The São Silvestre International Race is a 15 km road race held in São Paulo on the last day of the year, starting and finishing on Avenida Paulista. It is Brazil's most traditional street race, attracting approximately 55,000 registered participants across separate starts for wheelchair athletes, other PCD categories, elite women, elite men, premium runners, and the general field. The race is significant enough for live national television coverage, allowing amateur runners to share the same city streets as the elite athletes competing for victory.
The course winds through São Paulo's streets and avenues, distinct from a park loop or track circuit, integrating the race with the city center and its New Year's Eve atmosphere. Journalist Cásper Líbero established the event after observing a French night race where participants carried fire torches. Early road events in São Paulo and Piracicaba also influenced its development. The inaugural edition was small by current standards, with 60 athletes registered, 48 starting, and 37 finishing, the winner finishing three minutes ahead of the last classified runner.