Sparkman Park Polar Plunge
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Sparkman Park Polar Plunge 5K
The Sparkman Park Polar Plunge is an inaugural community running event held in Hartselle, Alabama on January 2, 2027. Participants complete a professionally RFID timed 5K course around Sparkman Park with the start and finish adjacent to the Sparkman Center Pool. After the run there is an optional Polar Plunge into the Sparkman Park Pool; the plunge is not required and it is not a timed or competitive element.
Registration opens November 5, 2026 and closes December 1, 2026. The listed registration fee is $35.00. Early packet pickup will be available at the Sparkman Civic Center; specific pickup details will be provided closer to race day. Race registration does not include a shirt; the event offers a beanie, a commemorative towel, and a one-day summer pool pass as part of the participant package.
Awards are given to the top overall female and male finishers and to the top three female and male finishers in each 15-year age group. Age groups are 0-14, 15-29, 30-44, 45-59, and 60+. The course is not USATF certified and includes some small hills with grades around 5 to 8 percent.
Nearby parking is available at no cost. Well-socialized leashed dogs and strollers are permitted toward the back of the pack. Only runners, walkers, baby strollers/joggers, restrained pets, and wheelchairs are allowed on course; other wheeled devices are not permitted. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
