Elks Halloween 5K and Kids Monster Dash

Elks Halloween 5K and Kids Monster Dash takes place at Pensacola Beach, Florida, on October 31, 2026. Two categories start together at 7:30 a.m. over the same 3.1 miles, a 5K run and a 5K walk, so runners and walkers share both the course and the early start.

Splitting the field into separate run and walk categories is worth noticing: walkers are scored on their own terms instead of finishing as tail-enders in a running race. If you are racing it, the useful preparation is a month with one weekly session at hard 5K effort and easy mileage around it. If you are walking, build up to covering 3.1 miles comfortably a couple of times beforehand and the day takes care of itself. The 7:30 start also means arriving early enough to move before the gun.