Jingle Bell Run - Kankakee, IL

Jingle Bell Run - Kankakee, IL is run in Kankakee, Illinois, on December 6, 2026. Two distances share a 9:00 a.m. start: a timed 5K and a 1-mile run. As at the other stops on this end-of-year series, participants are encouraged to turn up in holiday colors, and entries raise money for the Arthritis Foundation; a shirt, jingle bells and a medal come with the registration.

The timed 5K is where the sporting interest lies: short enough to run hard, standard enough to compare year on year. A regular runner can tackle it without any specific preparation, while a beginner will do better alternating running and walking in the weeks beforehand. The mile, going off at the same time, gives families and walkers an accessible option so that nobody in the group has to sit the morning out.