Our annual one-mile, non-competitive community Fun Runs unite 3000+ young people, family, and community members for a morning of fun, fitness, and community-building. There are ample volunteer opportunities at this event, including course marshals, hydration leads, bus greeters, and more! Sponsorship opportunities typically range from $500 to $10,000.

2024 Spring Fun Run - May 18th, 2024

Thank you to all of the Chicago community members who came together in Washington Park for our annual Spring Fun Run on May 18th, 2024. This event celebrates the amazing work our Pre-k through 5th graders put in all year and for the first year ever, also brought our 3rd-12th grade out-of-school participants together with their families and community members for a morning filled with running, yoga, dancing, mascots, healthy food, games, and more! We had thousands of families and hundreds of volunteers run and cheer on a day of fitness and fun! This celebration was a success thanks to the support of our sponsors: William Blair, Chicago Park District, BlueCross BlueShield, Gatorade, and our volunteers and partner schools!

2023 Spring Fun Run - May 20th, 2023

Thank you to all of the Chicago community members who came together in Washington Park for our annual Spring Fun Run on May 20th, 2023. We had a morning filled with family, running, Zumba, dancing, mascots, face painting, healthy food, games, and more! We had thousands of families and hundreds of volunteers run and cheer on a day of fitness and fun! This celebration was a success thanks to the support of our sponsors: Sterling Bay, William Blair, Chicago Park District, BlueCross BlueShield, Gatorade, Nature’s Path, Go Go Squeez, BEAR Snacks, Munk Pack, and our volunteers and partner schools!

Spring 2022 Fun Run - June 4th, 2022

After three long years, our annual Spring Fun Run was celebrated with thousands of youth participants, their families, and supporters. This event was full of excitement, adventure, and laughter as hundred of parents, volunteers, and Chicago Run staff accompanied youth participants along a 1 mile path throughout Washington Park. This celebration was a success thanks to the support of our sponsors —Niantic, William Blair, Chicago Park District, and Chicago Public Schools—our volunteers, and participating schools.

Fall 2021 Fun Run In-a-Box

The health and safety of our communities are top priority to Chicago Run. Due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, we were unable to host a large-scale Fun Run this year for all our during-school participants and their families. Instead, we provided our partners with the materials (“Fun Run In-A-Box”) to host their own 1 mile run at their school to close out the fall season. Several schools hosted their own events and participants received Chicago Run shirts and finisher ribbons!

Fall 2020 Virtual Fun Run

To celebrate their hard work this season, our during-school program participants were invited to take part in our virtual Fall Fun Run on Saturday, December 5th. Youth and families were encouraged to run or walk 1-mile at any pace, any place. Registered participants were given instructions for a DIY race bib, links to Zumba warm-up and yoga cool-down exercises, and a printable finishers certificate. We had more than 100 participants and family members sign up for this event (see photos below). We look forward to holding our Fun Runs in person again in 2021!

2019 Fall Fun Run

2019 Spring Fun Run

Thank you to all of the Chicago community members who came together in Washington Park for our annual Spring Fun Run on June 1, 2019. Thank you as well to Peter Sagal from Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me for volunteering and to Monique from Skyy Level Fitness for leading the group in some great Zumba routines.

Thank you to our Fun Run sponsors and supporters: Culture Studios, S&S Activewear, Allstate (Ortega Family Agency), FISH Foundation, Aramark, and the Chicago Park District!

2018 Fall Fun Run

It was a chilly fall morning, but we were thrilled that the weather cooperated and the Fall Fun Run was a big success! Over 4,000 youth participants, family members, school staff, and volunteers came together in Washington Park on November 3rd for a morning of fitness and fun. Monique from Skyy Level Fitness led the group in some great Zumba dancing before and after their 1-mile run.

Thank you to our generous sponsors: FISH Foundation, Culture Studios, S&S Activewear, Allstate (Ortega Family Agency), RX Bar, Aramark, and Chicago Park District!

2018 Spring Fun Run

Thank you to the thousands of participants that attended the 2018 Spring Fun Run on Saturday June 2nd! We are so grateful to all of the families, volunteers, school staff, and board members who helped us put on another great Fun Run! This celebratory morning was full of smiles, high-fives, running, dancing, and community-building. We couldn't have asked for a better way to end another amazing school year full of health, fitness, and continued growth of Chicago Run programs.

Thank you to our generous event sponsors/partners:

2017 Fall Fun Run

2017 Spring Fun Run

On Saturday June 3, 2017 over 4,000 students, parents, and teachers united for a morning of fitness, community-building, and health in celebration of all their hard work over the school year!

Thank you to all the students, families, school staff, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make the 10th annual Spring Fun Run a success!

2016 Spring Fun Run

On June 4, 2016, over 4,000 Chicago Run children, parents, and school staff joined together at our annual Spring Fun Run in Washington Park! Participants celebrated another successful year of Chicago Run programming by running 1-mile around the park, Zumba dancing, eating healthy snacks, and having FUN! 

2015 Fall Fun Run

On November 7th, Chicago Run students, families, and school staff celebrated the start of another healthy school year with a 1-mile Fun Run in Washington Park! We had beautiful weather for this fun filled morning which continues to be one of the most successful events we have all year. Thank you to Chicago Public Schools, Nike, Chicago Parks District, Aramark, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois,  Transunion, and all 150 volunteers for making this event possible.

2015 Spring Fun Run

Over 4,000 Chicago Run students, family, and school staff joined together on Saturday June 6th for our annual Spring Fun Run! Participants ran a scenic mile around Washington Park in celebration of a healthy year of Chicago Run programming. The morning was filled with high-fives, Zumba, healthy snacks provided by Aramark, and smiles! We are so grateful for the support and sponsorship from the Chicago Park District, CPS, Aramark, RAM Racing, Nike, and our amazing volunteers. 

2014 Fall Fun Run

On Saturday, November 8th, over 3,000 Chicago Run participants gathered in Washington Park for our annual Fall Fun Run! The event united students and family members from 42 schools in 32 unique communities across the city. Participants spent their morning dancing to Zumba workouts, running a mile around the park, and eating healthy snacks! We were so lucky to have the Tonti Elementary Band, Chicago Sky's Sky Guy, Kymberlee & the Fly Girl Dance crew, Monique & the Skyy Level Group, and Chicago Run's own mascot, the "Orange Man", join us in our celebration of health and fitness. At the event, we celebrated the first time in Chicago Run history that our students have run over 100,000 miles prior to the Fall Fun Run.  Congrats to all of our partner schools for being a part of this huge milestone! 

The event would not have been possible without our dedicated volunteers, site coordinators, and Chicago Run staff. A huge thank you to the Chicago Park District, CPS, Walgreens, and Pretzel Crisps for their support and sponsorship.

Click here to see photos from the race!

2014 Spring Fun Run

Over 3,000 CPS students, family members, and staff gathered in Washington Park on May 31st to run a mile in celebration of health and fitness! Huge thank you to all volunteers, especially Mike Mizzi and Dan Nicholls for photographing the event.  Additionally, thank you to Aramark Corporation for providing health snacks at the finish line for all of the runners. 

2013 Fall Fun Run

Thank you to everyone for making this Fall Fun Run one of our best yet! See again at Washington Park on May 31st, 2014, for our Spring Fun Run!

2013 Spring Fun Run

Thank you to all of the students, families, teachers, volunteers and sponsors who celebrated health and wellness with us on Saturday, June 1st, 2013 in Washington Park. An estimated 3,500 individuals attended the event, which makes it one of Chicago Run's biggest Fun Runs yet!