The Spring Chickens

The Spring Chickens are a volcanic old time stringband based in Vermont. They play hard-driving traditional Appalachian tunes that’ll make you want to hop up and dance!

Jenny Monfore’s go-get-em fiddling and banjo style come from years of traveling around the US playing at regional gatherings and jamming with local musicians. Chris Hollis’ rhythm guitar lays down a solid foundation for the Chickens’ dynamic groove. Their music is a great fit for weddings, dances, local venues and events.

The Spring Chickens have played for dances across the country and ventured to well-known old time festivals including Clifftop, Mt. Airy, Fiddle Tunes, the Portland Old Time Gathering, the Alaska Folk Fest, Black Pot Camp, and many smaller regional gatherings.

Jenny is in several other great old time stringband collabs: Thunder Dog with Tyson Graham and The Old Reliables with Larry Unger!

Lessons

Jenny teaches private old time fiddle and beginner clawhammer banjo lessons in Montpelier, VT, and group workshops at small festivals.

Booking

If you’re interested in booking our band or scheduling a lesson, please get in touch!

Shows

2026

Jan 24: Contra dance @ University of Vermont’s Mann Hall (Spring Chickens + Tyson Graham). Burlington, VT. 6:45-9:30 pm

Feb 28: Two Heroes Brewery. South Hero, VT. 6-8 pm

April 5 (Easter): Lawson’s Brewery. Waitsfield, VT. 3-5 pm

April 12: Palmer’s Sugarhouse. Hinesburg, VT. 12-4 pm

April 16: Portland, Maine contra dance (Jenny, Larry Unger, Emily Troll). Portland, ME. 7-10 pm

April 18: Topsham, Maine contra dance (Jenny, Larry Unger, Emily Troll). Topsham, ME. 8-11 pm

April 23: Somerville square dance (Thunder Dog: Jenny, Tyson Graham, Adam Nutbey, Danny Birnbaum, Joel Wennerstrom). Sommerville, MA. 7-10 pm

May (date TBD): Walker Farm Plant Sale (Thunder Dog: Jenny + Tyson) East Dummerston, VT

May 29-31: Cabot Old Time Workshop Weekend. Jenny teaching. Cabot, VT

Aug 22: Crossmolina Farm pizza night (Thunder Dog: Jenny + Tyson). Corinth, VT

Aug 28: Queen City Contra dance. Shelburne, VT. 7-10 pm

Date TBD: Fried Chicken Dinner @ Maple Wind Farm. Richmond, VT

Oct 8: Portland, Maine contra dance (Spring Chickens + Tyson). Portland, ME. 7-10 pm

Oct 10: Surry, Maine contra dance (Spring Chickens + Tyson). Surry, ME. 7-10 pm

Oct 30: Ithaca square dance (Spring Chickens + Tyson) @ Stone Bend Farm. Ithaca, New York. 7 pm

2025

May 9: Pointe Noir Cajun Band (Chris) + Jenny calling square dance @ Hardwick American Legion Hardwick, VT. 7:30-11 pm

May 10: Woodbelly Pizza grand re-opening. Montpelier, VT. 5-7 pm

May 11: Mother’s Day tunes @ Silloway Maple Sugarhouse. Randolph, VT. 12-3 pm

May 17: Walker Farm plant sale (Dummerston, VT). 12-2 pm

May 30-June 1: Pointe Noir Cajun Band (Chris) + Jenny teaches workshops @ Old Time Workshop Weekend (Cabot, VT)

June 7: Private wedding. Greensboro, VT

June 12: Woodbelly Pizza. Montpelier, VT. 5:30-7:30 pm

June 14: Private birthday party. Guildhall, VT

June 15: Midcoast Maine community square dance party (Jenny + friends). Montville, Maine. 4-6 pm

June 21: Crossmolina Farm pizza night. Corinth, VT. 6-8 pm

June 22: Flying Dog Farm burger night. Tunbridge, VT. 4-7 pm

July 18-20: Old Time on the Onion festival (Jenny teaches a workshop). Cabot, VT

July 23: Two Heroes Brewery. South Hero, VT. 6-8 pm

July 24: Pointe Noir Cajun Band (Chris) @ Waterbury bandstand. Waterbury, VT. 6-8:30 pm

July 25: Pointe Noir Cajun Band (Chris) @ Camp Meade. Middlesex, VT

July 26-Aug 1: CLIFFTOP!! West Virginia

Aug 7: Skinny Pancake. Montpelier, VT. 6-8 pm

Aug 15: Square dance (Jenny + Ithaca folks) @ Stone Bend Farm. Ithaca, New York. 7 pm

Aug 22: Lunchtime concert in the park @ Burlington City Arts. Burlington, VT. 12:30-1:30 pm

Aug 22: Chicken dinner @ Maple Wind Farm. Richmond, VT. 5-7 pm

Aug 23: Benefit dinner @ Salvation Farms (Jenny + Tyson Graham from Boston). Wolcott, VT. 6-7:30 pm

Aug 23: Pointe Noir Cajun Band (Chris) @ Barnard Street Dance. Barnard, VT

Aug 29: Private wedding. Grand Isle, VT

Sept 15: Monday night square dance (Jenny + midwestern friends) @ Eagles Club. Minneapolis, MN. 7-10 pm

Sept 27: Shelburne Orchards. Shelburne, VT. 3-5 pm

Sept 28: Bluegrass Brunch. Braintree, VT. 12 pm

Oct 4: Champlain Orchards. Shoreham, VT. 1-4 pm

Oct 13-25:

Oct 31: Two Heroes Brewery (Spring Chickens + Tyson Graham). South Hero, VT. 6:30-8:30 pm

Nov 18: Square dance (Jenny + Larry Unger and friends). Sommerville, Massachusetts. 7-10 pm

Nov 28: Queen City Contra dance. Shelburne, VT. 7-10 pm

"Jenny & Chris, aka the Spring Chickens, are first and foremost, amazingly talented musicians. We booked the Spring Chickens to add some live music to our fall of 2024 wedding celebration and we couldn’t be more pleased with that decision. They were prompt, professional, and flexible throughout our planning process and the folk tunes they played throughout the evening were a major highlight for us and our guests. We wouldn’t hesitate to book them again for a party or celebration to help create the perfect Vermont folk music vibes!”

-James & Cassandra