5K races near Gretna

The Fried Chicken Festival 5K Run | Walk begins on Lakeshore Drive in New Orleans, near the National Fried Chicken Festival entrance. This morning 5K is scheduled for the festival weekend, accommodating competitive runners, casual walkers, children, families with strollers, and students. The race takes place before the festival opens, followed by a post-race gathering featuring food, drinks, and entertainment. A 5K registration includes admission to the National Fried Chicken Festival with all-day re-entry, positioning the run as the initial activity of a longer festival day. A 1-mile Kids Fun Run is available for participants aged 12 and under, and group discounts are offered for parties of five or more registering together.

The Northshore Half Marathon starts and finishes under big moss-covered oaks in Mandeville, Louisiana, on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The race weekend offers a half marathon, a 10 miler, and the Jockamo IPA 5K, giving runners a choice between a full fall distance goal and shorter options. It comes as South Louisiana begins to cool after a hot training season, so many runners use it to open their fall race calendar. The half marathon and 10 miler run through historic Old Mandeville, along Lakeshore Drive, and onto the Tammany Trace, with the longer courses passing spectator-lined homes and lakeside roads near Fontainebleau State Park. The routes are flat and fast, which is why runners often talk about this one as a personal-best course. Mandeville is close enough to New Orleans and Baton Rouge for an easy race-morning drive, and the event keeps people around afterward with a post-race party.

The NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue is an annual 5K run/walk on the grounds of Heaven's Pets at Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans. It is a fundraiser for animal rescue groups in South Louisiana, with money going to no-kill nonprofit rescues around New Orleans. The 5K is for people only, and runners and walkers can also enter virtually. The event is built around dogs even though they do not run the 5K: pets can join the Second Line Dog Parade and the Blessing of the Pets. NOLA DOGS Charitable Giving is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) founded by JoAnne Casey, owner of Alice and Amelia, and it also runs a major dog auction every October. The group has raised $225,000, supporting rescues that often care for heartworm-positive animals needing immediate veterinary treatment.

The Haunted 5K, 10K, & 13.1M is a Halloween-themed running event in Slidell, Louisiana, starting at 8:00 AM from 105 Robert Blvd. Runners can choose a 5K, 10K, or half marathon, covering 3.1 miles, 6.2 miles, or 13.1 miles. The setup is simple: register ahead of time on RunSignup, as there is no on-site registration. Packet pickup opens 30 minutes before the start and closes 10 minutes before it. The listed parking area is close enough to walk to the start.

The Corporate Classic 5K is a 3.1-mile road race in New Orleans' City Park, held on the second Saturday in November at 8:00 AM. The start is near the Louisiana Children's Museum, and the event welcomes walkers, joggers, and runners. Participants can register individually or form teams with friends or colleagues, fostering a community and workplace atmosphere rather than a purely competitive one. This race also serves a key function: it is the sole 5K qualifier for seeded positions in the Crescent City Classic 10K. The course remains within City Park, offering a direct local 5K before the post-race activities commence. To secure a Crescent City Classic 10K seed, participants must finish in under 27 minutes; the first seeded corral requires a time under 22:30. Corporate teams are categorized by company size, ranging from small businesses to organizations with over 500 employees, with team scores based on the six fastest finishers. Contributions benefit the YMCA Adult Literacy Program. The finish area features medals, shirts, chip-timed bibs, individual and team awards, food, beverages, a live band, a Kids Zone, complimentary child-watch, and an appearance by the Saints mascot GUMBO.

The Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk in the New Orleans area is a 3.1-mile run-or-walk event based in Harvey, with finish-area logistics tied to Gretna. It is not a timed race, so the day leans more toward participation, remembrance, and fundraising than chasing official results. Walkers, runners, wheelchair users, and people with strollers are welcome, while the fastest runners can line up in a front corral if they expect to run under six minutes per mile. The series honors Stephen Siller, the New York City firefighter who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel toward the Twin Towers after the September 11 attacks. The New Orleans event supports the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, with proceeds and donations helping first responders and military families. Firefighter turnout gear and military backpacks are allowed and encouraged, which gives the field a visible link to the people the event is built around.

The Gobbler 5K, 10K, and 13.1M is a road running event in Slidell, Louisiana. All three distances begin at 8:00 AM from the Robert Boulevard area. Participants select a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. Registration must be completed via RunSignup prior to race day; no on-site registration is available. The courses consist of out-and-back repeats. The 5K route is completed twice, the 10K route four times, and the half marathon route six times. Packet pickup is available near the start, opening 30 minutes before the race and closing 10 minutes prior. Parking is within walking distance of the start and finish areas. The event has a 3 hour 30 minute course limit, primarily affecting half marathon participants completing multiple loops.

The ASH Foundation Run/Walk 5K/3K is a December run and walk held in New Orleans, offering in-person 3K and 5K races that begin early in the morning. The course guides participants along the Riverwalk and through Woldenberg Park. These shorter distances keep runners and walkers near the Mississippi riverfront, avoiding a lengthy road course. Virtual 3K and 5K options are also available for those wishing to participate on their own course and support the event. The event is open to adults, with standard and trainee entry options for both distances. All funds collected from individual and group registrations, as well as additional donations, directly benefit ASH's Foundation. Participants in the in-person event must collect their race packets before race day at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Packets include a commemorative shirt, safety pins, and a chip-timed bib. Race-day registration and packet pickup will not be available.