Limited to 500 runners
Philadelphia's Merriest Holiday 5K
Philly Christmas Run 5K
A festive holiday 5K through Philadelphia. Run, walk, or jog — all paces and the whole family are welcome.
Sat, December 12, 2026 8:30 AM Philadelphia, PA
Run as a Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, or Santa.
Limited to 2,000 runners — only 500 of each character. Secure your spot before they're gone.
One Philly. One Festive Morning.
A Christmas 5K that brings Philadelphia together
The Philly Christmas Run is a festive holiday 5K through Philadelphia, welcoming runners, walkers, joggers, and families of every pace. Whether you're chasing a personal best or strolling in your Santa hat with the kids, this Philadelphia holiday race is built to be the merriest morning of your December. Lace up, pick your character, and celebrate the season one festive mile at a time.
Choose Your Character
Pick your character. Wear your hat.
Four festive categories, four ways to run the Philly Christmas Run. Your character decides your hat and your bib — choose wisely!
Limited to 500 runners
Limited to 500 runners
Limited to 500 runners
Limited to 500 runnersEach character category is capped at 500 runners — only 2,000 spots total.
When they're gone, they're gone.
What You Get
What Every Runner Gets
Character Hat
A festive hat matching your category: Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, or Santa.
Character Bib
A custom race bib matching your category: Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, or Santa.
Finisher Medal
A commemorative Philly Christmas Run medal for every finisher.
Hot Chocolate at the Finish
Warm up with hot chocolate waiting for you at the finish line.
Register Now
All paces welcome. All ages. All holiday spirits.
Registration Pricing
Lock in the lowest price
Prices rise as race day approaches. Register early and save — spots are capped at 2,000 runners.
Awards
Top runners get celebrated
We'll award the top Male and Female finisher in each of the four character categories — Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, and Santa. That's 8 award winners total.
Category
Top Male
Top Female
Penguin
Polar Bear
Reindeer
Santa
Race Info
Everything you need to know
Date
Saturday, December 12, 2026
Mark your calendars
Start Time
8:30 AM
Arrive early for festive fun
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Course reveal coming soon
Packet / Bib Pickup
Details coming soon
Pickup times & location TBA
Format
Run / Walk / Jog
All paces welcome
Timing
Professionally chip-timed
Official results for every runner
Course Map
A festive 5K loop through Philadelphia
Course Map — coming soonRace Day Schedule
How the morning unfolds
7:30 AM
Runners Arrive
Holiday music, festive village vibes, and photos with the characters.
8:15 AM
Pre-Race Announcements
Gather at the start line for a warm holiday welcome.
8:30 AM
5K Start
Let's go, Philly! Penguins, Polar Bears, Reindeer, and Santas, away!
9:00 AM
Finishers + Hot Chocolate + Awards
Celebrate at the finish with hot chocolate, medals, and the awards ceremony.
Why Run
Why run the Philly Christmas Run
Philadelphia Holiday Tradition
A festive 5K that brings the city together for the holidays — one of the merriest Philly runs of the season.
All Paces Welcome
Run, walk, or jog. First-timers, families, and seasoned Philadelphia runners all belong here.
Professionally Timed
Official chip timing and results so every finisher gets their time. A collaboration between Run The Day and Blue Cheetah — the teams behind Philly Shamrock Run, Ring It On 5K, and many more great races.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The Philly Christmas Run is a festive holiday 5K in Philadelphia. Choose one of four character categories — Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, or Santa — and run, walk, or jog your way through the city in true holiday spirit.
The race takes place on Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 8:30 AM in Philadelphia, PA. The exact course will be revealed soon — check back for the course reveal.
When you join, you pick one of four characters: Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, or Santa. Your character determines the festive hat and custom race bib you receive — and which category you compete in for awards.
Yes! Each of the four character categories is capped at 500 runners, for a total of just 2,000 spots. When a category fills up, it is gone.
Every runner gets a character hat and a matching character bib (Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, or Santa), a commemorative finisher medal, and hot chocolate waiting at the finish line.
We award the top Male and top Female finisher in each of the four character categories — Penguin, Polar Bear, Reindeer, and Santa — for 8 award winners total.
Not at all. The Philly Christmas Run welcomes every pace. Run for a personal best or stroll the course in your holiday best — all are celebrated.
Absolutely. Walkers, joggers, kids, and families are all welcome. It is a holiday morning meant to be shared.
Yes, the 5K is professionally chip-timed, and every finisher receives official results.
Registration is open now! Prices increase as race day approaches, so register early to lock in the lowest rate — spots are capped at 2,000 runners.
Accessibility & Accommodations
The Philly Christmas Run welcomes participants with disabilities and is committed to offering reasonable accommodations, including accessible routes, ADA-compliant restrooms, accessible packet pickup, guide runners, and a warm welcome for service animals. Need something to make race day work for you? Contact us to request an accommodation and we'll do our best to help.