Burlington on Memorial Day weekend becomes a running town for a day, and the Vermont City Marathon makes the most of it. You'll start and finish in Waterfront Park, on the shore of Lake Champlain, and run a two-loop course that threads the Church Street Marketplace, four city parks and about ten miles of bike path with the Adirondacks across the water. The crowds are part of the deal: Taiko drummers, neighborhood cheering sections and a downhill run past Union Station into a tree-lined finish. The 2027 course is new, trimming an Amtrak crossing, and it meets Boston's updated elevation standard. With roughly 855 feet of gain and nearly 14 percent of 2026 finishers hitting a BQ, this is a fair, fast late-spring race. Register early; pricing rises after December 31, and there's now a solo half if friends want to join you.
A new-for-2027 two-loop course starting and finishing in Waterfront Park, running through the Church Street Marketplace, four city parks and about ten miles of lakeside bike path, with a downhill approach past Union Station to the finish. Course map ↗
Already open for 2027 as of 2026-10-13; exact opening date not found. Early-bird pricing through Dec 31, 2026 at 11:59pm EST: Marathon $145 (regular $220), Half $130 ($205), 2-Person Relay $185 ($290), 3-5 Person Relay $240 ($345). RunVermont charges no transaction fees. Marathon open to ages 16+. Register ↗
- First held May 28, 1989, drawing 414 marathoners and 125 five-person relay teams; it was the first US marathon to run a relay alongside the full as a regular part of the event. ↗
- The 2027 race uses a new two-loop course that eliminates the at-grade Amtrak crossing and meets the 2027 Boston Marathon qualifying standards for elevation drop. ↗
- The event draws more than 5,000 participants, 20,000 spectators and 800 volunteers, making it the third largest marathon in New England and Vermont's largest single-day sporting event. ↗
- 1,472 runners finished the 2026 marathon and 13.9 percent ran Boston-qualifying times on a course with about 855 feet of gain. ↗
- New for 2027 is a solo half marathon; early-bird marathon entry is $145 through December 31, 2026, then $220. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.