Sponsor the Young Tradition Festival!
About Young Tradition Festival
The Young Tradition Festival takes place May 8 & 9, 2026 in Burlington, VT.
The Festival:
Provides youth with a venue to perform, alongside their peers, mentors and professional musicians.
Inspires youth who are not yet participating in traditional music and dance to engage with those art forms.
Brings high-caliber musical performances from a range of cultural backgrounds to the community more broadly.
The Young Tradition Festival is one of several Living Traditions programs run by Vermont Folklife to support Vermonters as they practice and pass on traditional art forms that are vital and relevant to their communities. These programs encourage youth to explore, learn, and perform traditional music and dance.
2026 Schedule of Events:
Friday: May 8th
Performances for Burlington school students and residents at a local retirement community
A Community Dance Party, featuring a medley of dance traditions taught by local dance leaders at Contois Auditorium in downtown Burlington.
Saturday, May 9th
Student/Mentor Showcase at the Burlington Farmers Market
Concert featuring L'Ensemble Trad Jeunesse, The Young Tradition Touring Group, and the dynamic duo Alex Kehler and Nicholas Williams!
Who will see your logo/business name?
Young Tradition Festival’s Audience:
We anticipate a total of 3,500 to 4000 people participating in events between performers and audience members, of whom 800-1000 will be youth. Our Student/Mentor Showcase takes place at the Burlington Farmers Market, which plays host to 10,000+ on a busy day. The audience for Friday and Saturday night’s programming at Contois Auditorium will feature lovers of traditional music and dance, including members of the local Burundian, Tibetan, and Nepali communities. Our audience includes everyone from families with small children to retirees. Students at a local school and residents at a local retirement home will also receive performances, in association with the festival.
Our Digital Reach:
Vermont Folklife’s website averages ~3000 unique views a month.
The Vermont Folklife Newsletter lands in 2600 inboxes a month.
Vermont Folklife has ~3,800 Facebook followers, and Young Tradition Vermont has ~2,100.
Vermont Folklife has ~2,200 Instagram followers, and Young Tradition Vermont has ~1000.
Sponsor the Young Tradition Festival Today!
Vermont Folklife is a 501(c )3 organization (EIN = 22-2550951). We certify that this gift is tax deductible to the full extent of the law and that no goods or services were provided in exchange for this donation.
Checks can be made out to Vermont Folklife, 74 Main St. Burlington VT 05401, with “Young Tradition Fest Sponsor” in the memo line.
Please email ytv@vtfolklife.org if you would like to receive an invoice prior to payment.