Vermont Folklife's 2026 Young Tradition Festival takes place Friday May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at Contois Auditorium in Burlington.
The Festival, which has taken place in Burlington in May for over 20 years, is a chance for young people both to perform and be inspired by music and dance traditions from Vermont and beyond. This year features four local dance leaders, musical duo Alex Kehler and Nicholas Williams from Québec, and two youth ensembles performing traditional music.
The festival opens with a Community Dance Party (5/8, 6:30 - 9:00 pm)—an opportunity for attendees of all ages and abilities to gather, move together to live music, and learn from local dancers. This year four artists will facilitate fun on the dance floor: Tenzin Pasang (Tibetan dance leader accompanied by musician Migmar Tsering), Urmila Chhetri and Susmita Dhakal (Bhutanese Nepali and Bollywood Dance Instructors), and Mary Wesley (contra and square dance caller), with a mix of live and recorded music. All ages are welcome, and no partner or experience is necessary. Come at 6:30 to enjoy dances especially geared towards families with young children.
Saturday morning a Student/Mentor Showcase (5/9, 10:00 am-1:00 pm) will provide entertainment for the opening day of the Burlington Farmers Market (345 Pine Street). Acts featuring students and their instructors performing together include traditional fiddling, Tibetan Dranyen, Irish whistle, West African drumming, Swedish nyckelharpa, as well as Nepali and Bollywood dance and baile folklórico mexicano.
Saturday afternoon, join a participatory, Family Music Jam! (5/9, 2:00-3:00 pm, SEABA Center, 400 Pine St.) In the style of a traditional music session, adults and youth of all ages and skill levels are welcome to bring instruments and join in the fun. A session leader will help facilitate and provide helpful guidance to newcomers; tunes and songs will be drawn from traditional and folk repertoire, (Free).
The Festival concludes Saturday evening with a concert headlined by musical duo Alex Kehler and Nicholas Williams (5/9, 7:00pm, Contois Auditorium). With Kehler playing fiddle, violin, nyckelharpa, and cittern and Williams on wooden flutes, piano accordion, and piano, these gifted musicians share a passion for sharing Scandinavian and Québecois musical traditions (as well as accumulating new instruments!) Kehler, along with Ethan Tischler, is a co-artist-leader of The Young Tradition Touring Group, who will open at the Saturday concert having just completed a performance tour in Sweden. Completing the international line-up is Québec’s own youth music group: L’ensemble Trad Jeunesse, (Tickets: $25 available online or at the door).
Don’t miss this line up! All ages are invited to grab their dancing shoes, bring an instrument, or simply take a seat and enjoy the show. Tickets and information about the festival are available on the Vermont Folklife website: www.vtfolklife.org/ytfest
Event Venue
Contois Auditorium, City Hall, 149 Church St Hall, 2nd Floor, Burlington, VT 05401, United States
