Festival on the Green Returns to Middlebury for Its 47th Season
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Free, family-friendly music and performance series draws national touring acts to the Village Green
July 12-18, 2026
Festival on the Green, one of Vermont’s longest-running summer arts traditions, returns to the Middlebury Village Green from July 12 through July 18, 2026, bringing a week of free live music, dance, and family performances to downtown Middlebury.
Now in its 47th year, the Festival has been named a Vermont Chamber of Commerce Top Ten Summer Event more than 10 times and was selected as a 2024 Vermont Signature Event by the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.
Over its history, it has also been called “Vermont’s favorite festival” and “the best place to spend a summer evening in all of Vermont.”
This year’s lineup includes Colorado roots band Mojo Birds, magician and humanitarian Tom Verner of Magicians Without Borders, New Orleans jazz ensemble Ted Perry and the Big Easy with special guest Ryan Montbleau, zydeco artist Ernest James, Quebecois vocalist Mélisande, Brooklyn bluegrass act Damn Tall Buildings, indie-roots group The Mammals, and Nashville’s Slap Dragon, among others.
The week closes on July 18 with the Festival’s signature Street Dance, featuring the 17-member Vermont Jazz Ensemble on a closed-off Main Street.
Daytime “Brown Bag” performances for young audiences run Monday through Friday at noon, including visiting puppeteers, storytellers, and a one-man circus act. Evening performances begin at 7 pm, Monday through Saturday.
Also Read: 16 Epic Festivals to Celebrate July in Vermont
About the Festival
Festival on the Green was founded in 1978 by a group of Middlebury-area residents and friends, including Middlebury College dance instructor Dana Holby, who first envisioned a tent as a performance space on the Village Green.
The Festival is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, governed by an elected Board of Directors and run entirely by volunteers. While performers and technical staff are paid, the Festival has no paid administrative staff and operates without a permanent office.
Admission has been free for more than 45 years.
The Festival is funded through community sponsorships, donations, grants, and in-kind contributions, with annual performer and production costs totaling approximately $56,000.
Audience members are encouraged to donate at each performance to help sustain the event.
All performances are held rain or shine under a tent seating more than 200, with additional lawn seating on the Green.
In the event of severe weather, performances move to Town Hall Theater. Leashed, quiet dogs are welcome on the Green. A limited number of food vendors will be on site, including Mexico in Vermont and the Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association Alumni.
For a full performer schedule, parking information, and accessibility accommodations, visit Middlebury Festival on the Green.
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