June in Vermont is when things get good: the mountains are green, the snacks are local, and every weekend comes with a festival you didnโt know you needed.
Whether youโre into bluegrass on a farm, hot air balloons over breakfast, or a dog party thatโs somehow emotional and adorable at the same time, these fun things to do in Vermont are worth working into your summer plans.
Theyโre fun, doable, and weird in all the right ways. In true Vermont fashionโฆ โKeep it weirdโฆbut make it family friendly.โ
Vermont Festivals for Big Summer Energy
The first weekends of summer in Vermont should feel fun, simple, and just a little bit magical.
These June festivals bring the kind of energy thatโs worth planning aroundโฆmusic-filled, memory-making, and easy with kids in tow.
Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival
Quechee, VT
POV: Youโre about to float over Vermont.
The Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival is peak Vermont summer magic: rainbow-colored balloons drifting over the Vermont hills while your kids stuff their faces with fair food.ย
Thereโs music, crafts, and local foodโฆbut the twice-daily balloon launches are the real draw.ย
Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival Dates: June 20โ22, 2025
Ticket price: $25/adults and $5/kids ages 5+ย Balloon rides are $350/per person
Best for: Families who want a fairground-meets-fantasy vibe.
TLJ Pro tip: Events run from Friday at 3 pm through Sunday evening with balloon launches at 6 am and 6 pm both Saturday and Sundayโฆsunrise + balloons = worth it
More info: quecheeballoonfestival.com
Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
Burlington, VT
Catch this sound wave rolling down Church Street.
The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival is one of Vermontโs biggest cultural events, and for good reason.
For 5 days in June, music takes over the streets of Burlington with major headliners, street performers, and late-night jam sessions filling the streets and performance spaces.
Church Street buzzes with music, food, and that early-summer energy that makes you want to stay out past bedtime…kids included.
If the jazz fest has you feeling inspired to explore more, weโve got you covered. These quick day trips from Burlington are perfect add-ons to your summer plans.
Burlington Discover Jazz Festival Dates: June 4โ8, 2025
Ticket price: FREE… You do not need a ticket to experience the abundance of free music throughout the festival. Select shows at the Fynn Main Stage and Nectar’s do require tickets to be purchased.
Best for: Music lovers, families, and anyone who appreciates a sidewalk sax solo.
TLJ Pro tip: Start with live music at Waterfront Park and reward the kids with a stop at ECHO, the hands-on science center along Burlingtonโs waterfront.
More info: Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
Once youโve had your fill of smooth jazz and sunny sidewalk sets, take a detour into Burlingtonโs wonderfully weird side…weโve mapped it all out for you.
Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival
Tunbridge, VT
Bluegrass tunes and Vermont sunshine.
The Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival is one of those festivals where kids run wild, campers circle up, and banjos never stop.
Thereโs music day and night, a family tent for kid activities, and a low-key vibe that makes it feel like summer camp for all ages.
Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival Dates: June 26โ29, 2025
Ticket prices: Day passes (8 am- 8 pm) are $38/per person. Free for kids 17 and under.ย
Best for: Music-loving families and anyone ready to lean into front porch energy.
TLJ Pro tip: Bring lawn chairs and glow sticksโฆboth come in handy at night.
More info: jennybrookbluegrass.com
Vermont Festivals For Animal Lovers + Outdoor Families
Looking for Vermont festivals where your kids can pet a cow, hug a dog, or spend the day outside without once whining about being bored?
Youโre going to want these things to do in Vermont in June on your list.
Dog Mountain Founders Celebration
St. Johnsbury, VT
Dog Mountain, where pups and people run free.
The Dog Mountain Founders Celebration is a festivalโฆ for dogs.
Expect great food, live music, a bounce house and a doggie scavenger hunt. This annual celebration at the beloved Dog Mountain is pure joy for pups and their people.
Dog Mountain Founders Celebration Date: June 21, 2025, 12 – 4 pm (rain or shine)
Ticket price: FREE… (but please, consider donating to this wonderful place)
Best for: Families with furry family members and anyone who likes their festivals tail-waggingly wholesome.
TLJ Pro tip: Itโs hilly, grassy, and thereโs a small pond dogs love… come prepared with a towel and a water bowl.
More info: dogmt.com
Vermont Highland Games
Greensboro, VT
Highland strength, kilts, and caber toss drama.
The Vermont Highland Games bring big energy and even bigger cabers.
This one-day festival brings Scottish traditions to life in Vermont with pipe bands, athletic feats, sheepdog demos, and plenty of kilts.
One of the most crowd-pleasing events? The caber tossโwhere competitors flip a giant log end over end like itโs no big deal.
Thereโs even a dedicated kids zone with crafts and games, so the little ones stay entertained while you take in the competitions (or the meat pies).
Itโs festive, family-friendly, and one of the most unique things to do in Vermont this June.
Vermont Highland Games Date: June 14, 2025, 10 am – 5 pm
Ticket prices: Adults $25, Students $12, Kids under 12 free
Best for: Families who love bagpipes, strength events, and new cultural traditions.
TLJ Pro tip: Bring lawn chairs and sunscreen. Thereโs lots to watch, and youโll want a good view for the caber toss.
More info: vermonthighlandgames.com
Vermont Food Festivals, Farms & Small-Town Fun
These are the Vermont festivals full of kettle corn, sunscreen, and local charm, and yes… You are somehow leaving with a jar of jam you didnโt plan to buy.
Vermont Dairy Festival
Enosburg Falls, VT
Moo-ve over, this parade float wins the day.
This oneโs pure Vermont.
Parades, car shows, milk mustache contests, cow milking, ice cream socialsโฆyou get the idea.
The Vermont Dairy Festival is a weekend celebrating the stateโs dairy farming roots with a heavy dose of small-town charm.
Vermont Dairy Festival Dates: June 5 – 8, 2025
Ticket prices: FREE to visit, $20 for unlimited rides.
Best for: Kids who love animals, fun, and rides, and parents who love snacks.
TLJ Pro tip: Catch Vermontโs longest parade Saturday at 10:30 am, then come back for fireworks at 9 pmโฆitโs a full day, but worth it.
More info: vermontdairyfestival.com
Wellwood Orchards Strawberry Festival
Springfield, VT
One strawberry in, five pints to go.
The Wellwood Orchards Strawberry Festival is summer sweetness in its purest form.
Held on a hillside orchard in Springfield, VT, this festival is packed with live music, wagon rides, craft vendors, and, of course, plenty of strawberries.
Kids can visit the petting zoo, bounce around on inflatables, and snack their way through strawberry shortcake and other farm treats.
Itโs the kind of easygoing, feel-good day that checks all the boxes when you’re looking for fun things to do in Vermont with kids.
Strawberry Festival Date: June 21, 2025, 10 am โ 3 pm
Ticket prices: FREE admission; pay for food and activities.
Best for: Families who love berries, animals, and low-key summer fun.
TLJ Pro tip: Come early for the best berry picking… and donโt forget a cooler if youโre stocking up on pints to take home.
More info: wellwoodorchards.com
Parades, Pride, and Maximum Vermont Personality
Vermont does quirky like no one else, and these local events and celebrations prove it.
Come for the costumes, community, and small-town charm. Stay for the cotton candy, confetti, and unexpected summer moments.
Not Quite Independence Day Celebration (NQID)
Waterbury, VT
Practicing that parade wave early.
The Not Quite Independence Day Celebration celebrates the 4th of Julyโฆ in June.
This beloved tradition in Waterbury, VT, features quirky floats, silly costumes, fireworks, and a wonderfully weird energy that perfectly captures Vermontโs personality.
This yearโs theme? Vermont Weather. Expect live music, family activities, and plenty going on before and after the parade.
Not Quite Independence Day Celebration Date: June 28, 2025, 3 pm – 9:30 pm
Ticket prices: FREE (food and activities available to purchase)
Best for: Parade lovers, costume appreciators, and anyone who likes their Americana with a side of weird.
TLJ pro tip: Arrive early. Parking and viewing spots fill up fast. The fireworks start at 9 p.m.
More info: NQID information
Rutland County Pride Festival
Rutland, VT
This pup understood the assignment.
The Rutland Pride Celebration brings the heartโฆ and the fun.
The day is filled with live music, performances, food trucks, and a family zone with crafts and games that keep younger kids happily busy while you take in the energy.
Itโs inclusive, welcoming, and full of the kind of community spirit Vermont does best.
Rutland Pride Date: June 21, 2025, 11 am – 5 pmย
Ticket prices: FREE
Best for: Families looking for an inclusive, creative, and uplifting event.
TLJ Pro tip: Donโt skip the family area! Expect fun crafts and games just for kids.
More info: rutlandcountypride.org
Vermont Renaissance Faire
Essex Junction, VT
Just your average weekend in Essex Junction.
Chainmail? Check. Mead? Check. Giant turkey legs? Double check.
The Vermont Renaissance Faire is two days of wildly fun, surprisingly kid-friendly chaos. Expect jousting matches, roaming performers, and craft vendors that will have your kids begging for wooden swords, flower crowns and fairy wings.
Vermont Renaissance Faire Dates: June 21โ22, 2025, 10 am – 6 pm
Ticket prices:ย $23.29/adults and $7.21/ kids (6-12); kids 5 and under get in free.
Best for: Families with creative kids, cosplay-curious parents, or anyone who owns a cloakโฆ (or wants to).
TLJ Pro tip: Bring cash. Many vendors donโt take cards.
More info: vtgatherings.com
Festival Season in Review:
Top Things to Do in Vermont in June
Hereโs a quick recap of the best festivals and things to do in Vermont in Juneโฆso you can match your weekend energy to the right kind of fun.
Want small-town charm with a side rebellion? โ Go to Waterburyโs Not Quite Independence Day Celebration.
Want big music energy that kids can enjoy all day? โ Head to the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival.
Want the kind of festival where your dog is the main character? โ Dog Mountainโs Founders Celebration is the move.
Want fireworks, a parade, and fried dough all in one day? โ Vermont Dairy Festival delivers.
Want to kick off summer full of love? โ Rutland County Pride Festival is the place to be.
Want a festival where fairy wings are encouraged? โ You need to visit the Vermont Renaissance Faire.
Want a day outdoors with some unique competition? โ Check out the Vermont Highland Games.
Want music, lawn chairs, and camp vibes that donโt require camping? โ The Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival is your answer.
Want a โwowโ moment your kids will talk about all year? โ Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival has it in the sky.
Enjoy Vermont! Happy Travelsโฆ
