By Ahmad Yassir, Vermont Country Magazine.
Looking for music under the stars, vibrant cultural experiences, and a family-friendly way to spend a Southern Vermont evening? Look no further than the Bandwagon Summer Series, the traveling arts festival that rolls into ballfields, parks, and farms across Windham County from May through September.
Presented by Next Stage Arts, the Bandwagon Summer Series is a celebration of community, diversity, and creativity, all set against the scenic backdrop of Southeastern Vermont. What started in 2020 as a creative solution for safe gathering has blossomed into a joyful annual tradition, with a mobile stage bringing world-class performers to towns across the region.
This year’s lineup is as global and genre-defying as ever. Expect everything from Afrobeat to alt-jazz, bluegrass to Caribbean lounge, and Celtic folk to Latin grooves. Highlights include opening night with powerhouse Afrobeat collective Shokazoba and East African fusion innovators Zikina, as well as appearances by NYC’s genre-bending Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, Haitian supergroup Lakou Mizik, and a tribute to bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs with Tony Trischka’s EarlJam.
Beyond the music, each event features local food vendors, a play zone for kids, and a welcoming, picnic-ready atmosphere. Audiences are encouraged to bring blankets or camp chairs and settle in for a night of sound, celebration, and community connection.
Kids under 12 always attend free, and passes are donated to every library in Windham County, ensuring accessibility for all. The full schedule spans 14 performances at locations throughout the region, with the mobile stage transforming each venue into a mini festival, equal parts artful and unforgettable.
Whether you’re catching French-English world fusion from Brooklyn’s Blue Dahlia or dancing to the Mambo heat of Jonathan Powell’s Jazz Party, every show is a one-of-a-kind experience.
Explore Southern Vermont through the arts this summer, and let the Bandwagon take you there.
For tickets and the full 2025 lineup, visit nextstagearts.org.
Photo caption: The Bandwagon Summer Series is a family-friendly outdoor cultural performance series running from mid-May through mid-October at ballfields, farms and parks throughout Windham County. Provided photo.
