The Great Pumpkin Race 2026

The Great Pumpkin Race is a Halloween-season in-person race in Canton, Ohio, based at the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities on Whipple Avenue NW. The event is built around short, accessible distances: a 100-yard Lil' Pumpkin Dash for kids ages 7 and under, 1-mile run/walk options, and 4-mile run/walk options, with separate 1-mile and 4-mile events for Special Olympians. The setup is practical for families and mixed groups, with indoor holding areas and restrooms at race headquarters. Wheelchairs, strollers, and dogs are welcome, and there is no virtual option. The race marks its 28th anniversary and also links into a spooky running tradition: anyone who finishes the Great Pumpkin 4 Miler plus any Haunted Forest distance earns a special 9 LIVES CHALLENGE MEDAL.