrooms and pickled shallots wrapped in a scallion crepe.  Served with a side of organic greens. $11.95

The Purple Yak (Burlington): Champlain Valley Apple and Spiced VT Yak Co Sausage, Purple Turnip Gratin with Cabot Cheddar, Organic Sautéed Cabbage, and Winding Brook Farm Bacon Lardon wrapped in a Savory Crepe then garnished with scallions and Mushroom Ketchup. $11.95
Two extra special food notes:

This is the last week for our winter long $25 prix fixe dinner for two (two soups or salads, two entree crepes, one dessert crepe). If you’ve enjoyed it and want to get your ‘fixe’, come on down Sunday – Wednesday in Burlington & Sunday – Thursday in Montpelier. Available starting at 5 pm.

On Wednesday, April 6th, the Burlington SP will be hosting a Wine Dinner featuring California’s Russian River Valley Winery, Hook & Ladder. Wine maker & owner Michael Deloach will be there. He will be talking throughout the wine dinner to guests about both the complimenting flavors, the wines and his product. Mark your calendars now…menu to follow next week!

It’s growing! We have had TEN submissions, all of which will be posted on our website by April 1^st. At that time, we invite & encourage you to vote for your favorite project. The project with the most votes at the end of the month will win the $500 grant!!!

What’s a crop mob? It’s a work party on a farm helping out on a big project while enjoying each other’s company and getting to hang out with a really cool farmer! Adam, who grows us great blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, needs many hands helping to pull big sheets of plastic over top of his two strawberry hoop houses. We’ll have free warm drinks and muffins to keep our spirits high. This Saturday, March 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Rain date Sunday, March 27.) To sign up, email Meg at mklepack@citymarket.coop.

Thursday, 03.24.11
Phineas Gage (Folk/Americana)
***$5 suggested donation
www.myspace.com/gagephineasgage

Cheekily described as “music for happy brains,” Phineas Gage is an Americana folk band who borrows its name from Phineas P. Gage, a courageous Vermont railroad worker who amazingly survived a large iron rod driven straight through his head. A mystery to the world of medicine and a celebrity to his state in the mid-19th century, the music of tonight’s modern local band titled in his honor is one who has commandeered its sounds from the woods and front porches of men playing upbeat ditties at a county fair in 1848. With a few guitars and a mandolin, expect to hear upbeat back-country classics that sound like the harmonies of workin’ men and pretty ladies. Indeed, the ghost of Phineas Gage sure is going to make your noggin do a dance. Get a listen of the stuff we’re howlin’ about right over here.

Friday, 03.25.11
Bohemian Blues Quartet (gypsy jazz)
***$5 suggested donation
www.facebook.com/pages/Bohemian-Blues-Quartet/107789129270284

Armed with an arsenal of songs the Bohemian Blues Quartet spreads the music of Django Reinhardt, Oscar Marcelo Alemàn, and others. What once started as a simple love of gypsy jazz has grown to a full out celebration of the style of music. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes and a friend when you come see The Bohemian Blues Quartet.

BBQ is comprised of violinist Asa Sourdiffe, guitarist Greg Evans, bassist Corey Beard, and guitarist Matt Harpster.

Saturday, 03.26.11
Aaron Flynn (Rock ‘n Roll)
***$5 suggested donation
www.aaronflinn.com

When you hear someone who is meant to make music perform, the impact is certain and powerful. This is the experience that comes with listening to Aaron Flinn (solo or with his band Salad Days). The music is meant to be and anyone who takes the time to hear it will be stronger for it.

Aaron Flinn plays anything he can get his hands on and writes, engineers, records and performs most of the material that you’ll hear. Aaron also loves hitting the studio or stage with a long list of incredibly talented characters: poets, prophets, beats, bastards, wizards, fairies, family and friends.

Elements of folk, indie rock and classic pop combine with powerful vocals, poetic lyrics and finger-picking guitar. An eclectic group of rock and folk rock songs, with an emphasis on lyrical substance and performance from the soul. Aaron began playing and writing in high school. He won numerous competitions in performance and writing throughout his time at UVM and Berklee College of Music (where he graduated Magna Cum Laude – for what it’s worth). He has gone onto release an impressive body of original work, all the while touring such hallowed venues as Red Rocks Amphitheater, The Great American Music Hall and many House of Blues and working with the likes of The Samples, Gov’t Mule, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Don McLean and Tragically Hip to name but a few.

ESPRESSOGANZAPALOOZA

Come to the Burlington Skinny, the Montpelier Mini-Skinny or the Chubby Muffin & get

ANY SPECIALY COFFEE  DRINK FOR FREE!!!

Drop in any time on the following two days (Thursday & Friday March 3 & 4) and get 50% off a specialty coffee drink.

Pure insanity? We hope so.

In an effort to ratchet the “panda-monium” up to absurdly caffeinated heights, we’re throwing a BIG log on the fire:

The Joshua Panda Band
‘The double-shot of espresso in the mug of Burlington’s music scene.’

Back by popular demand after his screamin’ four week Vermont Winter Waltz Residency…same time, same place, Wednesday, March 2, 8:00 -10:30 at the Burlington SP…and maybe later depending on how wired everyone is…

VYCC is hosting their wonderful annual event, Bolton To the Barns, on Saturday, March 5th: “The Bolton to the Barns ski tour is a mid-winter Nordic event for experienced backcountry ski enthusiasts where skiers will have a great opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and help the VYCC create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.” More info on the event can be found here: www.vycc.org/home/ski.html.

February Green Drinks is Tuesday, February 22nd from 6 pm – 8 pm in the Main Street Landing’s Lake Lobby. As always, the first 125 pints of Wolaver’s are generously donated by our sponsors!!!

Our sponsor(s) of the Month are:

Burlington Electric Department:  “Burlington Electric Department is the Energy Efficiency Utility for Burlington. Because of our programs, overall electricity use in 2010 was only 2 percent greater than in 1989. During the same period, statewide use of electricity increased by 17 percent. Thus, we are meeting the needs of a growing local economy with about the same amount of electricity as we used 20 years ago. The efficiency investments saved Burlington customers $13.2 million in 2010 alone.”.

Vermont Gas Systems is Vermont’s only natural gas supplier providing fuel service to Chittenden and Franklin counties. Vermont Gas has provided its Residential and Business customers comprehensive energy efficiency programs since 1992. These are comprised of New Construction, Building Weatherization & Equipment Replacement incentive based offerings.

A few words from & about our sustaining sponsors:

Burlington Young Professionals presents 2 great events this week!  On 2/23 we present Managing UP! Seminar with Dr. Sean Collins at the Flynn Gallery from 5:30-7:00 p.m.  Cash bar and food is available, $5 admission with canned item to benefit the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf.  On 2/24, join us at Bolton Valley Resort for some YPG night skiing from 4-8 p.m. Must register in advance, tickets are $20.  http://www.vermont.org/btvypg/vermont_young_professional_events.aspx.

A BIG thanks to our host sponsor, the Main Street Landing Company who would like to send the message, “Open your Hearts……Learn to Forgive…….Embrace those you Love.” Right on, MSL!!!

Green Drinks Burlington loves Seven Days (www.7dvt.com). Seven Days b rings you the Daily 7 – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today: http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

Finally, last but certainly not least…Wolaver’s Organic Ales (www.ottercreekbrewing.com/wolavers.html) helps keep Green Drinks going in a big way. For the uninformed, Wolaver’s is: “One of the nation’s original certified organic breweries, Wolaver’s is committed to producing the best beer in the most ecologically sound way.”

VYCC is hosting their wonderful annual event, Bolton To the Barns, on Saturday, March 5th: “The Bolton to the Barns ski tour is a mid-winter Nordic event for experienced backcountry ski enthusiasts where skiers will have a great opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and help the VYCC create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.” More info on the event can be found here: www.vycc.org/home/ski.html.

How will Vermont manage the difficult social, environmental, and economic challenges that lie ahead in the coming decade? What role should businesses play in ensuring that economic development and job creation is socially, environmentally, and economically innovative? How does the next generation of Vermont business leaders envision the state’s future?

Please join a panel of young Vermont business leaders from a variety of industries to discuss the Green Mountain State’s current challenges and how best to design a more sustainable future.

FREE and open to the public; please forward this invitation to business colleagues who may not have received it.
Any questions can be directed to Tom Helmstutler at crvt@uvm.edu, or 656-4389.

Our sponsor of the month:

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps:

This wonderful VT organization is hosting their equally wonderful annual event, Bolton To the Barns, on Saturday, March 5th: “The Bolton to the Barns ski tour is a mid-winter Nordic event for experienced backcountry ski enthusiasts where skiers will have a great opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and help the VYCC create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.” More info on the event can be found here: www.vycc.org/home/ski.html.

More on the VYCC: “The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps is a non-profit youth, leadership, service, conservation, and education organization that instills in individuals the values of personal responsibility, hard work, education, and respect for the environment. This is accomplished by using conservation projects as the vehicle for learning in an intense environment.“

And, of course, we couldn’t keep Green Drinks crankin’ like we do without the help of our friends at Seven Days newspaper! Seven Days brings you the Daily 7 – Vermont’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.  Get the day’s most compelling stories across all media – print, radio, TV and web.  Sign up today:  http://www.7dvt.com/daily7

The Hearty Winter (Montpelier): Roasted Winding Brook Farm Lamb Shoulder, Cider Jus, Taylor Farm Gouda and pickled red onions. $11.95

Burlington: we are featuring a 4-course prix fix Valentine’s menu Friday through Monday nights for $65. Please visit our website for details!

NOFA-VT Annual Winter Conference
nofavt.org/annual-events/winter-conference
Saturday, February 12 – Monday, February 14
$50 – $60 per day or $95 – $115 for all days.

“Farmers, gardeners, localvores and other players in the state’s local food community gain momentum for the movement through keynote speeches and more than 70 workshops. Visit nofavt.org for schedule and locations.” – Seven Days

first, a quick note on Pete’s Greens: as some of you may have heard, Pete’s Greens suffered a major fire this week, destroying a very large barn (pictured here). Some updated info can be found at the following link: 7d.blogs.com/blurt/2011/01/more-on-the-petes-greens-fire.html. We are lucky to work with Pete’s Greens & his fantastic produce throughout the year and so saddened to hear of this news. Pete & his crew are an innovative & energetic lot; we know they will bounce back. That said, they’ll surely need the help of the wonderful local foods community here in VT. Please stay tuned for more info…

Now onto our regular scheduled programming…

Happy snow day to you! For the Skinny P, there is a quirky inverse relationship between the amount of snow that falls and the number of customers that come through the door. As the inches turn to feet, the foot traffic diminishes dramatically. Thankfully, the great silver lining is that as foot traffic drops, it frees our staff up to go PLAY! Don’t get me wrong, we’d love to see each & everyone of you. But at least we get this spoon full of sugar as the medicine goes down…

As a friend said recently, “Love the snow and it will love you back.” Below are a few fun ways to play in the snow locally…

Gettin’ after it in snowy VT:

Below is a triffle of a sampling of the many ways to engage in the VT winter outdoors…remember, ‘love the snow & it will love you back.’

Keep it Simple: explore your own back yard with a midwinter walk on the Intervale or Hubbard Park!

Go big with The Catamount Trail (www.catamounttrail.org/): “At 300 miles in length and spanning the state of Vermont from bottom to top, the Catamount Trail is one of Vermont’s treasured gems. It is a cross-country ski trail that has been in the making since 1984 and was fully linked together in 2008. Thousands of skiers and snowshoers take to the trail every winter season — most for the day, many on Catamount Trail Association (CTA) tours, and some to ski end-to-end — all enjoying the backcountry, touring center, farmland and village surroundings along the way. Be sure to explore our winter tours and special events held throughout the year.”

Nordic Skiing at Bolton or Stowe (www.boltonvalley.com/mountain/nordic_center/, www.stowe.com/activities/nordic/): both of these locations offer a bounty of well-maintained, aesthetically gorgeous trails. Stowe has 75 km of trials, Bolton offers 100 km of trails. There is rental equipment & maps for both locations. Also, know that there are many other Nordic centers in VT…

Walk the Notch: drive up to Stowe or Smugglers Notch and enjoy a walk on Rt 108, which is closed for winter. You’ll see some of the most dramatic ice falls, cliffs & overall terrain in all of Vermont while walking on a safe, casual, wide trail. You might also notice alpine skiers ‘dropping into the notch’ through the trees in either direction.

First, some fun facts on the winter solstice:

• The earliest sunset of the year is 4:13 pm. This sunset time starts on December 5th continues through this past Tuesday, December 16th. As of yesterday, it is officially not the earliest sunset of the year!!! Sunset today: 4:14!!!!
• The latest sunrise of the year is 7:29 am. This sunrise time starts on December 28th and continues through  January 8th.
• The shortest overall day of the year–the winter solstice–is this coming Tuesday, December 21st.

Next: a tip I picked up from Seven Days writer Andy Bromage through their weekly newsletter ‘NOW’:

You can cut your own Christmas tree in the Green Mountain National Forest.

Pardon the hippy in me, but: dude, that’s rad!
Here’s the scoop: “The $5 permit — along with a map of where you’re allowed to chop — is available at Forest Service district offices in Rutland, Middlebury, Manchester Center and Rochester.” More info can be found here.

http://www.myspace.com/tallahasseeband

I’m not going to bother endorsing this band…because 7Days did it for me…and given the fact that they have a lot less self-interest going, their opinion ought to hold some weight: