12Ks for the Holidays 2026

The 12Ks for the Holidays begins at The Cedars on Old Canton Road in Jackson, Mississippi, at 7:30 AM on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This holiday charity race features a 12K run, a 5K run, a 5K walk, a virtual run or walk, and a free 1-mile kids’ fun run named “I Ran With Santa.” The event is known as “The Merriest Race in Town” and has been held for more than ten years. The in-person 12K and 5K courses typically go through Jackson’s historic Fondren neighborhood. Runners, walkers, children, virtual participants, and supporters selecting the “Imaginary ELF” shirt-and-door-prize option all contribute to the same fundraiser for the Good Samaritan Center. Funds raised support the center’s Christmas Assistance program, providing toys and holiday food baskets for children and families, and Christmas presents for seniors. Shirts are guaranteed for the first 400 runners and the first fifty children in the Santa fun run.