Your August Events Guide to the Okemo Valley: Beer Festivals, Free Concerts, and World-Class Theater Near Ludlow
From Taps & Tastes at Okemo with 50+ craft beers to the Best of Vermont Summer Festival and Weston Theater's 90th anniversary season, here's your guide to August events near Ludlow, VT -- with The Governor's Inn as your home base.
Your August Events Guide to the Okemo Valley: Beer Festivals, Free Concerts, and World-Class Theater Near Ludlow
August is when the Okemo Valley hits full stride. The mountain is green, the evenings are long, and the events calendar is packed with beer festivals, free concerts, live theater, and community celebrations -- all within a 20-minute drive of The Governor's Inn. If you're planning a late-summer getaway, here's what's happening in and around Ludlow this August.
Taps & Tastes at Okemo (Saturday, August 1)
Kicking off the month in style, Taps & Tastes is Okemo Mountain Resort's signature summer event. Head to the Jackson Gore Courtyard from 4 to 8 PM for 50+ craft beers and ciders from regional breweries, live music from BoomBox, and food from local vendors. Tickets include a tasting glass and pours from participating brewers. This is Okemo's biggest event of the season and it sells out -- book early. It's a five-minute drive from the inn, or a scenic walk along Depot Street.
Jackson Gore Summer Music Series (Friday Nights Through August 29)
Every Friday evening through the end of August, Okemo's Jackson Gore Courtyard hosts a free outdoor concert from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Bring a lawn chair, grab a bite from the on-site food vendors, and enjoy live music under the mountains. Upcoming August acts include Cold Chocolate on August 14 and Frydaddy on August 21. No tickets required -- just show up.
Ludlow Farmers Market (Every Sunday, 9 AM - 1 PM)
Peak produce season has arrived, and the Ludlow Farmers Market is the place to experience it. Held every Sunday morning on Depot Street -- walking distance from the inn -- the market features 40+ vendors selling fresh vegetables, local cheese, baked goods, maple products, prepared foods, and handcrafted goods. It's the perfect Sunday morning ritual: coffee, a pastry, and a stroll through the stalls before heading out for a hike or a swim.
Ludlow Rotary Duck Race (Saturday, August 15)
One of Ludlow's most beloved traditions returns for its 27th year. The Ralph Hogancamp Memorial Duck Race sends hundreds of rubber ducks down the Black River from Walker Bridge on Depot Street, with prizes for the fastest fowl. Adopt a duck for $5, or a "quack pack" of five for $20, and cheer from the riverbank. The fun runs from 10 AM to 2 PM, with the race splashdown at noon. It's quirky, family-friendly, and uniquely Ludlow.
RENT at Weston Theater Company (Through August 16)
The Weston Theater Company's 90th anniversary season continues with the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT, running through August 16 at the historic Weston Playhouse. Celebrating its own 30th anniversary, this groundbreaking rock musical -- based on Puccini's La Boheme -- tells the story of a group of friends navigating love, loss, and chosen family in New York's East Village. With matinee and evening performances throughout August, it's the perfect evening outing after a day on the trails. Runtime is 2 hours 30 minutes with an intermission. Tickets at westontheater.org or by calling 802-824-5288.
Best of Vermont Summer Festival (August 22-23)
The biggest weekend of the Ludlow summer. The Best of Vermont Summer Festival returns for its sixth year at Okemo Field on Route 103, just south of town. Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM, the field fills with 60+ vendors offering craft beer, wine, and spirits, local cheese and maple products, artisan crafts, fine art, and specialty foods. Live music plays both days -- Saturday features Bear Mountain Boys, The Loonz, and The Rustie Bus Band, while Sunday brings Sammy Blanchette, Rick Redington and Tuff Luv, and a community line dancing session. There's a kids zone, food trucks, and a beer garden. Rain or shine.
Primary Trust at Weston Theater Company (August 26 - September 6)
Closing out the month, Weston stages Primary Trust, the 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Eboni Booth. It's a tender, surprisingly funny story about Kenneth, a man whose carefully ordered small-town life -- bookstore job, best friend Bert, daily mai tais at the local tiki bar -- gets upended when he loses his job and has to consider the terrifying possibility of change. The New York Times called it "a tender, delicately detailed portrait." Preview performances August 26-27, opening night August 28. Tickets at westontheater.org or 802-824-5288.
Plan Your August Getaway
The beauty of staying at The Governor's Inn in August is that you don't have to choose. Start Sunday at the farmers market, hike a nearby trail in the morning, catch a free concert Friday night, and cap off the weekend at the Best of Vermont Festival -- all without driving more than 20 minutes from your room. Pair any of these events with our guides to swimming holes in the Okemo Valley and craft breweries near Ludlow to build the perfect late-summer itinerary.
Ready to make August unforgettable? Book your stay at The Governor's Inn and put yourself in the center of everything the Okemo Valley has to offer.
