Don’t let the encroaching cold and darkness of November lull you into full cocooning mode. Hibernation has its appeals, but there’s just too much going on in the Vermont arts-and-entertainment world for you to shut down until spring.
Many of these 30 activities could, in fact, help you settle in this winter. Literary events might tip you off to reading material for when the weather turns just a little too nasty to go outside. Plays give you issues to mull while you’re cooped up. (How can Shakespeare not make you ruminate?) Live concerts can inspire you to purchase vinyl, CDs or downloads of music to inspire you through those dreary days to come.
Don’t go gently into that dark night. Light things up with these celebrations of creativity. (You may notice the list drops off the week before Thanksgiving; that’s when holiday arts events ramp up, so stay tuned for a preview of those.)
Green Mountain Book Festival begins
7-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, the annual fundraiser for the Green Mountain Book Festival this year features the first-ever Phoenix Books Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be given to Vermont crime writer Archer Mayor , plus music by author and guitarist Stephen P. Kiernan , Venetian Soda Lounge, Burlington. $20. The festival continues Saturday, Nov. 2 at Fletcher Free Library with highlights including, from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., “ Grappling with Vermont’s Complicated Past ,” a discussion moderated by J. Kevin Graffagnino with history writers Elise A. Guyette, Mercedes de Guardiola and Pamela N. Walker ; 1:45-2:45 p.m., a talk on “ Spooky Season: The Ins and Outs of Horror Writing ” led by Daniel Mills with authors Margot Harrison, Brian Staveley and Kristin Dearborn ; 4:15-5:15 p.m., “ The Craft of Memoir ” panel moderated by Sean Prentiss and including Thomas Christopher Greene , Rob Mermin and Adrie Kusserow ; and, at Muddy Waters coffee shop from 5:45-9 p.m., “ Lit Night ” featuring poetry readings including one by Vermont Poet Laureate Bianca Stone . Free. www.greenmountainbookfestival.org
Soul Asylum brings back the ‘90s
7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, 1990s rockers Soul Asylum are joined by another act from that era, The Juliana Hatfield Three , Paramount Theatre, Rutland. $35-$55. www.paramounttheatrevt.org…