ESSEX JUNCTION

Essex Junction grew up around a railroad crossing where five roads meet, and that Five Corners intersection still serves as the walkable center of a city that balances Vermont village character with a 150-acre fairground.

The Champlain Valley Exposition hosts concerts for up to 10,000 people alongside its annual fair, consumer shows, and community events on 150 acres at the city's entrance. The Double E Performance Center books touring acts across rock, pop, country, and more in a dedicated concert room. Essex Cinemas & T-Rex Theater handle the movie side with a multi-screen complex nearby.

Five Corners gives you a walkable core of restaurants and shops radiating from that historic intersection, while the Indian Brook area to the east offers trails and green space. The city incorporated separately from the surrounding town of Essex and keeps a distinct small-city identity.

Tip: Check the Champlain Valley Exposition calendar year-round, not just fair season. The grounds host ticketed concerts and events well beyond the late-summer fair.

Neighborhoods: Five Corners • Village Center • Indian Brook