BTown Brief
City hub All Day
Read the Brief
Sunset over Burlington Harbor

Burlington, Vermont

Everything I madefor Burlington

The weather

Burlington Harbor · Photograph by Steve Davis

A newsletter that got out of hand: an arcade, a live city guide, and a pile of free things for the people who live here. Everything in one place. Start anywhere.

The Festival of Fools banner over Church Street at night, shops lit behind it

Things to do

206+ ideas

the local's list

 The Top 100the definitive things to do, ranked
Sun through a break in storm clouds over Lake Champlain

Right now

—

full forecast

 Nachos and fried chicken on a window table, Church Street at sunset outside

Open right now

— places

Live hours, patios, late-night kitchens

 A crowd under the string lights on Church Street

Tonight

— events

pulled from 26 sources

 People on the waterfront docks watching the sun set over Lake Champlain, a sailboat in the harbor

Sunset

—

scored forecast · where to watch

What are you
here for?

I want something to do.

Burlington Daysa day somebody already had, rebuilt for yours What Nowone good answer, then put the phone down Events26 sources · one calendar SportsUVM, the high school, and tonight’s games Things To Do206+ · the local's list Lake & Beachesswim statuses · every beach

I'm hungry.

Open Right Nowlive hours for 281 places Food & Drink Dealshappy hours, specials Small Bitesevery menu near Church Street Openings & Closingsevery entry sourced

What's it like out?

Burlington Weather & Lakewith Steve's read Tonight's Sunsetscored forecast Lake & Beachesswim statuses

What's the news?

The BriefMon & Fri · read the newsletter Burlington Pulseevery 20 min · local + national wire Since You Checkedwhat changed since your last visit Civic Meetingsagendas, packets, video News Quizdid you actually read this week's Brief? The Archivesfind the story you half-remember

What am I checking every day?

All Daythe wire, Reddit, video, podcasts, photos — the whole daily loop, one app The BriefMon & Fri — Burlington in five minutes, free

Got two more minutes?

The arcadea daily game or two Lake Breaththe 8:02 · two minutes with the lake

I'm looking for my people.

The MeetupBtown Brief IRL · 600+ members Up For Itsay what you'd go to — five taps and a host picks it up Who's Playingfind a partner — tennis, pickleball, pickup Common Groundprivate pilot — short text chats, local icebreakers, and neighbors to talk to again Community Chatthe Telegram group Clubs & Groupsrun clubs, board games, book clubs

I want to play something.

On your phone

The arcadefree, no accounts Leaderboardsreset monthly · champions in the Brief Maple Scramblesixteen tiles, one sprint a day Church Street Skatereal downtown Burlington, in 3D

Out in the real world

Who's Playingfind a partner — tennis, pickleball, a run Dibsclaim a block of the real city Btown Challengeseat it, climb it, streak it — then prove it

We're hanging out — give us a game.

Table Talkprop a phone up at the table Stay Awhilespin, land, ask Maples to MaplesParty Mode — 3–4 phones, live Btown Partya whole room, one code

I'm new here — or my visitors are.

Burlington Dayshand them a whole day, planned The Walking Tour14 stops · about 90 minutes Btown Out Loud49 stories · earbuds in, walk Burlington, Brieflya five-minute read Vermont Hobbies39 on-ramps

I need a job, an apartment — or a plumber.

Jobs This Week13 boards, one list Find an Apartmentevery property manager's email Best of r/burlington232 answers — mechanics, plumbers, barbers, straight to the threads Community Chatask a local right now

It's evening. Wind me down.

Lake Breaththe 8:02 · two minutes with the lake BTown TVnightly · one curated page of video Pulse LIVEheadlines rolling on their own — lean back r/GoodBurlingtonthe good-news corner

I want to pitch in.

Buy me a coffeethe donation link — keeps all of this free Volunteerhelp this week, sized to your time Local Projectsother people's Burlington things Community Photossend one, it may run Community Playlistshare a song Caption Thisthe weekly caption contest — swipe or write

[3] A personal shortlist

A few of my favorites

Seven. The ones I'd actually send you first — everything else is on the shelves below.

[4] The complete collection

Everything I made

81 pages and games, by shelf. If it isn't in a question above, it's here.

Right now

11
What NowThe anti-feed: one good answer, then put the phone down. Open Right NowLive hours for 281 places — patios, late-night kitchens. Events26 sources, one calendar — tonight, the weekend, beyond. SportsUVM, the high school and the local clubs — every game, and where to watch. Burlington Weather & LakeConditions, lake temps, can-I-swim — and Steve's read. Food & Drink DealsHappy hours, specials, the cheap-night standbys. Small BitesEvery menu near Church Street, one filterable list. Openings & ClosingsWhat just opened, what's gone — every entry sourced. Since You CheckedWhat changed since your last look: beaches, roads, agendas. Burlington PulseLocal headlines next to the national wire — and LIVE. All DayThe wire, Reddit, video, every local podcast — nine feeds, one app.

Evening

4
Tonight's SunsetA scored forecast, and where to watch it from. BTown TVOne curated page of video, nightly. Pulse LIVEHeadlines rolling on their own — the lean-back board. Lake BreathTwo minutes with the lake — the 8:02, together.

Go and do

7
Things To Do206+ — breweries, beaches, trails, the definitive top 100. Burlington DaysTake a day somebody already had — rebuilt for your date, hours and weather checked. Btown Out LoudEarbuds in — 49 stories the city tells you when you arrive. The Walking Tour1.7 miles, 14 stops, the history woven in. Lake & BeachesEvery swim spot, plus a 23-stop shore hunt. Vermont Hobbies39 on-ramps to what this place is built for. Btown ChallengesReal Burlington challenges — eat it, climb it, streak it. 🔷Dibs920 blocks. Stand in one, tap, it's yours.

At the table

5
🧠Heads Up, Btown!Easygoing charades: 36 general decks, 8 larger local collections, teams, and 36 challenge levels. 🎡Stay Awhile273 questions worth staying at the table for. ☕Table TalkProp a phone up — same card on every phone. 🎪Btown PartyA whole room, one code — reveals land on the big screen. 🗳️Maples to Maples (Apples to Apples)One prompt, your best answer, the town votes weekly.

People

10
Common GroundPrivate pilot: three-minute text chats with Burlington neighbors, mutual connections, and themed gatherings. Voice and video still need setup. The MeetupBtown Brief IRL — showing up alone is normal here. Who's PlayingFind a partner, or the standing pickup game. Up For ItSay what you'd go to — five taps and a host picks it up. Community ChatThe Telegram group — there when you need it. Clubs & GroupsRun clubs, board games, book clubs, pickup. Community PhotosSend one in — it may run in the Brief. Community PlaylistShare a song, find Vermont artists. Local ProjectsOther people's Burlington things. Add yours. Caption ThisThe weekly caption contest — swipe or write.

Live here

7
Jobs This Week13 boards, one list — Mon · Wed · Fri. Find an ApartmentEvery property manager, contacts included. Civic MeetingsEvery public meeting — agendas, packets, video. Best of r/burlington232 settled arguments, linked to the threads. VolunteerHelp this week, sized to the time you've got. The Gift GuideEvery gift from a local shop or maker. 👕MerchBurlington shirts — the entire marketing budget.

Reading

5
The BriefThe newsletter itself — Mondays & Fridays, free. The ArchivesEvery issue ever written, searchable. Burlington, BrieflyThe city's whole story in five minutes. r/GoodBurlingtonThe good-news corner of Burlington Reddit. About MeIt really is just one guy. And the dog.

Daily puzzles

9
🟩BTown WordleA Burlington word every midnight. 🔠Maple Scramble16 tiles, one sprint, the same board for the whole town. 📍Where in BTown? (GeoGuessr)One photo, one guess, 74 spots. 🪜Trivia LadderOne wrong rung and you fall. 🗞️News QuizDid you actually read this week's Brief? 📰Real or FakeReal headline, or did we make it up? ⏳Earlier or LaterWhich moment in Burlington history came first? 📊Higher or LowerOne stat, then another — keep the streak. 🔢Rank What You KnowPut Burlington things in order. It isn't easy.

Arcade

9
🏃Church Street RunnersDodge dogs, grab creemees, down the Marketplace. 🗄️FILED!Survive the World's Tallest Filing Cabinet. 🐉Flappy ChampFlap Champ through the schooner sails. 🐦Champlain GliderRide the sunset across Vermont, outrun the night. 🍁Tap the Maple (Knife Hit)Tap taps into the maple — don't hit the taps. 🍦Creemee DropStack Vermont soft-serve to the sky. 🕳️Pothole PatrolPatch the streets before mud season wins. ☃️Snowball SlingerSling snowballs at squirrel forts in 3D. 🛹Church Street SkateSkate real downtown Burlington in 3D.

Board & card

14
🚣Four in a Rowboat (Connect 4)Line up four across the lake. ♛Queen City ChessPass the phone, or race a friend. 🔴Church Street CheckersOn the Marketplace bricks. No mercy. ⛵Battle on the Lake (Battleship)Hide your fleet on Champlain, sink theirs. 🃏Crazy Eights (Uno)Eights are wild on the Burlington deck. 👑Kings CornerShed your hand around City Hall Park. 🏔️Btown CribbageThe app does all the counting. 🌰Maple MancalaSow maple candies, capture the sweet side. 🁵Front Porch DominoesFirst to 100 wins the porch. ⭐North Star Hop (Chinese Checkers)Hop marbles under the northern lights. 🌳Sugarbush Squares (Dots & Boxes)Close a box, plant a maple, go again. 🍂Peak Foliage (Othello)Flip the forest green or red. 🔡Btown CrossingsOur own word-tile board — Church St doubles your word. 🏆The Leaderboards →Every game's best scores — reset monthly, champions in the Brief.
Weather & the Lakelive conditions, lake temp, can-I-swim

[5] The newsletter

Get the Brief, free.

All of this exists because of one twice-weekly newsletter. 3,000+ neighbors · 7 in 10 open every issue · Mondays & Fridays.