Highlight is Burlington’s go-to NYE celebration, produced by Burlington City Arts & Signal Kitchen, taking place at multiple locations in the City throughout the 31st. Many of the festivities are crowdsourced through the Bright Ideas Project, which asks artists and innovators to submit projects for Highlight to fund and produce. Other events help round out the evening with an incredible showcase of music, art, food, and community.

For Highlight 2024, we’re welcoming revelers from far and wide to celebrate with unique, in-person experiences in downtown Burlington and at the Waterfront. We’ll set the stage for the biggest party of the year as we come together to count down the experiences and ideas that make our community a hub of incredible creativity. Artists, food vendors, musicians, and everyone in between helps build an event that HIGHLIGHTS the best of Burlington, live for one glorious night as we cheers to auld lang syne.

Questions? Email hello@highlight.community

The Highlight Button is your all-access ticket to every single Highlight event. Buttons are $15 in November and $18 in December for adults and youth. Children five and under get in free.

With accessibility in mind, if you or anyone you know find the pricing to be an obstacle, send an email to hello@highlight.community and we will be happy to help you. 

Purchasing Online:
You are welcome to purchase your buttons online using Seven Days Tickets. We are taking care of the online fees, so it’s easy and the same price as purchasing in person. Once you complete your purchase, you will be emailed a receipt. Your name is also added to our Will Call list and you can pick up your buttons on the day of Highlight at any of our venues, as every venue has a box office on December 31. Additionally, if you want to get your button ahead of time, you can visit the BCA Center Gallery at 135 Church Street. We are open Wednesdays through Fridays 12-5 pm and Saturdays 12-8 pm. 

Purchasing In-Person at our Partner Locations: 

We are thrilled to have a number of Burlington locations where you can purchase Highlight buttons in person. Thanks to the locations below for supporting Highlight during their busy holiday season.

Burlington:
BCA Center (135 Church St.)*
BCA Studios (405 Pine St.)
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain (1 College St)
Foam Brewery (112 Lake St.)
Phoenix Books (191 Bank St.) 

*The BCA Center Gallery will be closed on Wednesday, December 25. We will be open on Sunday and Monday, December 29 and 30 from 12-4 for Will Call and in-person ticket purchases. 

Please note: Your button is a universal ticket. However, entrance is on a first-come first-served basis and the most popular events will likely reach capacity at some point. If there’s something you really want to see, we recommend getting to the event early.

The Big Top Button!

Enhance your day at the circus and help sustain Highlight for years to come! Skip the line and reserve seats for you and your family with Big Top Buttons. At $40, this special Highlight button grants you access to a designated Circus Smirkus performance, guaranteeing floor seats that put you close to the high-flying fun.

Please Note!

All members of your party are required to have their own Big Top button. Unlike the standard Highlight button, a Big Top Button is required to reserve seats for patrons of any age, including children five and younger.

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to showtime via the City Hall Park entrance. Designated Big Top seats will be held until 10 minutes before showtime. After that, they will be released to the general public.

Big Top Buttons are valid only for the performance you select and are non-transferrable. Beyond your Circus Smirkus performance, your Big Top Button works just like any other Highlight button and is valid at all other performances and venues.

Big Top buttons are limited—claim your seat today!

Big Top Button sales close December 25.

The Big Top Button is underwritten by NBT Bank.

What’s the best where to get around?

We allow leashed, well-behaved dogs in Waterfront Park. Please be aware that there are crowds, kids (often running around), food, and music during ours events. We also have fireworks at 8 pm, followed by Cirque de Fuego’s Champ Burn. Service dogs are allowed in any venue, inside and out.

Contact Zach Williamson at zwilliamson@burlingtoncityarts.org with specific requests for accommodations.

Highlight’s events are designed and built by your friends and neighbors. Through the “Bright Ideas Project,” Highlight crowdsources ideas from Vermonters for all kinds of New Year’s Eve happenings. Through an open call for proposals, we grant funds and support to select ideas that come to life at Highlight.

Highlight’s Bright Ideas Project is proudly presented by EastRise Credit Union. With Vermont roots going back 75 years, EastRise provides financial tools and guidance to help build stronger, more sustainable financial futures. They are committed to supporting our people, businesses, artists, and community events to bring people together and build a sense of community.

Our Mission

Create a safe space for a global community to celebrate and support Vermont-grown performers with friends, family, and neighbors, both near and far.

Who are our community members?

Vermont is Highlight’s home, but our community reaches far and wide beyond Vermont’s borders. We welcome people from around the world to celebrate and be a part of our community.

What values does our community hold?

We expect all members of our community to support and celebrate:

• Diversity
• Creativity
• Kindness
• Open-mindedness
• Respect
• Safety

All community members must follow our community rules including: 

• Helping other community members when needed
• Showing respect to others at all times
• Keeping an open mind about creative works
• Celebrating our differences and similarities alike

We will NOT tolerate those who engage in interactions or content that may be: 

• Inappropriately sexual or graphic
• Dangerous, harmful, or unsafe
• Hateful, violent, threatening, or harassing
• Misleading or intending to spam or scam
• Illegal in any way
• Encroaching on the privacy of others
• Unsafe for children