Ben Harper, Michael Franti, theater

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated the status of the Jazz at the Lantern series.

October is when gaggles of tourists descend on Vermont to gawk at our lovely maple trees as the leaves transition from green to red, gold and orange and then, eventually, forest mulch.

Yes, those leaves are super-gorgeous this time of year. They’re art in their own right. But there’s a whole bunch of other art to be seen (and heard) in Vermont during the first full month of fall.

October is perennially a busy time on the local arts-and-entertainment scene. (And that’s not even including Halloween events, which you’ll find soon in a separate Free Press article.) Do you want music? Theater? Visual art? Poetry readings? All of the above? Then go ahead and read about all of the arts events listed below.

‘Murder’ in Essex

Through Oct. 8, the Essex Community Players continues its run of “Murder in the Studio,” a trio of one-act radio plays by Agatha Christie, Memorial Hall, Essex. $14-$16. www.essexcommunityplayers.com

‘Ghosts’ appears in Vergennes

Through Oct. 31, an exhibit by Connecticut artist Chelsea Granger that opened Sept. 22 and is titled “The Future Belongs to Ghosts,” remains on display, Northern Daughters Fine Art Gallery, Vergennes. Free. www.northerndaughters.com