ARTS

Step right up: The Old North End Ramble is bringing the circus to Burlington July 27

Portrait of Sydney P. Hakes Sydney P. Hakes
Burlington Free Press

The annual Old North End Ramble is back for its 20th anniversary, bringing a day of arts and culture to Burlington's most diverse and densely populated neighborhood.

Held on the last Saturday of the month, July 27, the free and volunteer-run celebration joins community members and businesses to "transform the neighborhood into a 'pop-up' confluence of creative activities reflective of its residents’ and businesses’ fortes, specialties and diversity."

Striped tents, unicycles and top hats are populating the streets this year for a circus spectacular. From dawn until dusk − and even later − a myriad of events will occur across the O.N.E., highlighting the talents of the community from art, music, dance and comedy shows to workshops, yard sales, exhibitions and games.

Darshana Bolt poses for a photo at the Decatur Street Carnival during the seventh-annual Ramble in the Old North End in Burlington in 2010.

Music, food and art

The ONE World Market at the ONE Community Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. will be a hub of live music, food vendors, art vendors, a bouncy house and free ice cream.

At this time, the team of Alissa Faber and Renee Greenlee will be at the community center restoring a public mural, a quilted cyanotype landscape of Lake Champlain. They are offering a free workshop to make your own cyanotype.

Two historical walking tours will be happening at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The first will take participants from Battery Park to Pomeroy Park, talking about the history of the area beginning at the Revolutionary War, along with significant architecture in the area. The second tour traverses Elmwood Cemetery with Historian Elise Guyette, looking at significant Burlingtonian graves, along with some of Burlington's Black citizens, as the northern half of the cemetery which was segregated at the time. A $10 donation is suggested but not required.

The night ends in a big bash back at the ONE Community Center: The Ramble Round-Up. Food trucks and five bands will be rocking the night until 10 p.m.

Event schedule

  • Dilly's Coffee. 8 - 9:45 a.m. 61 Hyde St.. Free coffee on the porch.
  • ONE Historical Walking Tours. 10 - 11 a.m. at Battery Park and 2 to 3 p.m. at Elmwood Cemetery.
  • Field Days. 10 a.m. - noon. Battery Park. War of the wards! Games of all skill levels.
  • The Big Marquee Sale. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 230 North Champlain St. Neighborhood appreciation sale with pottery, mixed media collage, prints and more.
  • ONE World Market. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. ONE Community Center.
  • Make Your Own Cyanotype. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. ONE Community Center.
  • La Fete LaFountain. 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. 86 Lafountain St. Create your own door hanger and a block printing station. Two local artists will assist in these art making projects.
  • Decaturfest. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Decatur Street. Carnival games, unicycle parade, live music and more!
  • Strange Little Market. Noon - 7 p.m. 152 Pearl St. Secondhand and vintage clothing pop up. Over 20 vendors.
  • Backstage Bizzare. 1 - 4 p.m. 22 1/2 Decatur St. Community clownery, mirage of music and alluring arts for all.
  • Ramble Roller Disco. 2 - 4 p.m. Pomeroy Park. Joy Riders VT welcome all ages and all skill levels to come roller skate. BYO helmets. Free rentals are available, first come, first served.
  • Old Spokes Home Bike Games. 2 - 5 p.m. 331 North Winooski Ave. Bike-themed activities for all ages.
  • Yarn Jam. 3 - 5 p.m. Dewey Park. A fiber arts circle where you can knit, crochet and participate in a community weaving project.
  • Bright Street Co-op Community Yard Sale. 4 - 6 p.m. 37 Bright St.
  • Community Photo. 5:15 p.m. ONE Community Center.
  • Ramble Round-Up. 5:15 - 10 p.m. ONE Community Center parking lot.

An interactive map and more information on the events can be found here.

Old North End residents gather for a community bike ride as part of their neighborhood celebration The Ramble on Saturday, July 28, 2018, in Burlington.

Lend a helping hand

Volunteers are needed to keep the Ramble rumbling along. They need help with smaller things like hanging posters, delivering flags, set-up and clean-up and selling Ramble merch. Sign up here and organizers will assign tasks, along with getting you hooked up with free Ramble swag.

While the theme might be Circus Spectacular, Ramble organizers aren't clowning around. They issued a notice about a potential noise concern. There will be "amplified music" at two events: The ONE World Market from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the Round-Up from 4 to 10 p.m., both at the ONE Community Center. Any residents who find the noise too loud can call or text 603-209-7629 to let organizers know the volume should be lowered.

Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com.