You might have seen us running around, singing inappropriate songs, or making mysterious flour symbols in your local woods.
Behind all this madness is actually a very old tradition going back to the 1930s. There are thousands of hashing groups all over the world and each one is a little different. For Burlington, it's like a scavenger hunt, but for beer!
Every Wednesday in the warm season, 1 or 2 people (the "Hares") plan a 2-5 mile trail somewhere around the Burlington area. Might be downtown, might be on a mountain, it's all up to the hares to decide.
They head out ahead of everyone else (the "Hounds") stocked with flour and beer. Along the way, the hares lay flour marks on the ground which tell the pack where to go. Sometimes those marks might have everyone stop to sing a song or tell a (hopefully funny) joke. Most trails have 2 extra long stops where the pack catches up and grabs some beer. Below are some of the marks you might encounter. Don't worry about memorizing them though - we always explain them at the start!
At the end, everyone circles up to enjoy a drink and laugh about all the stupid shenanigans that happened on trail.
Our community is very welcoming and inclusive. You do not need to run and we never leave anyone behind. Walkers catch up with the group during song and joke stops.
While it's true we do ♥️ beer, drinking is not required at all. What makes hashing really fun is the adventure and camaraderie!
Can't make Wednesday nights? Come join Von Tramp Hash House Harriers on Saturday afternoons instead!