THANK YOU FOR AN EPIC 2026 5K

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YOUR 2026 RACE RESULTS ARE IN!

VIEW YOUR RACE RESULTS

THAT’S A WRAP ON THE 2026 FCF 5K!

The second annual FCF 5K Run/Walk brought runners, walkers and joggers of all abilities together on Saturday, October 3, 2026, for another exciting race along the scenic New Orleans Lakefront. Building on the success of its inaugural year, the event featured a 5K race and a Kids 1-Mile Fun Run for children ages 12 and under. Participants crossed the finish line and enjoyed an epic post-race party at the Fried Chicken Festival, kicking off a weekend of food, music and fun at the National Fried Chicken Festival.

Thank you to everyone who laced up, showed up and made year two one to remember!

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Fcf 5k 2026 Map (1)

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

You’ve got questions. We have answers!

The New Orleans Lakefront; Lakeshore Drive @ Franklin Avenue

The run will line up outside of the National Fried Chicken Festival at the UNO Lakefront Arena Festival Grounds in New Orleans.

The start/finish line begins in front of Fried Chicken Festival Front Gates. From there, the course will travel down Lakeshore Drive eastbound. There will be water stations along the route. Expect to watch the sailboats on the water, palms blowing in the wind, your family cheering you on, and crispy, crunchy, fried chicken waiting for you at the end with a post race party.

DATE: NEW DATE COMING SOON

5K RUN / WALK
Start Time: 8:30AM

1 mi KIDS FUN RACE 
Start Time: 10AM

POST RACE PARTY
As racers make their way back to the finish line—sweaty, smiling, and maybe slightly regretting that last kilometer—our Festival Gates will swing open for a well-earned post race celebration.

This FCF 5K Run/Walk is USATF Certified and timed by Grounded Running. A 5K is a 5 Kilometer (3.1 mile long) race.

We encourage participants to come comfortable to run/walk — come rain or shine.

Themed costumes and unique outfits are encouraged and welcome. ADA and accessibility accommodations are available. Click here to learn more.

  • Our FCF 5K is perfect for walkers, runners, joggers of all abilities. 
  • Our 1-mile Kids Fun Run for kids 12 & under. 
  • Children in strollers do not need to be registered but will need to stay in the stroller for their safety and and to ensure the race runs smoothly for all participants

Children under 7 years old will not need to be registered; however, they will need to remain in a stroller for their safety and to ensure the race runs smoothly for all participants.

On your Race Registration, please select your size and style.

Your t-shirt will be available for pick-up during Race Packet Pick-up (dates and locations to be announced). We cannot guarantee the availability of your preferred size for registrations made a week before the race.

Every runner, walker, and community member has a story—and ours started with bringing people together around classic southern food, and Fried Chicken.

Before race day, you can choose to donate to a worthy cause or an organization whose story speaks to you. Your donation helps support and uplift our community.

The Fried Chicken Festival (FCF) brings together food, music, family, culture and—new this year—a healthy 5K run or walk, followed by a vibrant community post-race party. Since our founding in 2016 we have helped dozens of small, independently owned chefs and restaurants grow through the exposure received at our festival, and now our step towards integrating our cultural love of food, while balancing the need for health and wellness if our newest frontier.

We are grateful for your participation in the 5k, and if you feel so compelled to chip in an extra $10 or more to help advance the mission of the National Fried Chicken Festival of bringing diverse groups of people together around a common love of food, while supporting small businesses, we would appreciate your support! The National Fried Chicken Festival is owned and produced by Festivals for Good, a 501c3 Nonprofit organization.

Can I bring a stroller? Yes, we are stroller-friendly, but we encourage you to stay at the back of the start line for the safety of others! We want even our littlest “runners” to experience our 5K or instead sign up for the 1 mi Kids Fun Run where they can run with kids their age.

Can I bring my dog? Dogs are not allowed at the 5K event.

Besides the satisfaction of crossing the golden, fried finish line, we award medals to all runners and walkers! 

A cash prize of $250 will be given to the following categories

  • 1st Male 
  • 1st Female 
  • 1st Male Student 
  • 1st Female Student 

A $1000 cash prize will be given to the team with the most participants

Visit our registration page and select a team when purchasing tickets.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to us at [email protected]!

If you register 5+ people at once as a team, you will save $5 per racer.

LEVEL 1: REGISTRATION + FESTIVAL ACCESS ON SATURDAY, OCT 3

Racers will receive one (1) festival ticket valid for any day of the festival. If you choose to use your ticket on Saturday, Oct. 3, please note that your ticket includes one (1) re-entry on Saturday only. 

LEVEL 2: 5K ONLY • KIDS 1-MILE • STUDENT REGISTRATION 

These registrants may participate in the race only and do NOT receive festival access on Saturday.

NOTE: ALL registered runners WILL have access to the official post-race party immediately following the race on Saturday morning

Thanks to our sponsors

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