Esplanade 5k Run & Walk
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Fall Fest: Run & Walk for the Esplanade
Fall Fest: Run & Walk for the Esplanade takes place on October 25, 2026 at Fiedler Field on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston, MA. The event combines a timed road race, a community walk, and a pet parade as part of a daytime festival.
Distances and event types:
- 5K Esplanade 5K Run
- 1.5 miles Esplanade 1.5 Mile Walk
- Paws & Pumpkins Parade (no distance listed)
The Esplanade 5K is professionally timed; runners receive a chipped bib and are eligible for individual and team prizes and age-group awards. Award categories include overall male, female, and non-binary winners, multiple age brackets, costume and fundraising awards, and team awards for size, costume, and fundraising.
The 1.5 mile Walk encourages teams and permits strollers and leashed dogs; dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet, be well behaved and vaccinated, and owners must carry waste bags. Dogs and strollers are not permitted in the 5K Run.
The Paws & Pumpkins Parade is free to participate with a suggested $15 donation and features costume awards for most creative, scariest, funniest, and best dog/owner duo.
Accessibility notes mention an accessible park entry point at the Frances Appleton Pedestrian Bridge, uneven cobblestone footbridges on the route, accessible gender-neutral portable restrooms, and a recommended rideshare drop-off near 170 Charles Street. A free beginner 5K training program runs in the weeks before the event, meeting at the Arthur Fiedler statue near Night Shift. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
