Events at the Y

Committed to Community

We host events at the Y that further our mission to strengthen the community. Find upcoming and past events below.

2025 Events

Join us for the 3rd Annual
Kids Fest: Celebrating Health + Safety

A family party that combines New American Safety Day and YMCA Healthy Kids Day.

April 26, 10:00am – 1:00pm
at the Y (parking lot and inside), 298 College Street, BTV

• Tons of fun for kids, health and safety info for parents/caregivers
• Activity booklet, crafts, airbrush tattoos, games, bounce house, gym
• Free bicycle helmets and t-shirts (while they last)
• Family Fitness classes: 10:30am—Kid-focused Barre; 11:30am—Family Dance; 12:30pm—Family Yoga
• See Champ, Monty the Moose, and Rally Cat!
• Music with DJ Melo Grant, food from local vendors
• Interpreters available — May include ASL, Arabic, Burmese, Dari, French, MaiMai/Somali, Nepali, Pashto, Spanish, Swahili, and Vietnamese

Featuring these community partners:
Be SMART | Brain Injury Alliance of Vermont | Bristol Rescue Squad | BCA, Art from the Heart | Burlington Lead Program | Burlington Police Department | Chittenden County Sherriff’s Office | Community Health Centers | Girl Scouts of the Green & White Mountains | Let’s Grow Kids | Local Motion | Pediatric Trauma Program | Prevent Child Abuse Vermont | Richard Kemp Center | Rock Painting | The Makery | United Way of Northwest Vermont | UVM Athletics – Rally Cat | UVM Cancer Center | UVM Children’s Hospital – Monty the Moose | UVM Extension 4-H | UVM Nursing Program | Vermont Department of Health | VT Department of Mental Health | Vermont Lake Monsters – Champ | Vermont Public | YMCA Camp Abnaki | YMCA Camp SPLASH | YMCA School Age Programs

Kids Fest 2025 Hosts:
The Greater Burlington YMCA, SafeKids Vermont, The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital

Kids Fest 2025 Sponsors:
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union

Formal + Semi-Formal Clothing Drive 

April 14-25

Open to all Y Members, Staff and the Greater Burlington Community
We are collecting formal and semi-formal wear for the week of April 14 in support of the students at Winooski High School. Students use these clothes for interviews and events. Please only donate clean, gently used items and drop them off in the lobby of the Y, 298 College Street. Thank you for your support of students in need!

Falls Prevention: Minimize Falls Risk 

March 26, 6:00 – 7:00pm

Open to all Y Members and Staff
Falls can put you at risk for serious injury and the risk of falling only increases as we age. However, this doesn’t have to be the case and many falls can be prevented. This workshop will discuss the importance of falls prevention and ways to reduce falls risk.  

About the presenter: Zach LaPoint is a Physical Therapist at Vermont Physical Therapy, where he helps people recover from injuries and return to the activities they enjoy.

Ergonomics Workshop

February 19, 6:00 – 7:00pm

Open to all Y Members and Staff
Join Joseph Myers, a physical therapist with Vermont Physical Therapy, as he presents ergonomics and body mechanics. He will cover topics including human anatomy, good working postures while at a desk or more active positions, review of habits as they relate to body mechanics, and some of the stresses put on our bodies on a day-to-day basis.

About the presenter: Joe Myers is a member of the Vermont Physical Therapy team and has been working as a physical therapist for many years with experience in outpatient orthopedics and ergonomics.

Camp Expo

January 12, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Doors open at 10:00, light refreshments served.

Experience Summer Camp Early!
Join us for a fun and interactive event where you’ll get to experience some of the same activities that take place at each of our four summer camp opportunities. Camp experts and parents of past campers from Camp Abnaki, Y Adventure Camp at Rock Point, Camp Koda, and Summer Camp at the Y in BTV will be on hand to share insights and answer questions.

• Try out camp-specific activities, like archery, tie dye, STEM projects, and a bouncy house
• Make crafts and “sail” in a Sunfish
• Enjoy story time in front of the “campfire” (lobby fireplace) at 11:00am
• Complete an “adventure passport,” to enter a raffle for one of four $400 vouchers to be used at any one of our four camps.

The event is free, and registration is not required. Contact the Y if you have any questions, using the Contact Form and “Camp Expo” in the subject line.

2024 Events

Free Estate Planning Workshop

October 22, 5:00 – 7:00pm
Doors open at 5:00pm, light refreshments served.
Agenda and Q&A: 5:15-6:45pm

Plan to learn, learn to plan
Join us for an interactive session with local experts in wills and estate planning that will give you the knowledge to begin, refine or validate your legacy plans. This workshop is free, and all are welcome, regardless of where you may be in your legacy planning journey.

In keeping with the Y’s foundational pillar of Social Responsibility, we believe in providing our community with the tools and resources to plan for a secure financial future. These panelists will share their latest strategies and insights to secure your legacy for your loved ones, and the issues that matter most to you. 

Panelists:
• Brian Lowry, Financial Advisor, Hickok & Boardman Capital Management
• Jeff Wick, Attorney, Wick & Maddocks Attorneys at Law
• Emilye Pelow Corbett, Sr. Philanthropic & Planned Giving Advisor, Vermont Community Foundation
• Moderator: Lesli Hill Blount, Clarity Consulting VT

Hickok & Boardman Capital Management is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.

How much sugar should your kids (and you) be eating?

FREE workshop: Wednesday, September 25, 7:00 – 8:30pm (one hour presentation, followed by a 30 minute Q & A).

As a follow up to her informative talk in May, join us with Dr. Andrea Grayson, author of The Sweet Tooth Dilemma, and part-time faculty in the Master of Public Health program in the Larner College of Medicine at UVM to explore:

– tips for eating less sugar
– how much is too much
– how sugar impacts the brain and body
– hidden and sneaky sugars
– alternative treats

We are offering free child care for children 6 months -12 years for program participants — please sign up on the registration form (space is limited).

2024 Annual Meeting

Friday, June 21, 8:30-9:30am

Featuring
Jill Nye McKeown, Y Staff
Katie Hawley, Y Board Chair
Marsha Faryniarz, Interim CEO

Remarks from Community:
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak
Bashir Abdallah – Early Child Care Parent
Sidney Eley – Y Member
Dr. Andrea Green – UVMMC Partner

Light refreshments provided

Click here to RSVP 

Let’s Talk About Sugar!

FREE workshop: Thursday, May 16, 7:00-8:30pm

Having sweet treats seems innocent enough, but how much is too much, and why is it so hard to cut back? Turns out there are biological, emotional and social reasons why quitting sugar is so hard. Join us as Dr. Andrea Grayson, author of The Sweet Tooth Dilemma, explores:

– your go-to treats and how they keep you hooked
– how much is too much
– how sugar does harm in the body
– hidden and sneaky sugars
– how to minimize cravings
– secrets for a sugar-minimal lifestyle

Seed & Sew FREE workshop

Join the Y and Seed & Sew founder Alyssa Blask Campbell in workshops that help adults better understand children’s emotions and how they can support their social-emotional growth. 

When Children’s Behaviors are Triggering
Thursday, May 9, 7:00-8:30pm

Recognizing behavior as communication. What’s being said without words? What need are kids trying to meet, likely subconsciously or unconsciously? This workshop helps you access the tools to calm your nervous system and navigate children’s triggering behaviors.

Held at the Y, the workshop will be a one hour presentation, followed by a 30 minute Q & A.

2nd Annual Kids Fest: Celebrating health and safety

A free, fun party combining New American Safety Festival and the GBYMCA Healthy Kids Day

April 27, 10:00am – 1:00pm
at the Y (parking lot and inside), 298 College Street, BTV

• Tons of fun for kids, health and safety info for parents/caregivers
• Activity booklet, crafts, face painting, games, bounce house, gym
• Free bicycle helmets and t-shirts (while they last)
• Family Fitness sampler classes
• See Champ, Monty the Moose, and Rally Cat!
• Music with DJ Melo Grant, food from local vendors
• Interpreters available in ASL, Burmese, Dari, French, Kirundi, MaiMai, Somali, Nepali, Pashto, Spanish, Swahili, and Vietnamese

Featuring these community partners
Association of Africans Living in Vermont | BCA – Art from the Heart | Be SMART | Bristol Rescue Squad | Building Bright Futures | Burlington Lead Program | Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community | Chittenden County Sheriffs Office | Community Health Centers | Dad Guild | GBYMCA – Camp SPLASH | GBYMCA – Family and School Age Programs | Lake Champlain Basin Program | Lets Grow Kids | Live Like Benjo Foundation | Local Motion | Monty Moose, Children’s Hospital | Old Spokes Home | Prevent Child Abuse VT | United Way of Northwest Vermont | UVM Cancer Center | UVM Extension 4-H | VDH Be Seat Smart | VT Dept of Health – WIC and Health Education | Vermont Lake Monsters | YMCA Camp Abnaki

Kids Fest 2024 Hosts:
The Greater Burlington YMCA, SafeKids Vermont, The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital

Kids Fest 2024 Sponsors:
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union

With support from:
Folino’s Pizza, New Duds

2023 Events

Q + A with Kevin Chu, Vermont Futures Project

Thursday, November 9, 7:00pm at the Y

The Vermont Futures Project is developing a statewide economic action plan informed by data. The framework for the plan is built on two fundamental components that define communities: people and places.

In order to strengthen Vermont’s economy, scale up our impact on sustainability, and make progress on social equity, the Vermont Futures Project is setting a goal to increase our population to 802,000 people and the non-seasonal housing stock to 350,000 units by 2035.

Learn how these goals were calculated and share your ideas about actions that can be taken at the local and state level towards achieving them.

Open House

Sunday, September 17, 10:00am – 2:00pm

We’re grateful to be part of such an amazing community. Enjoy free entrance* during our Open House as our way of saying THANK YOU!

10:00am – 2:00pm: 
• Tours of the Y
• Full use of Wellness Floor (cardio and weights), ages 18+
• Group Fitness sampler classes
• Adult Swim in the Lap Pool
• Child Care for 6 mos.-8 yrs, limited availability 
• Snacks in the Lobby

10:00am – Noon: 
• Family Swim in the Program Pool
• Family Recreation in the Gym with Bounce House
• Translators in Swahili, Nepali, Dari/Pashto, Somali, and Arabic

Noon – 2:00pm:
• Adult Swim in the Program Pool
• Open Recreation in the Gym
• Adult Aquatic Fitness class in the Program Pool

* Guests must have current photo ID and fill out a Guest Liability Waiver. Parents and/or Caregivers must sign waiver for child(ren) under age 18.

Welcoming Week

September 11 – 17

Welcoming Week is a chance to celebrate the many dimensions of diversity that make our community stronger! Join us for events throughout the week, including:

• BIPOC Affinity Spin, Monday, Sept. 11, 6:00pm.

• Sample some international cuisine in the Y Lobby! Small bites, Monday through Wednesday at 4:30pm.

Monday: Sherpa Kitchen. Nepalese restaurant.
Tuesday: Mulu’s Catering. Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine.
Wednesday: Café Mamajuana. Dominican fusion.

• Youth and Caregiver Swim Lesson, Friday, September 15, 5:30-6:00pm. Fun for adults and their 6 month – 3 year old kids with a focus on water safety.

• Welcoming Week Family Swim, Saturday, Sept. 16. Two sessions, 4:00-4:45pm, and 5:00-5:45pm. This family swim is an affinity space for families in our community who identify as newcomers + immigrants. 

Vermont Pride week

September 2 – 10

Celebrate our LGBTQ+ community members at the Y during Vermont Pride week. Join Y staff for the Pride Parade at noon on Sunday, September 10.

Thank you to all who participated in Pride Swim held in conjunction with Pride Center Vermont on Saturday, Sept. 2!

2023 Annual Meeting

Friday, June 16, 8:30-9:30am

Icebreaker: Y School Age Director Tiffany Cross
Reading: Poet, Educator, Facilitator Rajnii Eddins
Remarks: Board Chair Katie Hawley and President/CEO Kyle Dodson
Featured Speaker: Therapist and Longtime Y Member Kevin Gallagher 

Light refreshments provided

Click here to RSVP 

Kids Fest: Celebrating health and safety

A fun party combining New American Safety Festival and the Greater Burlington YMCA Healthy Kids Day

April 29, 10:00am – 1:00pm
at the Y, 298 College Street, Burlington VT

• Tons of fun activities for kids: activity booklet, crafts, face painting, games, smoothie bikes
• Free bicycle helmets and t-shirts (while they last)
• Family Fitness, Dance, and Yoga classes
• Music with DJ Melo Grant
• Food provided: Harmony’s Kitchen, People’s Kitchen, Sherpa Kitchen, A Taste of Abyssinia
• Interpreters available

Featuring 30 community partners!

Kids Fest 2023 Hosts:
The Greater Burlington YMCA, SafeKids Vermont, The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital

Kids Fest 2023 Sponsors:
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union

Community Mural Project with Juniper Creative

Thank you to all who participated in the creation of our community mural — including youth brainstorming participants, art-makers from preschoolers to seniors, and especially Juniper Creative, LLC. Stop by to see the completed mural in our lobby conference room!

Learn more about Juniper Creative at www.JuniperCreativeArts.com