Skunkfest brings Vermont’s punk scene together as venues face steep costs and closures

# What happened Skunkfest, a one-day festival in Randolph set for Sept. 26, assembles nine local punk and ska bands and a punk-themed makers' market. Organizers are The Underground, a longtime local music space that began as a recording studio, and Black Meadow Gallery and Tattoo. The festival pairs live music with craft vendors and a hands-on "fixer tent" to demonstrate mending and repairs.

# Why the festival matters now Organizers frame Skunkfest as a celebration of the do-it-yourself values central to punk and to New England's more isolated music scenes. Bands such as Vallory Falls describe their sound as "maple-fired punk rock," with songwriting that draws on Vermont life. For performers and attendees, live shows create an energy that musicians say can't be replaced by streaming or recordings. Dan O'Day, lead songwriter for Steppin' Razor Blades, said there's "no better feeling" than performing and hearing the crowd respond.

# The pressures on venues

# How organizers are responding Skunkfest combines music with other practical offerings: a flea-market-style table of band memorabilia, DIY crafts, graffiti art, and the fixer tent to teach repair skills. Black Meadow co-owner Kate Branstetter has helped curate that market with the idea that Vermont's resourcefulness overlaps with punk's DIY ethos.

Freeman has tried to reduce costs and support other local businesses. He uses a regional ticketing platform rather than Ticketmaster to keep fees local. Still, he described the limits of a community-run model: when passion and sweat equity are the main inputs, organizers eventually face burnout without steady financial backing.

# Scene dynamics and safety Musicians emphasize that punk spaces in Vermont can be welcoming. Vallory Falls' manager and drummer, Riley Rae Burridge, said she has found punk shows to be safe and accepting and that some of the band's songs were inspired by routine Vermont scenes. But she also voiced concern that Burlington's once-central punk network has contracted and that the community is figuring out how to regroup.

# What's next Skunkfest is intended as a moment of connection for local bands and supporters while also acknowledging uncertainty. The festival's mix of live performance, craft vendors and repair demos is designed to reinforce the practical, community-minded side of punk. Longer term, venue stability will depend on how organizers manage rising operating costs, insurance and licensing, and whether new or adapted spaces emerge to replace those that have closed.

# Bottom line Skunkfest highlights both the vitality and the vulnerability of Vermont's punk scene: active bands and DIY organizers are still creating opportunities, but fewer venues and higher operating costs make sustaining regular live music harder.