5K races near Kalkaska

The Zombie Run is a Halloween 5K in Traverse City, hosted by Right Brain Brewery. Participants are encouraged to wear zombie costumes, making the field less about a standard road-race look and more about fake blood, undead outfits, and people enjoying the theme. Following the run, attendees remain for a medal ceremony, costume prizes, music, post-race refreshments, and zombie socializing. All proceeds benefit TART Trails, the local trail organization, giving the event a practical community purpose beyond the Halloween atmosphere.

The TCTC Jingle Bell Run is a nighttime holiday 5K run and walk in Traverse City, Michigan. It starts and finishes at the Park Place Hotel, with participants heading out after dark in December for a relaxed, non-timed route. The event is for runners and walkers of all ages and abilities, and current Traverse City Track Club members can enter for free. The course uses neighborhood streets beside downtown Traverse City, where homes and blocks are lit up with holiday decorations. More than 600 people usually join, many wearing costumes, holiday outfits, and lights, with costume prizes adding to the low-pressure feel. After the run, people gather for complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, and each participant receives a custom Jingle Bell Run ornament.