5k Runs in Northern Ireland 2026-2027
Get new running races (and updates) in your inbox every month.
Northern Ireland's 5k runs on one calendar: 20 5K races in 2026 and 2027, from Belfast to the Causeway Coast, with dates, venues and entry links. The 5K is how most people in Northern Ireland get their first race number, often through a club's beginners' group or a charity entry. Belfast has 5Ks around the Titanic Quarter, on the Lagan towpath and in the grounds of Stormont, the coastal towns of Bangor, Portrush and Newcastle race along their promenades, and the smaller towns run a 5K beside their 10K on the same evening. Race for Life fills the Stormont Estate each May, and December brings Santa runs from Enniskillen to the north coast.
5k runs by city
Choose your town: Belfast, Derry-Londonderry, Lisburn, Newry, Bangor, Armagh, Coleraine and Enniskillen.
What to expect from a Northern Irish 5k
Small fields, a quick turnaround and a sociable finish are the rule, and entry fees rarely climb far. Most races are organised by Athletics NI clubs, so a measured course and chip timing are common even at local level, and the flat riverside routes along the Lagan and the Foyle are where the quick times get run. Summer evening 5Ks between May and August are the heart of the season, with the fancy-dress Christmas races closing the year. Families are well catered for, as the 5K is usually the distance with the youngest permitted entrants, and junior fun runs of a mile or so often go first. To include a 3K or a 6K in your search, widen the distance slider at the top of the page.
Other distances in Northern Ireland
The 10k runs calendar for Northern Ireland is the next rung up, and the full running calendar covers every distance here, with the half marathon calendar, the marathon calendar and the trail running calendar to hand. Across the water, the UK-wide 5k runs calendar covers the rest of the UK region by region.
Get new running races (and updates) in your inbox every month.