MLK Day Drum Run - Birmingham

JAN

17

2026

Celebrate MLK Day with the Drum Run in Birmingham, offering 5K, 10K and a 1 mile fun run in person or virtual. Drumlines will line the course through the historic Civil Rights District as proceeds support local band programs.

Sat 17 Jan 2026

Birmingham, Alabama

Website Registration

10 kilometers 5 kilometers

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Event overview

The MLK Day Drum Run in Birmingham takes place on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at History Park, 1700 4th Ave North, in the Fourth Avenue Historic District of Birmingham, AL 35203. The event is presented by The Leftover Energy Foundation Inc. and will be held both in person and virtually. Distances offered include:

5K
10K
1 Mile Fun Run/Walk (Youth and Adult)

Course, timing and beneficiaries

The 5K and 10K courses are USATF certified (5K: AL24029JE; 10K: AL24030JE). The 5K and 10K are chip timed; the 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk is not timed. Drumlines from Birmingham area schools and organizations will perform along the race route and each drumline will receive a donation to its band booster association. The course passes through the Civil Rights District, the 4th Avenue Historic Business District, The Switch, The Park District, the Rotary Trail, Birmingham Green, the Automotive Historic District, Jones Valley Trail, and Avondale.

Registered participants receive a race goodie bag that includes the official MLK Day Drum Run shirt. Packet pick up is scheduled for Friday, January 16, 2026, at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. For team registrations, $5 from each team member’s registration is returned to the chosen team or beneficiary organization. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.