BURLINGTON — The Burlington Liars' Club announced its winning tall tale for 2025, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1929 when a group of people started swapping stories at the local police station.
What began as informal storytelling and a joke became an official contest after a local reporter wrote about the group, calling them liars competing for the championship of the city. The Associated Press picked up the story, generating nationwide curiosity about the unofficial contest and prompting it to become more organized.
"The City of Burlington has had this very unique tradition," said M.T. Boyle from Experience Burlington. "This is something that has just persisted through the years."
People from across the country submit lies every year to the Liars' Club. Three judges sort through the submissions and select a winner, which is announced on the last day of each year.
This year's winning lie came from Regan Buchholz of Bonduel: "My parents were so poor that they had to bury grandfather naked just so that my dad had a suit to wear to the funeral."
Several entries received honorable mentions.
Watch: Burlington community celebrates longstanding New Year's Eve Liars' Club tradition
One from Dale Wheelock of Delavan read, "I have to stop sending my lies to the Burlington Liars' Club. I already have two pants on fire."
Another from Sandy Wagner of Burlington read, "The intense heat from the less filtered sun has been playing havoc with my garden. This year I have fried green tomatoes on the vine."
Wagner is a granddaughter of Huber "Pink" Schenning, one of the Liars' Club's founders. Her sister, Sherry, is also a part of the selection team, carrying on the family legacy.
The tradition has persisted through the decades, with Boyle noting that Burlington has maintained this unique custom that brings together storytellers from around the nation.
"I think anyone can lie, right?" she said regarding the inclusive nature of the contest.
Winning lies from previous years can be found on plaques throughout Burlington as a part of the Tall Tales Walking Tour. A map and guide can be found online.
Anyone is welcome to submit a lie each year. They can be mailed to Burlington Liars’ Club, P.O. Box 156, Burlington, WI 53105, or sent via email to championlies@gmail.com, with your name and address.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
