BCA has made the difficult decision to pause the Festival of Fools for 2025.
As the City of Burlington faces unique financial difficulties, and after careful consideration of BCA’s many essential programs, we plan to reset and bring the Festival back in 2026.
Launched in 2007, the Festival of Fools has brought to Burlington some of the world’s greatest street performers and musicians for a community-minded summer weekend that has filled Church Street and City Hall Park with free, live, family-oriented entertainment. A celebration of this magnitude requires significant resources, and taking a pause helps BCA better protect the full integrity and deep engagement of our other programs.
BCA rallies around the belief that “Art Is Essential.” As we continue helping the City to achieve its goals, BCA will redirect resources to ensure that the arts remain an essential component of Burlington’s welcoming nature and cultural vibrancy.
BCA fully expects to bring Fools back for 2026, giving us even more time to rethink, refresh, and relaunch this long-standing Burlington tradition.