Newport Spirit Run
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Newport Spirit Run
Newport Spirit Run is a community running festival held on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina in Newport Beach, California. The event is organised by Newport Mesa Spirit Run, Inc. and includes a Youth & Fitness Expo located inside the resort near the beach.
The event returns a half marathon course that traverses Upper Newport Bay for the first time in more than 20 years, and continues the festival's long history as a community running event. Each registrant receives a shirt and a custom medal. 5K and half marathon registrants receive a reusable hydration container to use at cup-less water stations on course.
Race distances and categories include:
- Half Marathon (age 18 and older)
- 5K Race and 5K Walk (ages 7 to 17, 18 and older)
- Mile events by finish time (ages 7 to 17, 18 and older)
- Combo (5K Race plus Mile) (ages 7 to 17, 18 and older)
- Kids Beach Dash (age 4 to 6)
- Toddler Trot (age 1 to 3)
The course runs along Upper Newport Bay and passes scenic wetlands, bluffs, restored habitats, the Back Bay Science Center, the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, and other shoreline viewpoints. The event lists Newport Bay Conservancy as a 2026 beneficiary and notes support for local schools, youth sports programs, and youth causes. Eco-friendly measures include no plastic bottles or gel wrappers on course or in the expo and cup-less water stations with exceptions for select competitors. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
