Fall Color 5K Run and Walk
Always double-check with the organizer's website! This page may contain affiliate links.
Fall Color 5K Run and Walk
The Fall Color 5K Run and Walk is part of The Morton Arboretum’s Fall Color Festival on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The event uses a USATF-certified 5K course (IL6002NM) that winds through the Arboretum’s wooded East Side, offering a tree-lined route through the grounds.
Registration for the in-person race includes free general admission to explore the Arboretum’s 1,700 acres of living collections and restored natural areas on race day. Commemorative race apparel is included with registration; participants may opt out of apparel to dedicate their registration cost to the Arboretum. A virtual participation option is available; virtual participants receive race packets and apparel by mail, a coupon for free general admission to complete the distance in the two weeks before the race, and have results recorded on the Arboretum’s RunSignUp platform.
Awards are presented to top overall male, female, and nonbinary finishers and to the top three male, female, and nonbinary finishers in age divisions ranging from 14 and under through 80 and up. Packet pickup is available at Dick Pond Athletics; gear check is provided on site. The event includes water stations at the start and two locations on course, recovery food at the finish, a postrace party with live music and food trucks, and an on-site shoe recycling program in partnership with Dick Pond Athletics and the Reuse-A-Shoe Program. Free on-site parking is available; parking areas may require a 15 to 20 minute walk to the start area. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
