People hold their hands in the air as they run down a long path

NYBG 5K Fun Run

November 8, 2026

8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | At the Garden

This event has been rescheduled from September 27 to November 8, 2026.

Celebrate fall in NYC with NYBG’s 2nd annual 5K Fun Run! This scenic 3.1-mile road and trail course takes runners through some of the Garden’s most gorgeous scenery, including the historic Thain Family Forest, one of New York City’s largest remaining old-growth forests, as well as the Judy and Michael Steinhardt Maple Collection. Along the way, participants will pass historic landmarks such as the Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill, Mertz Building, and the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Your participation directly supports NYBG’s work here and around the world to protect biodiversity and develop plant-based solutions to climate change.

New this year!

New Course with a mile of new track! This year’s 5K course offers the best of both road and trail running, taking participants through some of the Garden’s most beautiful landscapes, including a memorable stretch through the historic Thain Family Forest. The 3.1-mile route features approximately one mile of new course terrain not included last year, giving returning runners a fresh experience while maintaining breathtaking views of Garden collections and rolling elevation changes that make this run a favorite.
Finish Line Clock. While this event is not timed, the course is equipped with timing clocks for those who wish to track their success.
Live Music by the Fordham Pep Band. Feel the excitement of the 5K Fun Run with performances from NYBG’s neighbor the Fordham University Pep Band! This student-run organization at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus performs at all Fordham home football and basketball games, as well as alumni events and other university functions. The band is currently led by Drum Major Nicole Castaneda, Music Historian Justin Ziering, and Social Media Chair Catie Payleitner.

Your guests can cheer you on as you pass by the Visitor Center, with the purchase of an All-Garden Pass. After your run, join us on Daffodil Hill for festivities including meet-and-greets with Boogie Down Bronx Run Club and NYBG experts to learn about their important work across a range of disciplines. And don’t forget to grab your NYBG 5K Fun Run T-shirt before you set off to enjoy the rest of your day at the Garden, including Kiku on display in the Nolen Greenhouses! This event is rain or shine. Participants must be ages 13+.

Registration is now closed.

NYBG’s 5K Fun Run is sponsored by:

Lead Sponsor:

Sponsor:

Above photo © SonoVisualss

About the Boogie Down Bronx Run Club

This run is designed in partnership with the Boogie Down Bronx Run Club (BDBRC), a collective of everyday Bronx residents whose mission is to promote wellness, inspire, and engage people of all abilities. BDBRC members will be serving as course support throughout the event, so be sure to say hello!

A green T-shirt with the words "NYBG 5K Fun Run 2026" in black

Get Your Commemorative NYBG 5K Fun Run T-shirt!

Your registration includes this year’s 5K Fun Run T-Shirt! T-Shirt pick-up will be after your run at the Post-Run Celebrations on Daffodil Hill.

Two people sit on a picnic blanket, laughing over something on a phone

Post-Run Celebration

Daffodil Hill; 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Celebrate your run finish with us! Festivities include meet-and-greets with NYBG experts to learn about their important work across a range of disciplines; lawn games; a stretch-zone for post-run recovery; food and beverage for purchase; and music! Don’t forget to pick-up your commemorative 2026 NYBG 5K Fun Run T-shirt.

Hang out with Boogie Down Bronx Run Club
Say hello to your course support! Learn more about running in The Bronx and buy some commemorative BDBRC merch.
Music with Uptown Vinyl Supreme
Celebrate your run finish to the sounds of Uptown Vinyl Supreme! Based in the Bronx, Uptown Vinyl Supreme is a DJ collective and community organization paying homage to the analog roots of music, party, and dance culture through records. The collective is made-up of friends and lovers of vinyl Sunny Cheeba, Buddy, Josh Hubi, and Chiqui B.
Post-Run Food
Celebrate the end of your run in the most New York way with a bagel! Additional items for sale include runner favorites like steal-cut oats, chia seed pudding, PB&Js, pastries, coffee, and more.
Meet the Scientist: Michael J. Balick
From veteran curators to recent grads, our diverse team of scientists represents centuries of combined knowledge across a wide variety of specialties. Learn from Dr. Balick about the variety of plants that help relieve joint pain.
- About Dr. Michael Balick, Vice President for Botanical Science
  For more than four decades, Dr. Michael Balick has studied the relationship between plants and people, working with traditional cultures in tropical, subtropical, and desert environments. He is a specialist in the field known as ethnobotany, working with Indigenous cultures to document their plant knowledge, understand the environmental effects of their traditional management systems, and develop sustainable utilization systems—while ensuring that the benefits of such work are always shared with local communities.
Meet the Herbarium
View herbarium specimens that represent centuries of botanical exploration. These specimens are used to study climate change and document changes in the landscape both locally and around the globe. Learn about the specimens and the Herbarium from Nicole Tarnowsky, Assistant Director of the Herbarium, and her team.
Meet NYBG Forest Staff
Learn about the trees found in the old growth Thain Family Forest from NYBG Forest Staff! Horticulturalist Judy Brenner is the Forest Botanical Garden Aide. She assists with the stewardship and care of the Thain Family Forest and has extensive experience in conservation, horticulture and sustainable agriculture.
Learn More with NYBG

Connect with NYBG representatives to learn more about Continuing Education classes and opportunities for children and families to learn more about the plant world with NYBG.

Image © SonoVisualss

The Course

A purple and green overhead map of a botanical garden, with a red line depicting a race path

Course Details

Upon arrival to the Garden, runners are directed to the Main Entrance for check-in. Check-in includes ticket check. Bib pick-up is available for those who registered after August 20. Runners are directed to corrals where they may self-select placement based on desired pace with wave starts. The course begins at the top of Daffodil Hill and winds through sweetgums, oaks, and maples, past the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, Burn Family Lilac Collection, through the Thain Family Forest, and alongside the Library and Conservatory before celebrating the last 200 meters of the course alongside the Visitor Center cheer zone. The finish line greets you at the Native Plant Garden with finishers walking along Mitsubishi Wetland Trail to the post-run festivities on Daffodil Hill.

Check-in opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 8:15 a.m.
There is no bag check for this event. If you are driving, you are welcome to leave your personal belongings in your vehicle during the event. You will be permitted to access your vehicle after the event, and return to the Garden for post-run festivities.
Start and Finish Clocks. While this is a non-competitive event, clocks will be at the start and finish lines of the event. Finish times will not be collected by NYBG.
No strollers are permitted on the course. For the safety of those on the course and preservation of our collections, strollers are not permitted on the course.
This course is not ADA accessible. This course has varying elevation levels and includes road and trail pathways with uneven surfaces.
Water Stations. There will be 1 water station on the course at the halfway point. Water will be available at the course finish in the festivities area.
No official video / photography. There are no individual finish photos or video provided by NYBG of this event.
Bring your guests to celebrate! Guests may purchase an All-Garden Pass ticket here. Guests may cheer runners along as they pass by the Visitor Center and join the Daffodil Hill celebration from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The course closes at 10 a.m.

A person holds up a white water bottle with a floral pattern

NYBG Shop Runner's Discount

Open at 7 a.m.

Participants in the NYBG 5K Fun Run receive a special 20% discount at NYBG Shop on run day! NYBG Members combine with their savings for a 30% discount. Shop runner favorites, from floral water bottles to NYBG socks and more. Please note this discount is only available on Sunday, November 8 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., in-store only. Discounts are redeemed by showing NYBG 5K Fun Run bib or ticket.

Experience Kiku

Explore a display of mesmerizing Japanese chrysanthemums in the Nolen Greenhouses, where horticulturists have spent 11 months training these plants into traditional and contemporary designs.

Learn More

Event Details

Registration includes:
- Participation for 1 individual in the run
- 1 NYBG 5K Fun Run T-Shirt
- Access to post-run festivities on Daffodil Hill from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- All-Garden Pass access to NYBG from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Registration for the event is for individuals ages 13+. Participants under the age of 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian. Unaccompanied minors (17 and under) are not permitted to participate on their own. All participants ages 13+ must have a registered adult present during their run or walk.
Parking inside NYBG is not available for this event. Parking is available for $22 (Non-Member) / $11 (Member) on a first-come, first-served basis at the Fordham Lot across the street from the NYBG Main Entrance at 2900 Southern Blvd. and at the Garage located at 2960 Webster Ave., Bronx, NY 10458.

Please consider taking public transportation or a car service to avoid parking delays. The Metro-North train is a 20-minute ride from Grand Central Station to the Botanical Garden Stop using the $5 weekend city pass. Bike racks are available at the NYBG Main Entrance if needed. If using a car service, request drop-off at 2900 Southern Blvd.

Scenes from Last Year's Fun Run

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