Manhattan Irish Fest Parade 5k 2027

The Manhattan Irish Fest Parade 5k is a fast, flat road race in Manhattan, Illinois, run as part of the town’s Irish Fest and parade day. The race does something unusual: it starts the parade and sends runners along the parade route before the festival crowds settle into the rest of the day. Prairie State Road Runners presents it in cooperation with the Irish American Society of County Will, and the field is capped at 520 runners, with entries open across a very wide age range. After the finish, runners get into the main festival tent for awards, food, and beverages, so the race feeds straight into the Irish Fest gathering instead of ending as a standalone 5K. Overall and age-group awards are handed out in the tent, and unclaimed awards can be picked up later at Manhattan Public Library. The parade also affects the practical side: parking in town is tight, so participants are pointed toward the Metra station. A sweeper moves at a 20-minute-per-mile pace, and runners need to stay ahead of it for a guaranteed official time.