Fourteen weeks separate Memorial Day and Labor Day, the unofficial start and end of summer, respectively. That sounds like a lot of time, but don't be fooled: Summer will go by in a flash. It always does.

Best, then, to take full advantage and pack your days with everything that makes summer in Vermont great: creemees, swimming holes, cookouts and, of course, summer fairs, festivals, concerts and other events that keep us breezin' through the season.

Vermont's summer calendar is loaded with fun fare for fans of sports, music, food, thrill rides and just about anything else you can think of. Don't believe us? There's a whole festival devoted to garlic.

Read on for that and more summer highlights you won't want to miss.

Garlic Town USA

Saturday, August 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown Bennington. $7-35. garlictownusa.com

The safest place in the world from vampires is Garlic Town USA, the annual celebration of all things allium in Bennington's downtown. Founded in 1995 as a small market called the Garlic and Herb Festival, this stinky shindig has since ballooned into a world-renowned bulbous blowout that draws nearly 10,000 patrons every Labor Day weekend.

The centerpiece of every Garlic Town USA is the gigantic growers' market, where vendors from across the region gather to sell their savory stock. This includes garlic in every variety under the sun, both fresh and twisted into dried wreaths and garlands; every garlic-flavored treat you can imagine (and some you can't), from popcorn to bread to ice cream to hot sauce; and crafty creations such as candles, woodwork and décor for the garden.

Rounding out the festivities are activities for the kids, from magic shows to crafts at Bennington Museum; live tunes from local acts; and interactive demonstrations (last year's lineup included master classes in making salad dressing and demystifying garlic ice cream). And you can sample all the eats and libations a body could want, from crab cakes and fried pickles to garlic margaritas and Bloody Marys for the grown-ups. Breath mints not included.

— Emily Hamilton

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Vermont Open Farm Week: If you've ever wanted to milk a cow or drive a tractor, this 10th annual hands-on celebration of Vermont agriculture is for you. August 4 to 11, various locations. Prices TBA. diginvt.com

BBQ & Brew: The state's best brewers and barbecue chefs — and an AC/DC tribute band — converge for a weekend of artery-clogging fun. June 22 and 23, Vermont State Fairgrounds, Rutland. $10-15; free for kids 12 and under. bbqandbrewvt.com

Killington Wine Festival: Class it up with world-famous wine and gourmet food in the scenic splendor of the Green Mountains. July 19 and 20, various locations, Killington. $30-220. killingtonpico.org

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Elevate Mountain Bike Festival

Friday, June 14, to Sunday, June 16, Burke Mountain Hotel & Conference Center, East Burke. $170-215. elevatemtb.com

Want to pedal faster on a single track, step up your downhill cornering or catch some big air off your knobby tires? Elevate Mountain Bike Festival offers three days of bike clinics, group rides, equipment demos and socializing on some of Vermont's tastiest mountain bike trails — all at an event tailored for women and gender-expansive riders.

Why a gender-specific mountain bike fest? Though women currently make up 46 percent of participants in the sport, many mountain biking events still cater predominantly to male riders. In an effort to shift gears on that paradigm, three local nonprofits — the New England Mountain Bike Association, Kingdom Trails and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association — joined forces in 2023 to launch the first Elevate Mountain Bike Festival. Its aim is to help women and nonbinary cyclists step up their riding skills, build community and foster a lifelong love of the sport, all in a supportive and noncompetitive environment.

Over the weekend event in the Northeast Kingdom, participants of all persuasions and abilities can attend workshops on topics ranging from fixing flats on the trail to doing jumps and drops to maximizing performance with strength training, hydration and nutrition. The ticket price includes three days of coaching, clinics, group rides, meals and raffle entries. Get ready to soar in the saddle!

— Ken Picard

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Vermont Green FC: Fútbol is life for this local semipro soccer club with an environmental and social justice mission. Home games from May 25 to July 10 at Virtue Field, Burlington. $8-15; free for kids 5 and under. vermontgreenfc.com

Vermont Lake Monsters: The onetime minor-league franchise is now a collegiate summer-league team. But the gameplay — and antics from mascot Champ — remain top-notch. Home games from May 25 to August 4, Centennial Field, Burlington. $6-17. vermontlakemonsters.com

Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal: Can't decide whether to bike or kayak? How about both! This community-oriented race combines 6.5 miles of river paddling and a five-mile bike ride. July 13, Davis Park, Richford. $10-30. northernforestcanoetrail.org

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Vermont Renaissance Faire

Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $5-30; free for kids under 6. vtgatherings.com

Don your corsets and chain mail, grab your swords and turkey legs, and start practicing your best spells and sonnets now, because the Vermont Renaissance Faire is back in town — er, towne. Pirates, princesses, jesters and jokers of every age find all sorts of medieval merriment over two days of revelry presented by Vermont Gatherings at the Champlain Valley Exposition.

Every installment of this annual festival draws entertainments such as music, dancing, acrobatics, historical demonstrations, an artisan alley of authentic craftspeople and merchants, and samples of mead and cider made all over the state. Last year's lineup featured the real live jousting of Equus Nobilis; the comedic stylings of the Ladies of Integrity, Aristocracy, Repute, and Society (L.I.A.R.S.); ancient Celtic drumming from Cu Dubh; mischievous antics and stunts by the Pirates of Fortune's Folly; readings from father-daughter psychic duo Lord Fafnir & Spawn; and demonstrations of sword fighting, armor repair, camp cooking and fiber arts from the Brotherhood of the Arrow and Sword.

Costumes are far from required, but they sure are fun. Whether you've had a tunic handsewn by your local seamstress or just plan to dig your old Lord of the Rings costume out of the closet, the whole family can enjoy hopping back in time for a weekend at the faire.

— E.H.

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Waterbury Arts Fest: The quaint town of Waterbury transforms into an open-air gallery and street fair at this annual family-friendly festival. July 12 and 13, downtown Waterbury. Free. waterburyartsfest.com

Festival of Fools: Musicians, acrobats, circus performers and others descend on the Queen City for a raucous street festival featuring more than 100 live performances. August 2 to 4, downtown Burlington. Free. vermontfestivaloffools.com

Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival: Beat the heat with cool new films by first- and second-time filmmakers. August 21 to 25, various locations, Middlebury. $14-143. middfilmfest.org

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Grand Point North

Thursday, July 25, to Sunday, July 28, Waterfront Park, Burlington. $52-92. grandpointnorth.com

Waitsfield's own Grace Potter has always been one to remember her roots. Even as the singer-songwriter started finding fame on a national scale — singing onstage with the Rolling Stones and performing duets with the likes of country star Kenny Chesney — she stayed a vital part of the local music scene. There was no better proof than her leadership of the wildly popular Grand Point North festival, an annual showcase of top touring talent mixed with local acts often handpicked by Potter herself.

Fans feared the worst after Grand Point North was canceled in 2020 and failed to return in ensuing years. Potter herself expressed skepticism about whether her fest would come back. But this year, in partnership with Cabot Creamery, she once again hosts a long weekend of top-tier music from the Green Mountains and beyond.

Now framed as a four-day concert series, GPN has a stacked lineup, starting with Seattle indie act the Head and the Heart on Thursday, July 25. Athens, Ga., singer-songwriter Phosphorescent opens the show. Friday, July 26, features psychedelic rockers the Flaming Lips performing their 2002 smash hit album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots in its entirety.

Potter takes center stage for the weekend, headlining both Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28. Saturday's support acts include Ohio singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi, Boston's Copilot and a strong Vermont contingent: folk singer Henry Jamison, singer-songwriter Sarah King and rockers the Bubs. Sunday's openers are Nashville roots rocker Anderson East and another full slate of Vermont musicians, including soul outfit Acqua Mossa, blues act All Night Boogie Band and singer-songwriters Ali McGuirk and Marcie Hernandez.

— Chris Farnsworth

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Ben & Jerry's Concerts on the Green at Shelburne Museum: Big-name acts such as Greensky Bluegrass, Guster and Lake Street Dive headline this summer-long series on the scenic AF Shelburne Museum lawn. Season begins June 13, Shelburne Museum. Prices vary. highergroundmusic.com

Maple Roots Festival: Founded in 2021, this down-home fest is a music locavore's paradise, featuring Vermont favorites in jazz, folk, rock and more. July 27, Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, Montpelier. Free; $25 parking fee per car. maplerootsfest.com

Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots: Genre legends such as the Jerry Douglas Band and the Travelin' McCourys pick and grin alongside the next generation of bluegrass stars, including Vermont's Carling & Will. August 15 to 18, Hunter Park, Manchester Center. $30-400. greenmountainbluegrass.com

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Dorset Theatre Festival

Friday, June 21, to Saturday, September 7, Dorset Playhouse. $58-198. dorsettheatrefestival.org

Summer is show season in Dorset. The Dorset Theatre Festival has been bringing professional summer theater to the southern Vermont hamlet since 1977, catapulting new works to other theaters, even those in New York.

The company kicks off its 2024 run at the historic Dorset Playhouse with the darkly comic, Tony Award-winning Irish tale The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh. Resident playwright Theresa Rebeck directs. Ireland native and Manchester resident Maxine Linehan stars as Maureen, a 40-year-old virgin stuck in her childhood home caring for her housebound mother, Mag (Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen). Then Maureen's first, and possibly last, shot at love appears.

Cultures clash and hilarity ensues in the festival's second offering, Native Gardens. Meticulous gardeners feel their chances of winning a horticultural award wilt when neighbors move in next door and plan to plant a native garden. A border dispute erupts, "and no one comes out smelling like a rose when good intentions and bad manners bloom in Karen Zacarias's brilliant comedy," according to the festival's online description.

Veteran actor Kelly McAndrew returns to the Dorset stage to star as Vivian Vance in Kim Powers' one-woman comedy Sidekicked. The entire play is set in Vance's Hollywood dressing room as she prepares to play Lucille Ball's sidekick, Ethel Mertz, for the last time. Jackson Gay directs.

Closing the season is the world premiere of Jessica Provenz's suspenseful comedy True Art. According to New Play Exchange, the plot concerns an art history major who takes a job at a prominent museum and "finds herself swimming with sharks masked as art curators, directors, boards, and dealers." Michelle Joyner directs. Casts for True Art and Native Gardens have not yet been announced.

— Mary Ann Lickteig

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Weston Theater: This beloved company has been bringing professional theater to Windsor County for more than 85 years. Season begins June 12, Weston Playhouse. $25-79. westontheater.org

Vermont Theatre Festival: Founded by Bill Blachly and Ann O'Brien in 1979, the spunky and funky Unadilla Theatre is Vermont's quintessential theater experience. Blachly turned 100 in April. Season begins June 27, Unadilla Theatre, Marshfield. $15-30. unadilla.org

Depot Theatre: Just across the lake in Westport, N.Y., this nonprofit theater company delivers big-city talent on a small-town budget. Season begins June 28, Depot Theatre, Westport, N.Y. $34-40. depottheatre.org

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Vermont State Fair

Tuesday, August 13, to Saturday, August 17, Vermont State Fairgrounds, Rutland. Admission TBA. vermontstatefair.org

Vermonters build some of the world's most high-tech products, from electric airplanes to semiconductors to satellite propulsion systems. But come summer, the state fair is a reminder of the Green Mountain industry with the deepest roots: agriculture.

Beginning on August 13, rural Vermonters will show off their prize pigs, heavenly horses and blue-ribbon bovines at one of the oldest agricultural events in the country: the Vermont State Fair in Rutland. Now in its 178th year, the fair will feature a rodeo, motorcycle racing, a demolition derby, and a horse-mounted shooting competition with local cowboys and cowgirls. Toss in a heaping portion of sausages, fries, maple creemees and whirly carnival rides — not necessarily in that order — and you've got all the makings of timeless summer fun.

Headlining this year is country singer-songwriter Tyler Hubbard, of Florida Georgia Line fame. Also on the bill is a Back to the Future-like throwback to the quainter yesteryear of neon clothes, big hair and synth pop: "Abducted by the '80s," featuring musical guests Wang Chung, A Flock of Seagulls, Naked Eyes and Animotion. If, like many of us, you're old enough to remember the '80s, there is always something there to remind you.

— K.P.

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Franklin County Field Days: For a true agricultural fair experience, head to the county with the most farmland in Vermont. Don't worry: You'll find plenty of rides and fair food, too. August 1 to 4, Franklin County Fair Grounds in Highgate. $15. franklincountyfielddays.org

Champlain Valley Fair: Come for the pig races, giant gourds and fried dough; stay for the demolition derby and concerts by the likes of Flo Rida, the Gin Blossoms and Cole Swindell. Beware the Ring of Fire. August 23 to September 1, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $6-185. champlainvalleyfair.org

Tunbridge World's Fair: Country fairs don't get much more authentic than this Orange County classic. September 12 to 15, Tunbridge Fairgrounds. $15-50; free for kids under 12. tunbridgeworldsfair.com

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Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival

Saturday, August 17, to Sunday, August 25, various locations, Burlington, Shelburne and Colchester. $15-245. lccmf.org

Entering its 16th year of bringing world-class chamber music to Chittenden County, the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival is returning to the roots of the genre. This year's festival is called Folklore, a nod to great folk traditions laced through the history of chamber music.

"Folklore lies deep within each of our hearts," Gloria Chien and Soovin Kim, the festival's artistic codirectors, write in a press release. "During this festival week, we will explore how classical musicians celebrate their love of folk music from around the world."

Chien and Kim point out that famous composers such as Antonín Dvoák and Béla Bartók incorporated the folk styles of Bohemia and Hungary, respectively; Luciano Berio composed folk music in tribute to cultures ranging from his native Italy to Azerbaijan. "We are shaped by our own heritages as well as by an appreciation of the folklore of other peoples," they write.

The festival stretches for more than a week, with performances by world-renowned players and ensembles at the Elley-Long Music Center at Saint Michael's College in Colchester, All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne and the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington.

As always, the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival is as dedicated to education and cultivating fresh interest in classical music as it is to presenting live performances. The festival features more than 20 free public events, including lectures from composer-in-residence David Serkin Ludwig and other guest composers and performers. Students enrolled in the Young Composers Seminar will work with Ludwig directly, and a young professional ensemble, mentored by some of the festival artists, will perform throughout the week.

— C.F.

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Vermont Symphony Orchestra Summer Festival Tour: Can't make it to Tanglewood? The VSO has you covered with its annual outdoor summer tour around the state and a program ranging from John Williams to Sufjan Stevens. July 2 to 7, various locations. $5-35; free for kids 5 and under. vso.org

Marlboro Music Festival: Some of the best young classical instrumentalists and vocalists in the country spend three weeks training for a monthlong run of free concerts. July 13 to August 11, Persons Auditorium, Marlboro. $20-40. marlboromusic.org

Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival: This community-oriented celebration features world-class chamber performances, a children's concert, radio programming and open rehearsals. August 5 to 10, Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph. Free to $20. Sunday, August 11, Woodstock Unitarian Universalist Church. Free. cvcmf.org