2026 Run for the Children 5K 10K and Fun Run

Run for the Children is an annual race morning at Etowah River Park in Canton, Georgia, featuring a 5K run/walk, a 10K run, a Fun Run, and a Santa’s Helper option for those who want to support the event without racing. The Service League of Cherokee County hosts it, with a schedule designed for families as much as runners: the Fun Run starts first, followed by the 5K and 10K together. The event maintains a practical and local format. The 5K and 10K are timed by BT Race Timing, but are not chip timed; finishers submit a card with their name, age, bib number, and gender to appear in results and qualify for awards. The 5K and 10K offer awards for overall winners, masters winners, and age groups from 10 and under through 80 and over, while Fun Run finishers receive a commemorative ribbon. Schools have an additional incentive to bring participants, with a cash prize for the school with the most attendees, and runners receive bananas and water post-race.