This winter has been a bit of a stinker so far.
It’s been good to skiers — a foot or more of fresh powder is heaven for downhillers and cross-country skiers alike — but the cold temperatures and constant brushing off of the car get tedious after a day or two, let alone seemingly the entire month of January.
There are some things other than skiing worth getting out for, though. These 28 concerts, plays, comedy shows and visual-art displays in February might just be engrossing enough to help you forget about needing to scrape ice off your windshield when you leave.
Vermont Youth Orchestra starts the month
3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 1, senior soloist Naomi Shpaner shows her skills with a Rachmaninoff piano concerto and senior composer Holden Friesel premieres the composition “Firesong & Myth” when the Vermont Youth Orchestra performs at the Flynn, Burlington. $21-$24. vyo.org or flynnvt.org
Rock band explodes in Higher Ground
7:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 2, instrumental rockers Explosions in the Sky join Vermont-based synth act Dutch Experts, Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $44.50. highergroundmusic.com
Flip for Cirque Mechanics
6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3, acrobatic group Cirque Mechanics offers its theme park-themed production “Tilt,” the Flynn, Burlington. $45. flynnvt.org
Northern Stage ‘Is Not Silent’
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, Northern Stage begins its run through Sunday, Feb. 22, of Don X. Nguyen’s play “The World Is Not Silent,” which focuses on a first-generation Vietnamese-American grappling with language and cultural barriers he has with his father, Barrette Center for the Arts, White River Junction. Pay-what-you-can admission for the Feb. 4 preview, $20 for Feb. 5-6 previews, $28-$80 for remaining performances. northernstage.org
Jazz Mandolin Project is back
8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, a rare performance by the Burlington-born Jazz Mandolin Project — featuring founder Jamie Masefield and Phish drummer Jon Fishman — at the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, sold out almost instantly. highergroundmusic.com
A trio of moe. shows
8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5-Saturday, Feb. 7, upstate New York jam-rock vets moe. return for three shows at the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $40 per show, $100 three-day pass. highergroundmusic.com
‘Held Together’ in S.P.A.C.E.
5-9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, the First Friday art show includes the debut of “Held Together,” an exhibit of handmade collages on display through March 20, The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Burlington. Free. spacegalleryvt.com
Radio Bean hosts Wild Pink
9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, New York indie rock band Wild Pink follows Portland, Maine singer-songwriter Dead Gowns, Radio Bean, Burlington. $20 in advance, $25 day of show. radiobean.com
Music from Quebec in Middlebury
4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, Quebecois quartet Christine Tassan et les Imposteures plays its brand of Gypsy jazz to launch the Wintertide Music Series, Town Hall Theater, Middlebury. $15-$35. townhalltheater.org
Local sounds at The Monkey House
7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, local acts Luis Betancourt, Olivia Deschenes and Kiley Latham play The Monkey House, Winooski. Free. monkeyhousevt.com
Fleming Museum reopens with new exhibits
5-7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Fleming Museum of Art returns for the spring semester with a kickoff party to celebrate its new exhibits “Photo-Secession,” “Memory Fields,” “Beyond Red Barns” and “Rooted in Nature,” University of Vermont, Burlington. Free. uvm.edu/fleming
‘Vagina Monologues’ at Lost Nation Theater
7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11-Thursday, Feb. 12, Lost Nation Theater re-stages the Eve Ensler play “The Vagina Monologues” for two shows, Montpelier City Hall Arts Center. Tickets by donation to benefit Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. lostnationtheater.org
‘Dreamboat’ Stavros Halkias visits Burlington
8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, Netflix star and podcaster Stavros Halkias includes a stop on “The Dreamboat Tour” in a show presented by Higher Ground at the Flynn, Burlington. $42.50-$63.50. highergroundmusic.com or flynnvt.org
String quartet is back in Middlebury
7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, the Isidore String Quartet performs works including the world premiere of composer/pianist Billy Childs’ Quartet No. 4, American Mosaic, a co-commission by the Middlebury Performing Arts Series, Robison Concert Hall, Mahaney Arts Center, Middlebury. $5-$30. middlebury.edu/arts
Nella sings at UVM
7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, Venezuelan singer Nella (aka Nella Rojas) heats up the University of Vermont Lane Series with a concert of Latin music, UVM Recital Hall, Burlington. $7.50-$38.50. uvm.edu/laneseries
Lincoln has Damn Tall Buildings
7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, the rootsy band Damn Tall Buildings plays two sets as part of the Burnham Presents concert series, Burnham Hall, Lincoln. $20-$30. burnhampresents.org
Follow Fortune Feimster to the Flynn
7 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, stand-up comic and actor Fortune Feimster makes up for her postponed October 2025 appearance when she and her “Takin’ Care of Biscuits” tour arrive at the Flynn, Burlington. $48.25-$79.75. flynnvt.org
Comedy continues with Mohanad Elshieky
6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19-Saturday, Feb. 21, and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, Libyan-born, New York-based comedian Mohanad Elshieky performs a quartet of sets, Vermont Comedy Club, Burlington. $25. vermontcomedyclub.com
Seabird lands in Stowe
7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, the Spruce Peak Unplugged series offers Burlington musician Lily Seabird, Spruce Peak Arts, Stowe. $33.89-$47.80. sprucepeakarts.org
Bill Charlap, Renee Rosnes play UVM
7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, a highlight of this semester’s University of Vermont Lane Series schedule includes jazz piano couple Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes, UVM Recital Hall, Burlington. $7.50-$43.50. uvm.edu/laneseries
Americana music with Langhorne Slim
7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, Americana musician Langhorne Slim, plus opening act Laney Jones and the Spirits, plays the Higher Ground Showcase Lounge, South Burlington. $25. highergroundmusic.com
Winter is a Drag, again
8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, the 31st annual Winter is a Drag Ball, now presented by Mike Oxready, takes on the seasonally appropriate theme “Beauty and the Beach,” Higher Ground, South Burlington. $32. highergroundmusic.com
In a mood with Marissa Nadler
7:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 22, moody alt-folk singer and guitarist Marissa Nadler, with Sacred Bones Records labelmate Maria BC, brings the atmosphere to Foam Brewers, Burlington. $17 in advance, $20 day of show. foambrewers.com
Margo Price returns to Higher Ground
8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 22, Nashville star Margo Price follows Pearl Charles in the Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington. $28. highergroundmusic.com
‘Kinky Boots’ on the Flynn stage
7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24-Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Kinky Boots,” with music penned by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein, stomps for two nights into the Flynn, Burlington. $70.75-$95.75. flynnvt.org
Farmers Night music at the Statehouse
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 27, the long-running Farmers Night concert series offered by the Vermont Legislature includes this one-hour performance by the Portland, Maine, chamber ensemble Palaver Strings presented by Capital City Concerts, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier. Free. capitalcityconcerts.org
‘The Black Experience’ at the Flynn
7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, Black History Month draws to a close when National Book Award winner Ibram X. Kendi, a Howard University professor who directs its Institute for Advanced Study, delivers a talk at the annual event “The Black Experience,” which also features music by Mumu Fresh, the Flynn, Burlington. $22.50-$48.75. flynnvt.org
‘Uncle Vanya’ visits Burlington
7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, Burlington-based Vermont Repertory Theatre opens its presentation of Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya,” adapted by Goddard College alum David Mamet, that runs through Saturday, March 7, Main Street Landing Black Box Theater, Burlington. $20-$40. vermontrep.com