This race will be capped at 350 runners and has sold out every year!
Join us for the Holiday 5K at Old Fort Niagara, a beautiful and scenic 5K run. Soldiers will fire their muskets at 11:00am sharp to signal the start of the race which will take place entirely within Fort Niagara State Park. The course is USATF certified and will feature amazing views of Fort Niagara State Park; the Lower Niagara River; Lake Ontario; Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada; Historic Old Fort Niagara, and the Toronto skyline!
The race will start and finish inside Fort Niagara State Park. The finish line will be located adjacent to the historic cemetery near the lighthouse next to Historic Old Fort Niagara and holiday music will sound throughout the finish line area throughout the race!
After the race, all participants are invited to join the post race celebration and awards ceremony under our heated tent across from the Officer’s Club. Runners will enjoy a delicious homemade bowl of potato soup, veggie wrap, and pasta salad prepared by the Rickard family (subject to change). Registered participants are welcome to bring adult beverages to the celebration for personal consumption (Note: you must me 21 or older to consume alcohol).
All participants will be guaranteed to receive a beautiful custom finisher medal to commemorate your race at Old Fort Niagara! The 2018 medal featured the gatehouse entrance, another great historic building at Old Fort Niagara. Wear them proudly on race day and then hang them on your Christmas tree and remember the event for years to come!
AGE GROUPS & AWARDS
First place overall male & female winners will each receive a handmade beer tote trophy, and beautiful hand-crafted custom finisher medals will be provided to all participants! Age group awards (decals that can be affixed to the back of your finisher medal) will be awarded to the top three male and female runners in each of the following age groups: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69. 70-74, 75-79, 80 and older.
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Best Way to Start the Holidays
This was the third Annual Holiday 5K at Old Fort Niagara. It is a beautiful and scenic 5K run/walk, not for the weak at heart, which takes place entirely within … MORE
This was the third Annual Holiday 5K at Old Fort Niagara.
It is a beautiful and scenic 5K run/walk, not for the weak at heart, which takes place entirely within Fort Niagara State Park. The course is USATF-certified and features amazing views of Fort Niagara State Park; the Lower Niagara River; Lake Ontario; Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada; Historic Old Fort Niagara, and the Toronto skyline.
This race draws a loyal and cheerful crowd to a mostly flat-paved course that weaves not through the historic colonial fort, but through the remains of the former Army post that was active into the 70s, and once hosted German prisoners of war.
There’s lots of mostly preserved historic architecture on that section open to the public, awesome scenery, and lots of volunteers who direct and cheer on the walkers and racers. It is worth the experience.
Previous Holiday 5Ks were completed in cold, windy, snow storms. However, the 2018 race, the weekend before Christmas, was just blustery and overcast, which just seemed to add to a very pleasant experience.
There is a post-race celebration, featuring warm food and heated tents for those not wanting to brave the cold. While there are awards for the top in the various categories and raffle prizes, what makes the race truly special is a special medal and bib unique to the fort for all finishers, and opportunities to tour the historic site.
I was a first-time participant, walking with my wife in what was officially her second 5K. While others were dressed with the intent to expedite the course, we chose an aggressive walk to experience the fort where my wife’s step-father first reported and trained during World War II. His tour of duty, that began in the same wooden huts we passed, ultimately involved the first wave of D-Day and what he used to say, walking to Germany.
We, as a couple, now look forward to returning and striving for our own personal bests.