Fall Color 5K Run and Walk
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The Fall Color 5K Run and Walk
The Fall Color 5K Run and Walk takes place at The Morton Arboretum on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The event uses a USATF-certified 5K course (IL6002NM) that winds through the Arboretum’s wooded East Side.
Registration for the in-person race includes general admission to the Arboretum on the event day to explore 1,700 acres of tree and plant collections and restored natural areas. Commemorative race apparel is included with registration; participants may opt out to direct their registration cost as a donation. Early, regular, race day, and member pricing tiers are listed for both in-person and virtual participation, and registration is completed online through RunSignUp.
A virtual participation option is available; virtual participants receive mailed race packets and apparel free of charge, a coupon for Arboretum admission to complete the distance in the two weeks preceding the event, and their results recorded on the Arboretum’s RunSignUp platform. Race packets for in-person participants can be picked up at Dick Pond Athletics in Lisle.
On-site services and rules include free parking, free gear check, portable and indoor restrooms, water stations at the start and at two points on course, recovery food at the finish, and a shoe recycling collection in partnership with Dick Pond Athletics and the Reuse-A-Shoe Program. The course prohibits motorized vehicles, bicycles, roller skates, and pets. A postrace party is scheduled with live music, food trucks, and a complimentary alcoholic beverage for attendees. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
