NYRR Midnight Run

NYRR Midnight Run is New York City's way of running into the new year, staged in Central Park on December 31, 2026, with the start at 11:59 p.m. The distance is 4 miles (6.4 km), setting off from the Naumburg Bandshell and winding through the park as fireworks go up at midnight. Thousands of runners take part, many of them in costume, and music, snacks and a lively gathering back at the Bandshell follow the finish.

Four miles is short enough that almost any regular runner can enjoy it, but the hour is the real variable. Plan your day around a late start: eat your main meal early in the evening, nap in the afternoon if you can, and keep the pre-race warm-up short so you are not standing around cold. Central Park's rolling terrain means the pace fluctuates, so run by feel rather than by splits, and dress for standing in the corral as much as for the run itself.