St. Charles 5K
- A St. Charles RunFest logoed Under Armour T-shirt ($30 value)
- A St. Charles Running Festival Finisher Medal
- A St. Charles Running Festival Bib
- Free Race Day Parking at Regency Furniture Stadium
- 3 Food Taste Tickets for the Taste of St. Charles
(includes 1 Beer for participants 21+) - Access to the UM Charles Regional Running Center Recovery Zone
- Support an amazing cause in Hospice of the Chesapeake.
- A Heck of a Good Time!
Registration
Online registration for the St. Charles Running Festival™ will close Sept 11, 2026 at 6:00 pm or earlier if the field is filled. In-Person Registration will be available at packet pick up if space remains. Please register early to take advantage of the best pricing and to avoid a sellout.
Once you have registered, please take the time to confirm the accuracy of the information. You may be able to look up and edit your information by following the instructions HERE. Many of your questions can be answered by visiting our FAQs page or within the Runner Information Packet that will be published just before race week.
Opportunities to Upgrade to a longer distance, downgrade to a shorter distance or defer your entry until 2027 are available with specific deadlines. Details and deadlines are available on our FAQs page.
NO MAILED, FAXED OR EMAILED ENTRIES | NO REFUNDS | NO RACE TRANSFERS
Charity Partner
The 2026 St. Charles Running Festival has partnered with Hospice of the Chesapeake for this year's event. The St. Charles RunFest will serve as the organization's signature event for Charles County. Today, as the largest, independent, not-for-profit hospice in the state of Maryland, Hospice of the Chesapeake cares for patients and loved ones throughout their journey with serious illness and loss. Thanks to donor support, Hospice of the Chesapeake works closely with families to create moments that matter through hospice care, supportive care, and grief support in Charles, and surrounding counties.
Please consider making an additional donation to this worthy cause during your registration.
Social Teams
SOCIAL TEAMS get discounted entry fees, as well as additional benefits and prices. Running with a friend (or a group!) really is so much more fun than running alone. Once the race is over, a team is there to celebrate, and relax after the accomplishments of the day. Plus, they’ll keep people going and motivate them to keep training or finish strong if they’re starting to feel sluggish mid-race.
Limits & Restrictions
The St. Charles Running Festival is a chip-timed event. Participants must finish the 5K course in 2 hours Participants can run, jog or walk the entire course. Don’t worry, the festival area at the end of the race will be eagerly awaiting you!
Jogging strollers are permitted but are asked to start in the back of the pack. Wheelchair athletes are permitted but due to safety concerns and street closure restrictions cannot travel faster than the fastest runner. No bikes, scooters, skateboards, or other wheeled vehicles are allowed.
Packet Pick Up
You will be able to pick up your race shirt and bib prior to race day. Below is the schedule:
THURSDAY 9/10 @ Corrigan Sports HQ from 11p to 4p
FRIDAY 9/11 @ Regency Furniture Stadium from 4p to 7p
SATURDAY 9/12 @ Regency Furniture Stadium from 7a to 8a
About the Course
Start Time: 9am
The course will start and finish at Regency Furniture Stadium, home of the Maryland Blue Crabs baseball club. It winds through neighborhood streets, past scenic parks and ends up back at the stadium where the Taste of Charles County food rally awaits you.
Runners must be able to complete the 5K course within 1 hours (19:35/mile pace).
Participants are welcome to bring their own water on course with them. We will have one water stop on the 5K course and water at the finish line to keep your hydration up during the 5K. If you need additional on course nutrition such as gel, please bring your own.
Port-o-pots are located at each water stop location and at the Start/Finish.
Medical
The Medical Team is a dedicated group of EMS professionals from the Waldorf fire department They will be available to help assess your race day medical needs and administer acute first aid when necessary. A medical station will be located near the finish line as well as at the water stop along the course.
Physical therapists from the UM Charles Regional Running Center will be on hand to help you stretch and warm up properly for both races, and will offer post-race stretching exercises to help you cool down after your run.
RACE PREP- Before the race, you can get a customized training program to meet self-identified goals. Receive consistent, coach-initiated follow up via phone or email as well as regular visits to document progress and modify program as needed. Its a great way to prep yourself for the St. Charles Running Festival. Learn more HERE.
Taste of Southern Maryland
Make plans to stick around after the race!
What better way to celebrate your accomplishments – music, food and drinks! We expect 6-8 food vendors at our post race celebration. Your bib will contain three Taste Tickets that you can exchange for food samples. Vendors will create a signature item for the event so you can choose any of them. Need more Tastes? No worries, you can purchase additional tickets during the registration process or on race day.
Not interested in running? No worries! Just come to the Taste. It's open to the public and tickets will be available for purchase on-site. Come cheer on the runners and hang out at this year’s most unique tasting event. Eat, drink and be merry!
To Learn More about the Taste of Southern Maryland CLICK HERE.
Volunteer
Interested in volunteering and supporting your community, as well as thousands of runners and walkers? There’s a spot for everyone at volunteer stations including: registration, starting line, finish line, water stops, course monitors and more. Please see HERE for more information and to sign up as a volunteer.
