Nestled in the Green Mountains of Vermont, just a 5 minute drive from downtown Bristol, sits a charming rustic 18th-century farmhouse. Today, this historic property functions as The Tillerman Inn & Restaurant, typically serving as a high-end dining and wedding venue. The elegant farmhouse, however, transforms into a casual outdoor gathering space during the warm summer months for its live music series.
This series, hosted every Wednesday night, is a free event open to locals, tourists and all music lovers.
“We use very high-quality products at our restaurant and the prices are not what everyone can have access to, so in order to give people access to having an experience at the Tillerman, we thought having a night for the community that is free was important,” Kate Baron, owner of The Tillerman, said.
Kate Baron and her husband Jason Kirmse moved to Vermont after 20 years in Fairfax, California and reopened The Tillerman in 2021. The couple knew immediately that the space would be a great music venue, but it wasn’t until local artist Michael Chorney approached them with specific ideas that the vision came to life.
Chorney’s ideas were important to Baron in understanding the community.
“We moved here not really knowing many people or what the culture of this community was, and it became very clear very quickly what a wonderful, supportive and true community it was and that the businesses here operated in a way that considers what the community needs,” Baron explained.
Michael Chorney is a band member of The Albany Sound, which Baron considers The Tillerman’s house band.
“Their music embodies the vibe of summer and community: it resonates for a wide range of people, and they’ve just been with us from the beginning,” Baron said.
A local couple from Burlington, Katie and Pete, came to The Tillerman on Sept. 30 to hear The Albany Sound perform. The couple has been coming to The Tillerman for several years, primarily to see this band.
“It’s a great vibe, the music is really great, the setting with the barn in the background is really sweet and the crowd is always a really nice crowd. The food truck is great, I like the pork tacos. I’m surprised it’s still as crowded as it is given that it’s later in the season,” Katie said.
When the series first started, Baron, with Chorney's help, sought out artists who wanted to perform.
“Lots of people here are really talented musicians and just through word of mouth and a lot of generosity, it was pretty easy to find people in the early days,” Baron said.
A festival attendee from California currently living in Burlington, heard about the live music series from a friend who performed here in the past.
“[A friend] described how beautiful it is here and how nice the audience is. It’s a lot more chill then some other gigs that folks tend to play. I’m here by myself and I’m loving it! The vibes are amazing, the food is good, the company is good, it’s really relaxing and the perfect fall activity,” she said.
During the first summer of the series, The Tillerman sold hot dogs and hamburgers made in-house. The next summer, they turned to tacos. However, as all sides of the business grew — the live music,wedding venue and restaurant —, it became harder to stock these nights with their own food; so they partnered with a local Las Hermosas.
“That’s been a wonderful collaboration for the last couple years,” Baron said.
The Tillerman’s live music series has grown over the past few years. Today, it is actively marketed on social media, there are countless inquiries from people wanting to perform, and they offer fun events such as massage chairs, henna and tarot card readings. The series still remains community-oriented.
Each week, a different community organization from Addison County has the chance to use one of the stands on the lawn and take advantage of the crowd at The Tillerman. On Sept. 30, community member Jen Popick ’96 represented the Middlebury Area Land Trust (MALT). MALT has been very involved with Middlebury College: they recently hosted a TAM race won by a Middlebury student, they’ve had interns from the geography department update their maps and they are currently working on a project with a senior statistics seminar looking at data on trail usage — which will help them make future decisions about trail management. This organization is well known by locals from the area, so many customers of The Tillerman recognized them.
“There are new people too,” Popick remarked. “There was a lovely person from New York City who was like ‘What is this all about? … It’s been fun talking to people. It’s a great thing, just to have here for people to interact with, and the music is fantastic, it’s fun to see all of the little kids running around.”
The idea for this initiative was born at monthly meetings hosted by Bristol CORE, the town’s downtown organization. Each month, business owners and management in the Bristol community get together to discuss what is working, challenges and exchange ideas.
“We have a local fellow who does Tarot card reading and chair massages, a woman who does henna, you know, small little businesses that made a lot of sense to be here on the property and benefit from the 300+ people on any given summer night. The table will continue, as well as the local folks for whom it makes sense to have a spot here,” Baron said.
Peak summer nights can be full of energy, featuring long lines and big crowds of tourists. Locals usually avoid these afternoons, preferring the chiller atmosphere of early fall. As schools start and the leaves turn, the crowd shifts to children running around barefoot, older folks from surrounding areas and Middlebury College students.
Lena Chow ’29 visited The Tillerman for the first time on Sep. 30.
“Our Wednesday night at The Tillerman was a wonderful chance to get off campus, drive through some beautiful fall foliage, appreciate live music and spend some time with the community. It was a bit chilly temperature-wise, but the bright barn lights, bonfire and hot apple cider, plus all the dancing, created a very cozy atmosphere,” she said.
Although the summer series concludes on Wednesday, Oct. 7, an altered version of the event will resume in the winter.
“We are going to begin the Wednesday after New Years and it will go on until April. So every Wednesday through the winter there will be a more stripped down, intimate acoustic version of the summer series in the parlour, which will also be free for the community … the winter really creates a lot more opportunity and space for different musicians to be highlighted,” Baron said.
