parkrun on Christmas Day and New Year's Day 2026: how it works and how to find an event

Yes, you can do a parkrun on Christmas Day 2026 and on New Year's Day 2027, as long as an event near you has chosen to stage one. Both dates fall on a Friday this time, and parkrun UK publishes an official list showing which events are on, so you can plan your festive 5k now and confirm the details closer to the day.

This guide covers how the two extra days work, how to find a run near you, what happened to the famous New Year's Day double, and some simple tips if a festive parkrun will be your first one. If you have never been before, our guide on what to expect at your first parkrun walks you through the basics.

How do Christmas Day and New Year's Day parkruns work?

parkrun normally happens every Saturday morning. On top of that, parkrun allows a small number of additional parkrun days each year. In the UK, Christmas Day and New Year's Day are the big two. On those days, event teams can choose to put on an extra event, even though it is not a Saturday.

The key word is choose. Every parkrun is run by volunteers, and each team decides whether it has the people, the permission from the landowner and the appetite to stage an event on a family holiday. That is why one park might be on for both days, another only on New Year's Day, and a third not at all.

The event itself is the same as any Saturday: a free, timed 5k, open to everyone, with results published afterwards. Runners, joggers and walkers are all welcome, and the tail walker makes sure nobody finishes last.

How do I find out if my local parkrun is on this Christmas?

parkrun UK has a special events page (you can find it under the additional parkrun days link on the parkrun UK website) headed Christmas Day 2026 and New Year's Day 2027. It lists every UK event with a tick if the event will take place, a cross if it will not, and a blank box if the team has not declared yet.

When we checked in mid-November 2026, several hundred UK events had already ticked Christmas Day, slightly more had ticked New Year's Day, and plenty were still blank. Junior parkruns, which are 2k events for children, mostly show crosses. The list fills in as December approaches, so check again in a few weeks if your event is blank.

• Step 1: open the special events page and find your event (or search for your region).
• Step 2: if there is a tick, open that event's own news page. parkrun asks you to check there for the details, including the start time.
• Step 3: check the event's social media and the parkrun cancellations page the night before and on the morning itself. Frost, ice and flooding can cancel winter events at short notice.
• Step 4: if your usual event is not on, pick another one nearby that is. Festive tourism to a new park is part of the fun.

What dates and times should I plan around?

Because both special days land on a Friday, each one sits right next to a normal Saturday parkrun. Here is how the festive fortnight lines up.

Saturday parkruns in England and Wales usually start at 9am, and in Scotland and Northern Ireland at 9.30am. Extra-day events often use the same time, but some teams choose a different one, so always confirm on the event's news page rather than assuming.

Can I still do the New Year's Day double?

Not in the way people used to. For years, New Year's Day was famous for the double: neighbouring events would stagger their start times so you could run one parkrun, drive to another, and have both results count. parkrun's special events page now states that only one result may be recorded on each additional parkrun day, and that applies to New Year's Day too.

So plan for one New Year's Day parkrun. If you want a bigger festive challenge, the calendar gives you a different kind of double this year: Friday 1 January followed by the normal Saturday parkrun on 2 January. The same works over Christmas, with Friday 25 December followed by Boxing Day. Two parkruns on back-to-back days is a lovely way to bookend the holidays, as long as you take the second one gently.

What should I expect at a festive parkrun?

Festive parkruns tend to be busier and more relaxed than a normal Saturday. Plenty of families come together, people visiting relatives turn up as tourists, and you will see Santa hats, tinsel and the odd full reindeer outfit. It is a social occasion as much as a run.

• Bigger fields: the start can be congested, so line up according to your expected pace and be patient for the first few hundred metres.
• Parking: car parks fill up fast. Walk, cycle or car share if you can, and arrive 20 to 30 minutes early.
• Winter ground: grass and trail courses can be muddy or icy. Trail shoes or shoes with decent grip help.
• Volunteers: teams often need extra hands on these days. Volunteering is a great way to be part of it if you are not running.

Any tips for a first festive parkrun?

If Christmas or New Year's Day will be your very first parkrun, the most important job happens now: register on the parkrun website and get your personal barcode. Without a barcode you will not get a time. Print it, save it to your phone or get a barcode wristband or tag, and pack it the night before.

• Walking is fine. Lots of people walk the whole 5k, and you can mix running and walking as much as you like.
• Dress in layers. You warm up quickly, so start with a layer you can tie round your waist. Gloves and a hat are worth it in December.
• Eat something light. A slice of toast or a banana an hour or so before is plenty. Save the big breakfast for afterwards.
• Warm up gently. Five minutes of brisk walking and easy jogging gets your legs ready for a cold start.
• Go easy on yourself. Crowds and fancy dress make festive runs a poor day for a personal best. Enjoy it, and save a PB attempt for January. Our guide on how to get a parkrun PB has a plan for that.

Many festive events start in the low light of a winter morning, and you might be running on roads to get there. Our winter running safety guide covers visibility, grip and staying warm.

How do I get ready in the next six weeks?

Six weeks is plenty of time to go from not running to comfortably getting round a 5k, especially if you are happy to walk some of it. Aim for three short sessions a week: two run-walk sessions of 20 to 30 minutes, and one session of simple strength work such as squats, lunges and step-ups to help your legs handle the distance. Keep most of your running at an easy, chatty pace.

If you can, try a normal Saturday parkrun before the festive ones. You will learn the course, the routine and the barcode scanning, so Christmas morning feels familiar rather than daunting.

And because Edge Rewards is live, every festive parkrun you log in the free Edge app earns points too. Sync your watch or Strava and your 5k counts towards your daily total, with treats such as coffee or snacks as examples of what you could put them towards.

Event details were checked against parkrun UK's special events page in mid-November 2026. Declarations change, so always confirm with your event before you travel.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.