Bethlehem Running Festival

Join us on 10/19/2026
(race date estimated)

Bethlehem Running Festival Race Description

Join us in one of the most picturesque and historic cities in the Northeast for an unforgettable weekend of running, with courses designed by "The Mayor of Running," Bart Yasso!

Aardvark Sports Shop 3.8 Mile Trail Run, Friday 10/18 @ 3:30 pm

The ALL NEW 3.8 Mile Trail Run will take runners through and around the rocks and roots of Walking Purchase Park!

 

The 2024 Kids Run, Friday 10/18 @ 5:30 pm

Another ALL NEW event, the Kids Run will take place on the indoor track at Lehigh University's Rauch Field House. Runners 5 and under will run 1/4 mile, runners 6-8 will run 1/2 mile, and runners 9-12 will run 1 mile. All kids will receive a custom BRF Bib and unique BRF medal!

 

5K & 10K, Saturday 10/19 @ 7:30 am (5K) & 9:00 am (10K)

The 5K and 10K will run over the Fahy Bridge and through the historic streets of Bethlehem, starting and finishing in front of the iconic Steel Stacks! Stick around after the 10K to show your support for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that kicks off at noon. Register for both the 5K and 10K with the Double Play and save on each race! 

 

Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute Half Marathon, Sunday 10/20 @ 8:00 am

This 13.1-mile journey weaves through the heart of historic Bethlehem, showcasing the city's charming streets, scenic parks, and vibrant community spirit. 

 

B. Braun Half Marathon Relay and Corporate Challenge, Sunday 10/20 @ 8:00 am

Teams of 3 will run segments of 5 miles, 5 miles, and 5K. The top 3 M/F/co-ed teams will win awards AND the top team affiliated with any local corporation will get their names engraved on the 4-foot Corporate Challenge Cup!

 

Triple Play

Run all three races and you'll not only get a discount on each race, but all three unique medals will connect to form the Triple Play medal. (Like Voltron, but without the lions).

 

Quadruple Play Marathon Challenge

Run all four races and you'll complete a full marathon--26.2 miles--over three days! All Quadruple Play finishers will receive a special BRF Quadruple Play Medal!

 

Swag! All runners will receive:

 

 a unique Bethlehem Running Festival long sleeve technical T-shirt (while supplies last!)an artist-designed finisher's medal unique to each eventFREE Downloadable professional photographs with bib-tagsCustomized Race Bib (register by 9/21)

*2023 Deferrals

All 2023 deferrals were activated when registration opened. If you deferred from 2023, you are automatically entered in the same event for 2024. You do not need to do anything else to register for 2024. 

 

Cost (price increases on 3/1, 6/1, and 9/15). 

5K: $30 / $35 / $40 / $45

10K: $45 / $50 / $55 / $60

Half: $75 / $85 / $95 / $105

3.8 Mile Trail Run: $45 / $50

Half Marathon Relay (price per three-person team): $120 / $125 / $130 / $135

Double Play: (Saturday's 5K and 10K): $65 / $75 / $85 / $95

Triple Play (5K, 10K, Half): $130 / $150 / $170 / $190

Quadruple Play (All FOUR races): $205 / $225

 

Premier Registration add-on for the half marathon or Triple Play: $159 until sold out

 

Dedicated free VIP parkingDedicated indoor VIP room with refreshments right next to the start/finish line--open before, during, and after all racesReserved indoor VIP restroomsSeparate VIP bag checkVIP Bethlehem Running Festival welcome bagSaturday afternoon coffee and course preview with the Mayor of Running, Bart YassoPre-race continental breakfast for Sunday's half marathonBethlehem Running Festival "in-training" Long-sleeved T-shirt Exclusive Bethlehem Running Festival VIP embroidered zip-up

Awards

Top 3 Overall M/F in all three events 

Top 3 Overall Masters (40+) in the half marathon

Top 3 M/F for all events in the following age groups: 19&U, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+

Top 3 M/F in the 5K for the additional following age groups: 6-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-19

 

Course Maps

Courses are at the bottom of this page!

 

Time Limits

Our courses run directly through the streets of Bethlehem, which cannot remain closed for longer than our allotted times. If you do not finish your event in the allotted time, you may be asked to cut part of the course or be picked up by our runner transport services. 

5K: 1:00

10K: 1:45

Half marathon: 3:30

3.8 mile Trail race: 1:30

 

An American Cancer Society DetermiNATION Event!

A portion of your registration fees and 100% of any donations you make will benefit The American Cancer Society. We encourage all of our runners and their families to join the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk following our 10K on Saturday at noon.


  • Bethlehem Running Festival Where & When
  • Location: 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA 18015
  • Race Date: 2024/10/19 07:30:00 AM (Saturday)

Bethlehem Running Festival Reviews

5 - 1 reviews

Review Bethlehem Running Festival

Most Helpful Review
5.0/5
Course: 5.0/5
Organization: 5.0/5
Incredible Festival!

I ran in 2023 and have signed up for 2024 (and will keep signing up)! This is a new version of the old Runners World Festival that used to run in Bethlehem. The organizers brought back all the best parts and added some new features to make this a truly unique weekend! The courses were designed by Bart Yasso (I'm a total running fanboy for Bart) and do an amazing job showcasing the city of Bethlehem (and challenging runners). The organization was top-notch--I chose the VIP package and IMO got great value for my money--the medals and shirts were amazing. You can tell this group really cares about putting on good races. They also raised over $24K for the American Cancer Society. If you're planning your fall racing schedule, this should be on the top of your list.

Nathan R.

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