Since 2014, Vermont has hosted a burlesque festival akin to one you might find in Las Vegas. The five-day extravaganza features performers flown in from as far as Australia, a black-tie red carpet, a charity auction to raise money for breast cancer research and workshops on the art of the tease.
But this will be the Vermont Burlesque Festival’s final year in its current form, according to executive producer Cory Royer. Attendance has dwindled, and the event is losing money. Royer said he is considering downsizing the festival or finding cheaper venues outside Burlington, where he feels that ticket buyers are deterred by downtown safety concerns.
“As much as our diehards love it, I can’t keep doing something if we’re losing money,” Royer said. “This is not a nonprofit.”…