Spring and summertime in Chicago bring the perfect weather to get outside and enjoy these races and fun runs with your family. Set an active example by signing yourself up, too! Kids can sprint in a 100-yard dash, test their endurance in a 1-miler or push themselves to complete a full 5k. Along with the running, kids will love the post-race festivities (such as food, games, and live music) at these family events. This article is sponsored by Oak Brook Park District’s Pink 5K and the featured listings.
The Pink 5K
Saturday, May 11, 2019 | 8:00 am
Oak Brook Park District
1450 Forest Gate Road
The Oak Brook Park District Pink 5K has raised more than $60,000 for LOCAL Breast Cancer Outreach since 2012. Proceeds from the race are donated to Open Arms Breast Cancer Outreach Fund, Hinsdale Hospital Foundation. Open Arms, in turn, uses these funds to provide free breast cancer outreach, screening, and treatments to uninsured or under-insured women over 40 in the Chicagoland area.
This is a fun, family friendly, chip-timed race that runners and walkers will enjoy. Strollers are welcome and we offer a unique team registration option! This year’s event is sponsored by AMITA Health and Evergreen Bank Group. Race Age Brackets: 8-13, 14-17, 18-23, 24-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+ For more information, visit www.obparks.org/pink5k!
2019 Races and Fun Runs in Chicago’s West Suburbs
April 2019 Races and Fun Runs
April Fool’s 5k and Kid’s Dash (Bloomingdale)
April 6, 2019 | 8:45 am
Benefits Trinity Adult Day Care and Trinity Lutheran School.
Healthy Kids Running Series La Grange
Healthy Kids Running Series La Grange
April 7, 14, 28 and May 5, 12 | 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Gordon Park, La Grange
Healthy Kids Running Series is a 5-week racing program for kids ages 2-14 years that kids active and feeling accomplished. Racers earn points based on their finish and at the end of the Series, a trophy is awarded to the top boy and girl finisher in each age group. All racers receive a tech shirt for participating and a medal for completing the final race.
This Spring is our second season and we are looking forward to some great competition. And more importantly, we can’t wait to see all the smiling faces, incredible efforts and all the families and friends cheering the racers on! Its a true family friendly event that encourages a love of running with friends.
Click here for all of the Healthy Kids Running Series locations.
Mustang Trot 5K Run/Walk (Downers Grove South High School)
April 7, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent Depression.
Good Life Race (Oak Park River Forest High School)
April 7, 2019 | 8:45 am
Benefits the Collaboration for Early Childhood and the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry.
Shake It Off 5K Run/Walk (Bolingbrook High School)
April 13, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
BT 5K Run and Walk (Soldier Field, Chicago)
April 13, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the American Brain Tumor Association.
Beat the Eagle 5k (Lombard)
April 13, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits St. John’s School.
Spreading Our Wings 5k & 1-mile walk (West Chicago)
April 13, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the IALAS Scholarship Program.
Fun Run in Color (Memorial Park, Wheaton)
April 13, 2019 | 8:30 am
Benefits Play for All Playground and Garden Foundation.
Young Hearts for Life 5K Run/Walk (Benedictine University, Lisle)
April 14, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Young Hearts for Life.
Barnyard Dash 5k and Pig Pen 1K (Blackberry Farm, Aurora)
April 27, 2019 | 8:30 am
Run, Walk and Roll 5k and 1-Mile (Bloomingdale)
April 28, 2019 | 7:55 am
Benefits care and services provided at Marklund
Race to Wrigley 5K (Wrigley Field, Chicago)
April 27, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits Cubs Charities.
DuPage Human Race 5K Run and 2K Walk (The Esplanade, Downers Grove)
April 27, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits 60+ non-profit organizations serving DuPage County.
Shelter 5K Run/Walk 4 Kidz (Busse Woods, Elk Grove Village)
April 27, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Shelter, Inc.
Run with the Lions (Warrenville)
April 27, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Longwood Elementary School in Naperville
Foodie 5K (Cantigny Park, Wheaton)
April 27, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
Stephen Smith Family Fun Run (Tinley Park)
Saturday, April 27, 2019| 9:30 am or 11:00 am
HOPE Scholarship 5K (Morton West High School, Berwyn)
April 28, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits the HOPE Scholarship.
Miles for Smiles 5k Fundraiser (Oswego)
April 28, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Celebrate Differences.
May 2019 Races and Fun Runs
Run to Remember 5K and Junior Jog (Chicago)
May 4, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.
Sprint 2 Spring 5K (Elgin)
May 4, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the Hanover Township Foundation.
Stars and Spikes 5K & 1 mile Fun Run (Lombard)
May 4, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits the American Cancer Society
SVF Friars 5K, Fun Run & Sr. Shuffle (River Forest)
May 4, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the school’s Capital Fund
Run for the Kids Superhero Hustle 5K Run/2K Walk (Villa Park)
May 4, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley.
WE GO RUN 5k, 10k, 1-miler, kiddie dash (West Chicago)
May 5, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits athletic programs in District 33.
Willowbrook Spring Fling 2019 – 5K & Kids 1 mile Fun Run
May 5, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits Gateway Special Recreation Association.
Kids Run This City 1K, 2K and 3K (Lincoln Park, Chicago)
May 11, 2019 | 10:30 am
Benefits Chicago Park District youth programs.
Groovin’ in the Grove 5K and Little Groovers Race (Midwestern University, Downers Grove)
May 11, 2019 | 7:00 am
Benefits Sharing Connections.
The Pink 5K
The Pink 5K
Saturday, May 11, 2019 | 8:00 am
Oak Brook Park District
1450 Forest Gate Road
The Oak Brook Park District Pink 5K has raised more than $60,000 for LOCAL Breast Cancer Outreach since 2012. Proceeds from the race are donated to Open Arms Breast Cancer Outreach Fund, Hinsdale Hospital Foundation. Open Arms, in turn, uses these funds to provide free breast cancer outreach, screening, and treatments to uninsured or under-insured women over 40 in the Chicagoland area.
This is a fun, family friendly, chip-timed race that runners and walkers will enjoy. Strollers are welcome and we offer a unique team registration option! This year’s event is sponsored by AMITA Health and Evergreen Bank Group. Race Age Brackets: 8-13, 14-17, 18-23, 24-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+ For more information, visit www.obparks.org/pink5k!
Pink 5K (Central Park, Oak Brook)
May 11, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits Open Arms-Hinsdale Hospital Foundation’s Breast Cancer Outreach Fund
Y Run 5K and Super Kids Fun Run (Glen Ellyn)
May 18, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the B.R. Ryall YMCA Scholarship Fund.
Mutt Strut 5K & 1-Mile Puppy Path (Lombard)
May 18, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the Lombard Food Pantry and DuPage County Animal Care and Control.
G.L.O.W. 5K Run (Naperville)
May 18, 2019 | 8:15 pm
Benefits the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy.
Darien Dash 1 mile, 5K, and 10K Run
May 19, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits one Darien school and one not-for-profit organization.
Run for 102 and Run for the Roses (La Grange Park)
May 19, 2019 | 8:00 am
Two great races joined together this year. Run for 102 benefits PTO/PTC’s for District 102. Run for the Roses benefits the LaGrange Park Community.
BACKBONES 5K Run, Walk n Roll (Prospect Heights)
May 19, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits those with spinal cord injuries and their families.
Tower Trot 5K, 10K, Double, and Fun Run (Western Springs)
May 25, 2019 | 8:30 am
Fundraising for Healing Hearts for Ashley will be held in conjunction with the race.
Race to the Flag 5K (Westmont)
May 26, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits People’s Resource Center.
June 2019 Races and Fun Runs
Run the Ridge 5k and 1K Run/Walk (Burr Ridge)
June 1, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the ProActive Kids Foundation.
Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals 5K and 10K (half-mile kids’ run) (Wheaton)
June 1, 2019 | 7:30 am
Benefits funds for Cosley Zoo animals, exhibit development projects, public programs, and conservation projects.
PAWS Chicago 5K Walk/Run (Montrose Harbor, Chicago)
June 2, 2019 | 7:30 am
Benefits PAWS Chicago.
Run for the Zoo 5K Run, Walk and Safari Stampede (Chicago)
June 2, 2019 | 7:30 am
Benefits Lincoln Park Zoo.
Viking 5K Fun Run & Walk (Danada Forest Preserve, Wheaton)
June 2, 2019 | 8:00 am
Proceeds go towards conquering Myasthenia Gravis
La Grange Rocks 5K
June 7, 2019 | 5:45 pm
Benefits The LeaderShop.
Walk and Roll Chicago 5K Run/Walk (Soldier Field, Chicago)
June 8, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the American Cancer Society.
Remembering Lauren 5K Run/Walk (Willowbrook HS, Villa Park)
June 15, 2019 | 9:00 am
Benefits the Lauren Kiefer Memorial Foundation, Inc.
HAE IN-MOTION 5K (Wheaton)
June 15, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the HAE Scholarship Program, Compassion Fund and Research.
Conquer Youth Young Lions Obstacle Course (Wheaton)
June 27, 2020 | tbd
Purple Stride Chicago 5k (Soldier Field, Chicago)
June 29, 2019 | 10:00 am
Benefits the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
July 2019 Races and Fun Runs
4 on the 4th 4-mile run (downtown Elmhurst)
July 4, 2019 | 7:15 am
Benefits the Elmhurst Children’s Assistance Foundation
The Freedom Four™ 4-Mile Run (Lake Ellyn Park, Glen Ellyn)
July 4, 2019 | 7:30 am
Benefits the Glen Ellyn Park District’s scholarship funds.
Riverside Independence Day 5K
July 4, 2019 | time not yet announced
Firecracker 5K (Warrenville)
July 4, 2019 | 8:00 am
BBQ Bolt 5-miler, 5k, 1-miler, 50 meter dash (McCollum Park, Downers Grove)
July 20, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits SEASPAR, Downers Grove Park District’s inclusion services.
Hemingway 8K Running of the Bulls and kids’ fun run event (Oak Park)
July 20, 2019 | 7:45 am
Benefits the Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park and the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry.
August 2019 Races and Fun Runs
Shopping Cart Shuffle 5K Run/Walk & Kids Dash (Mallard Lake Forest Preserve, Bloomingdale)
August 3, 2019 | 8:30 am
Benefits neighborhood food pantries
The 2K for Kids Fun Run (Glen Ellyn)
August 3, 2019 | 8:00 am
Stan’s Donut 5K Run, Walk and Kids Dash (Montrose Harbor, Chicago)
August 10, 2019 | 8:00 am
Benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Woodridge Rotary Club Mini Triathlon (Woodridge)
Sunday, August 11, 2019 | 7:00 am & 10:30 am
September 2019 Races and Fun Runs
Frank E’s Fling Mile (Naperville)
Septemer 2, 2019 | 8:00 am
Jane’s Warriors 5K Run and Walk (Orland Park)
Saturday, September 8, 2019 | 8:30 am
Did we miss a race or fun run in your area? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the list! You can also check out our outdoor activities page for even more ways to enjoy the outdoors with your family
