WinterFest 5k & Fun Run - Thornton, CO

WinterFest 5k & Fun Run - Thornton, CO is held at Carpenter Park in Thornton, Colorado, on December 12, 2026. The listed start is 10:15 AM for the 5k run/walk (3.1 miles), which is chip-timed, alongside an untimed fun run and walk open to all ages and abilities. Every participant gets a hot drink in a collectible mug.

The race sits inside the wider WinterFest celebration, so once you finish there is ice skating, a holiday market, a visit from Santa and a heated beer garden to hang around for. That makes it a good pick if you want the run to be part of a family day rather than the whole of it. Chip timing means the 5k can still be raced properly; if that is your plan, remember Thornton sits at altitude and set your goal pace a little slower than a sea-level equivalent.