Skipton Santa Fun Run 2026

The Great Skipton Santa Fun Run is a charity run and walk in Skipton, with hundreds of people in seasonal attire moving through town before the Christmas Lights switch-on. It began in 2010 with 400 participants on a five kilometre route starting and finishing at Aireville Park. The event now starts and finishes on Skipton High Street, and anyone aged six or over can join, from solo runners to family teams and community groups. The main route is a 5k loop around Skipton, going through Aireville Park and Skipton Woods. There is also a shorter 3k route for walkers and wheelchair users, starting on the High Street and circling Aireville Park; dogs on leads are allowed only on that shorter route. Fundraising is central to the day: the run has supported Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, Martin House Hospice, and other local charities, with recent editions drawing about 2,500 participants, dozens of commercial sponsors, and tens of thousands of pounds for end-of-life care and bereavement support.