Curious about Vermont’s impending transition to legal sales of recreational marijuana? Vermont’s Cannabis Control Board will be available for a meet & greet on July 23, from 4-6 p.m. at the Leaning Barn VT Hemp Company at 1425 Route 116 North Road in Bristol. Sponsored by several Addison County businesses, the control board’s appearance is intended to provide more clarity surrounding Vermont’s new cannabis regulations, as well as impart helpful information to those interested in becoming part of a local craft cannabis business community. This event is free, but participants are asked to pre-register at tinyurl.com/3pmtrb7d.

Do you play a musical instrument? Has it been a few years, but you’ve been meaning to dust off that old horn and start making music again? Here is your opportunity. The Vergennes City Band is an all-volunteer community band that has performed for many summers on the bandstand on the green in Vergennes. The band is back this year following a COVID respite, and it’s putting the call out for new members. Instrumentalists of all ages are welcome to join, with wind and percussion players particularly needed. The first official concert for 2021 is on Monday, July 19, at 7 p.m. Other concert dates are set for July 26, Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, and at Vergennes Day on Saturday, Aug. 28. For more information, email [email protected], or call Sue O’Daniel at 802-349-5906. Meanwhile, the weekly Bristol band concerts are back in full swing. As usual, they’re taking place Wednesday evenings, 7-8:30 p.m., on the Bristol Town Park. In an effort to social distance during these COVID-19 times, performers are seating themselves around — rather than in — the town bandstand. The Bristol band concerts will run through August.

In celebration of its 15th birthday, the nonprofit Four Winds Nature Institute will sponsor a live wild animal program on the Bristol Town Green on Saturday, July 17, featuring Mike Clough of the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum. Clough will present a variety of live animals, including birds of prey, a snake, turtle, and others. In addition, there will be furs, skulls, insects, and animal track stamps for hands-on exploration. The event, free and open to all, will take place from 4-5 p.m.

There have been some bear sightings in Addison County this year, and while there are a variety of things that can attract bears, smelly compost is big one. The Addison County Solid Waste Management District reminds everyone of a few composting tips to deter bears and other unwanted critters. First, to mask the smell in a compost pile, always make sure you add enough browns — such as dried leaves, straw, wood shavings and shredded paper — to your compost recipe. You can also control the compost smell by turning the pile weekly during the summer, thus providing aeration to the bacteria doing the decomposition. And if your bear problem persists, check with your neighbors to see if other things are attracting bears to your community. For a printable tip sheet, visit bit.ly/3qCmYiv.