Kids Can Now Run 5 Popular Races Free In Northern Minnesota

Grandma's Marathon, one of the Top 10 largest marathons in the United States, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, and on Saturday, June 20, thousands of participants will once again run the scenic course from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota.

To celebrate its 50th annual race weekend and honor the community’s continued commitment to the event, officials announced a special initiative that they hope inspires a new generation of runners.

Grandma’s Marathon is now offering free youth entries to five local races the organization sponsors throughout the year that support the Young Athletes Foundation.

The Young Athletes Foundation (YAF) is the charitable arm of Grandma's Marathon, dedicated to getting kids active and healthy by supporting youth sports through grants, scholarships for equipment/fees, and running shoe programs, helping local kids access sports opportunities and build positive lifestyles.

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Which Races Can Kids Run Free Of Charge In 2026?

Grandma's says there were 841 youth participants during the 2025 Young Athletes Foundation race schedule, plus more than 3,000 participants in the already free kids’ events in the Duluth area, such as Wednesday Night/Saturday Morning at the Races, and organizers are hopeful this new initiative will make those events even more accessible to the community’s families with kids.

All children aged 18 and under can enter any of the following races free of charge in 2026:

Saint Fennessy 4K on Saturday, March 14
Fitger’s 5K on Saturday, April 18
Park Point 5-Miler & 2-Mile Walk on Thursday, July 16
Minnesota Mile on Friday, September 11
Superior Nightmare 5K on Saturday, October 24

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"Removing the element of cost for these races opens the door for more kids to run, play, and discover what they’re capable of. That’s how healthy lifestyles start – by giving kids access,” Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider said.

Young Athlete's Foundation Race Information and Registration

Registration for the first three of the 2026 events, the Saint Fennessy 4K, Fitger’s 5K, and Park Point 5-Miler & 2-Mile Walk, will open on January 1.

HAVE YOU SEEN ME? 30 Kids Missing From Minnesota

As of December 4, 2025, 27 children are missing from across Minnesota who have still not been found, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. If you have seen any of them, or have any information on their whereabouts, please don’t hesitate to call 911, or you can call the National Center at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST).

Gallery Credit: Minnesota Now