Town of Bristol

About Us

The Town of Bristol, Vermont, is a vibrant and dynamic community nestled at the foot of the Green Mountains. Bordered by the New Haven River, Green Mountain National Forest, and Champlain Valley’s farms and fields, Bristol is just minutes (sometimes mere steps) from surrounding four-season outdoor recreation opportunities, such as hiking, biking, fishing, and kayaking.

Main Street is lined with friendly shops that satisfy every interest: from gifts to furniture and home accessories, Vermont arts & crafts to books and music, clothing to flowers to yarn and yoga! Restaurants offer everything from pizza to seared duck, breakfast muffins to pop-up gourmet dinners, and local beverages from coffee to kombucha to small-batch brews and wines. The downtown block also hosts a summer music festival and street fair, and a winter celebration of fire and light.

Bristol has a compact and pedestrian-friendly village that retains its historic charm. Recycling is picked up by horse and wagon, and the summer Town Band Concerts on the centrally located village green are a weekly tradition since the Civil War. The green is also home to an ADA-compliant natural playground and a variety of community events throughout the year, including “drive-in” movies, the annual July 4th celebration with the Great Bristol Outhouse Race, and a Harvest Festival, theater performances, and cookouts.