2 road events in Charlotte, North Carolina

Friday, April 17 & Saturday, April 18

Run with the Dogwoods

Charlotte Racefest is celebrating its 25th anniversary as the premier spring half marathon welcoming thousands to the streets of Charlotte through multiple distances. From a Half Marathon to a 10K to a Mile to a Kid’s Dash, this festival of running has something for every runner to celebrate. We are proud to work hand and hand with communities that surround SouthPark Mall to raise money for Go Jen Go, our beneficiary helping navigate breast cancer.

In 2026, Crown Collective, the team that brings you events like Around the Crown 10K, Forward Motion, and NoDa 5K has taken the reigns on the legacy of Charlotte Racefest. We're keeping a lot of the pieces that you know and love, but we're also putting our own charm on it.

Updated Course: The start/finish line will now be in the parking lot by Symphony Park and the first and last 2 miles will be on Sharon Road and Carnegie Boulevard. This will help with corralling and growth as the years tick on.

Rebrand: We're excited to honor the 25th running of Charlotte Racefest with an updated brand to highlight the pop of Spring we get to experience here in the Southeast through the colors and font you'll see throughout the brand.

Pillars: The core tenants you've come to expect at Crown Collective events will be brought to the marketing and start line of Racefest. We'll be bringing an emphasis of sustainability, inclusivity, and a pure love for Charlotte from here on out.

2026 Race Swag: At Crown Collective, we’re proud to continue to work with our partner in sustainability, Recover, for the 2026 shirt. On top of that, our newest partner, Badges and Medals, also has a focus on sustainability for your 2026 medal. In total, the shirt and medal helps remove 10 plastic bottles from the landfill and looks damn good while it does.

This year’s design speaks to the state flower of North Carolina, the flowering dogwood, which you’ll see along the brand new course. It's bold, yet clean, making it wearable way beyond race day with a subtle flex of your running status. This hand drawn rendition of our favorite flora on the back of shirt and front of the medal is where the design really comes to life.

Shirt Upgrade: Yep, we had to take it one step further. We’re excited to work with a new product from Recover, their custom long sleeve Sport Stretch. This new material is tech, but buttery soft - the perfect feel for those cooler mornings that like to stick around in the spring in the South.

The Brooks Mile: This corralled, family friendly race is made for those chasing sub 5 or sub 15 all kicking off at 7pm the night before the big day! That means we’re adding the opportunity to race Friday night as well as Saturday morning and kick off our distance challenges. Those running the mile will receive a technical Brooks tee or have the opportunity to upgrade to an elite Brooks tank!

Charlotte's only Uptown Twilight race IS BACK!!!

What Twilight 5K and Fun Run

Where First Ward Park

301 E 7th St. Charlotte, NC 28202

When April 24, 2026

5K - 6:30 PM

Fun Run - 6:35 PM

While running the Twilight 5K, enjoy 3.1 miles beginning at First Ward Park. Get ready to take on a fast flat towards the Elizabeth area and come back to a beautiful view of uptown as you climb 7th street. We are looking for runners, walkers and joggers of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels to join us for the 29th Annual Twilight 5K.

RUN FOR THEIR FUTURE

RMFY is a school-based, youth development and student support program focused on helping youth in middle and high school develop the skills to succeed.

Your participation in this race provides services to deserving young people in the community. Our partnerships with CMS and local law enforcement are unique, as we were co-founded by a CMPD officer. For more information about RMFY watch this short video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/655534817 .

Each year, RMFY reaches approximately 1000 students in grades 6-12 and helps students with educational attainment, social & emotional well-being, career development, and civic duty & leadership. RMFY is serving 19 middle and high school sites, as well as, online groups this school year.

Our mission is help students in grades 6-12 make the most out of their education, connections, and opportunities to set themselves up for future success. This year’s Twilight 5K race is special as we continue to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Right Moves For Youth! More information about our history watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9oD4sn7AF8.

For more information about Twilight 5K, watch this short video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/720091216

Become a Twilight 5K Sponsor and reach 1,000+ people in-person and 6,000+ through email marketing!

If you or someone you know are interested in sponsoring Twilight 5K, please contact April Harley, Director of Development, at [email protected].

Go the extra mile and become a fundraiser and/or volunteer!

As one of our annual fundraisers, the Twilight 5k is an integral part of our organization’s ability to meet the needs of students in Mecklenburg County.

Start your own fundraising page through the race website and begin to make a difference. You do not have to be a runner or walker to start a fundraising page, too! Click REGISTER and select "Fundraise Only" to sign up. Through this process you will be able to set a fundraising goal, write your story and will receive a follow up email on how to customize and share your Fundraising Page.

Twilight 5K requires the generosity of more than 50 volunteers to make this event happen. Volunteer information can be found here!

More questions? We can help you.

Email us at [email protected]

Every dollar counts to show that every student counts.

Each runner will receive a race shirt and a medal for participating.

Disclaimer: Medals and shirt sizes are first-come, first-served. We will do our best to provide you with the size you request. Please indicate the correct size on your registration. You must register by April 20 in order to receive a race t-shirt (adult and youth).