Top of Michigan Festival of Races
- Date Sat 23rd May 2026
- Time 7:30AM EDT
- Location Petoskey, Michigan
- Price $33.30 - $75.70
- Races 3 races
- Distances Half Marathon, 10km, 5km
Event summary
Get ready for an exhilarating day of fitness and fun at the Top of Michigan Festival of Races on Saturday, May 23, 2026! Set in the picturesque town of Petoskey, Michigan, this vibrant event features a range of race distances including a Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K, all starting and ending at the scenic Lime Kiln Kids Fishing Pier in Bayfront Park.
Participants will enjoy running along the Little Traverse Wheelway, a stunning non-motorized trail that offers breathtaking views of Little Traverse Bay. The mostly paved route features some off-road sections on grass and dirt, making it a unique experience for runners of all levels. With early registration fees set at $70 for the Half Marathon, $45 for the 10K, and $30 for the 5K, participants can also look forward to refreshments, finisher medals, and awards for top male and female runners. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to support the Top of Michigan Trails Council and local high school track and cross country teams while enjoying a beautiful day of racing!
Participants will enjoy running along the Little Traverse Wheelway, a stunning non-motorized trail that offers breathtaking views of Little Traverse Bay. The mostly paved route features some off-road sections on grass and dirt, making it a unique experience for runners of all levels. With early registration fees set at $70 for the Half Marathon, $45 for the 10K, and $30 for the 5K, participants can also look forward to refreshments, finisher medals, and awards for top male and female runners. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to support the Top of Michigan Trails Council and local high school track and cross country teams while enjoying a beautiful day of racing!
Organiser's Description
Top of Michigan Festival of Races includes a series of races that benefit the Top of Michigan Trails Council and the Petoskey High School Track and Cross Country teams.
The course is run along the Little Traverse Wheelway, a non-motorized trail that runs from Charlevoix, through Petoskey/Bay Harbor and onto Harbor Springs. This year, our course will be out and backs from Petoskey's waterfront. The trail is an excellent venue for runners. The trail is relatively flat and has spectacular views of the Little Traverse Bay. Please note that there are a few off road sections of this route, on grass and dirt.
The Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k start and end in Petoskey. The course is mostly paved, with some sections on grass and a short section on trail, connecting into the Petoskey State Park for the 10k and Half Marathon.
2026 Courses are as follows:
- 5k Course [https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2172451?units=km]
- 10k Course [https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2169319?units=km]
- Half Marathon Course [https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2172446?units=km]
_We expect 2025's to be the same!_
EVENT INFORMATION:
EVENT DATE:
Saturday, May 23, 2026
EVENT LOCATION:
Lime Kiln Kids Fishing Pier, Bayfront Park, Petoskey, MI 49770
EVENT TIMES:
* Friday Packet Pickup - 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm - TBD
* Saturday Packet Pickup - 6:30 am to 7:15 am @ Lim Kiln Kid's Fishing Pier, Bayfront Park
* Half Marathon Race Begins - 7:30 am
* 10K Race Begins - 8:00 am
* 5K Race Begins - 8:15 am
* Awards - TBD
REGISTRATION FEES:
* Half - $70 Early Registration
* 10K - $45 Early Registration
* 5K - $30 Early Registration
* All races will have price increases on February 15, 2026, and again April 15, 2026
REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
* Refreshments
* Finisher Medals
* Top Male/Female Awards
* T-Shirt (cut off May 12th)
Parking Options:
- There are three parking lots along Bayfront Drive open to the public. Please do not use the marina parking lot.
- The park above the bluff (Sunset Park) has a few parking spots available.
- Our friends at Kilwins have offered parking in a portion of their parking lots. This map shows two sections (1&2) available for runners [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gZVbSCQjmbdIlkiRVyEFfUsstA7zaeSS/view?usp=sharing].
Allow for enough time to park and walk to the start line.
The course is run along the Little Traverse Wheelway, a non-motorized trail that runs from Charlevoix, through Petoskey/Bay Harbor and onto Harbor Springs. This year, our course will be out and backs from Petoskey's waterfront. The trail is an excellent venue for runners. The trail is relatively flat and has spectacular views of the Little Traverse Bay. Please note that there are a few off road sections of this route, on grass and dirt.
The Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k start and end in Petoskey. The course is mostly paved, with some sections on grass and a short section on trail, connecting into the Petoskey State Park for the 10k and Half Marathon.
2026 Courses are as follows:
- 5k Course [https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2172451?units=km]
- 10k Course [https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2169319?units=km]
- Half Marathon Course [https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2172446?units=km]
_We expect 2025's to be the same!_
EVENT INFORMATION:
EVENT DATE:
Saturday, May 23, 2026
EVENT LOCATION:
Lime Kiln Kids Fishing Pier, Bayfront Park, Petoskey, MI 49770
EVENT TIMES:
* Friday Packet Pickup - 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm - TBD
* Saturday Packet Pickup - 6:30 am to 7:15 am @ Lim Kiln Kid's Fishing Pier, Bayfront Park
* Half Marathon Race Begins - 7:30 am
* 10K Race Begins - 8:00 am
* 5K Race Begins - 8:15 am
* Awards - TBD
REGISTRATION FEES:
* Half - $70 Early Registration
* 10K - $45 Early Registration
* 5K - $30 Early Registration
* All races will have price increases on February 15, 2026, and again April 15, 2026
REGISTRATION INCLUDES:
* Refreshments
* Finisher Medals
* Top Male/Female Awards
* T-Shirt (cut off May 12th)
Parking Options:
- There are three parking lots along Bayfront Drive open to the public. Please do not use the marina parking lot.
- The park above the bluff (Sunset Park) has a few parking spots available.
- Our friends at Kilwins have offered parking in a portion of their parking lots. This map shows two sections (1&2) available for runners [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gZVbSCQjmbdIlkiRVyEFfUsstA7zaeSS/view?usp=sharing].
Allow for enough time to park and walk to the start line.
Races
-
Half Marathon
Incl. $5.70 Fee & TBD - We'res Still Working on Our Swag for 2026!
Sat 23rd May 2026 (7:30AM EDT)
$75.70
-
10K Run
Incl. $4.20 Fee & TBD - We'res Still Working on Our Swag for 2026!
Sat 23rd May 2026 (8:00AM EDT)
$49.20
-
5K Run/Walk
Incl. $3.30 Fee & TBD - We'res Still Working on Our Swag for 2026!
Sat 23rd May 2026 (8:15AM EDT)
$33.30
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Bayfront Dr., Bayfront Park - Lime Kiln Kid's Fishing Pier, Petoskey, 49770, MI, United States
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