This beloved free festival returns to downtown Burlington July 31–August 1 with more than 70 performances by world-class street artists and musicians over two days
Vermont Business Magazine The most wonderful weekend of the summer is almost here with the return of Burlington City Arts’ (BCA) 18th annual Festival of Fools, returning to the Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park on Friday, July 31, and Saturday, August 1. For two days, downtown Burlington will become an open-air stage featuring more than 70 free performances by local, national, and internationally acclaimed street performers, circus artists, musicians, comedians, and entertainers. Festival of Fools has brought world-class busking and live music to Burlington since 2007, filling the City’s public spaces with laughter, wonder, and community joy.
This year's festival features an exciting mix of returning audience favorites and first-time performers, with shows running across four outdoor performance "pitches" on the Church Street Marketplace from 12 to 9 pm Friday and 11 am to 9 pm on Saturday.
"Festival of Fools celebrates the magic that happens when we fill Burlington’s streets and parks with live performance and bring people together in public spaces," said Zach Williamson, Festival and Event Director for Burlington City Arts. "This year's lineup is one of our strongest yet, bringing together amazing street performers, incredible musicians, and some unforgettable surprises. We can't wait to welcome thousands of people downtown for a weekend of laughter and fun."
2026 Festival Lineup
Circus Smirkus Road Show (Saturday)
Jacob Green One Man Band (Saturday)
BCA's Twilight Concert Series: Fools Edition returns to City Hall Park with free evening concerts featuring Lily Golden and The Big Takeover on Friday, followed by Milton Busker & The Grim Work and The Wolff Sisters on Saturday. Additional programming includes Splash Dance with DJ Rich Conte on Saturday afternoon and a free screening of Pierre Étaix's Yoyo at Partizanfilm on Friday evening.
The complete performance schedule includes more than 70 individual shows across the Hendrick's Gin Pitch, von Trapp Brewing Pitch, AARP Pitch, Ben & Jerry's Pitch, and City Hall Park, allowing festivalgoers to experience a different performance every half hour throughout the weekend.
Festival of Fools is free for all to enjoy, though tipping performers is encouraged. Daily schedule handouts will be available at the information tent outside the BCA Center and online.
Festival of Fools is brought to you by the Pomerleau Family Foundation and our Pitch Sponsors Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, VIP, and AARP Vermont, Championed by Trust Company of Vermont, Mascoma Bank, von Trapp Brewing, Hendrick’s Gin, and Float On Cannabis Co, and made possible with Community Support from American Flatbread Burlington & Mothership Brewery, Karma Birdhouse, Play Dog Play, Eyes of the World, Muddy Waters, Honey Road Restaurant, Always Full Market, Vermont Pub & Brewery
About Festival of Fools
Produced by Burlington City Arts, Festival of Fools is New England’s premier street performance festival, bringing internationally acclaimed buskers, circus artists, musicians, and comedians to downtown Burlington for a free weekend of fun for all. Bringing laughter and vibrancy to the streets in the heart of Downtown Burlington, Festival of Fools is a yearly reminder of the power of arts events to activate and energize our public spaces.
About Burlington City Arts
For over 40 years, Burlington City Arts (BCA) has helped cement Burlington, Vermont’s reputation as one of America’s most livable cities for the arts. Our physical locations include the BCA Center, a three-level, year-round exhibition space, as well as BCA Studios, which hosts art classes, camps, and open studio hours in our state-of-the-art facilities. BCA also produces city-wide festivals, events, concerts, films, and more. Funded by a unique public/private partnership in which private charitable contributions leverage City funding, BCA is dedicated to supporting artists while expanding access to arts-based education and experiences. BCA provides a national model for centering the arts in community impact, on sectors as varied as education, the environment, civic dialogue, and the economy.
Burlington City Arts
135 Church Street
Burlington, Vermont 05401
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Vermont Business Magazine