Registration for the 2025 Pumpkin Run is now open.
The annual one-mile “fun run” hosted in Downtown Lincoln’s Haymarket district is “the largest youth only fun-run in the United States,” says Dave Minarik, President of the Nebraska Sports Council.
The run is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 in the Downtown’s Railyard district in the Haymarket, with runners finishing in front of Pinnacle Bank Arena. The event is open to students in kindergarten through sixth grade/middle school, with each grade assigned to its own heat.
“Last year, we were just about 50 runners short of 4,000,” said Minarik.
Participants receive a t-shirt, commemorative cup, snacks, drinks, and giveaways from local vendors. Registration is available at PumpkinRunLincoln.com, with early sign-ups encouraged due to built-in price increases as the event date nears.
Minarik says many local schools promote the run through their physical education programs, using it as a way to build lifelong healthy habits. While the race is untimed officially, a finish-line clock allows kids to track their own results — and some put up impressive numbers.
“There are a lot of kids finishing under six minutes,” he said. “Especially among fifth and sixth graders, we see some very talented runners.”
He encourages parents to get kids registered early and help them build up endurance by running a little each day. “Even if you have to walk at first, just keep at it until you can run a mile without stopping,” he advised.