The Merriest Night: Run & Holiday Festival

The Merriest Night: Run & Holiday Festival takes place in Mantua Township, New Jersey, on December 13, 2026. Three formats go off together at 3:30 p.m.: a 5K, a Youth Mile, and Daisy's Reindeer Run, a 200-meter dash for the youngest participants. The late-afternoon start is the distinguishing feature, since most December races send you off at dawn instead.

The 5K is the format for anyone chasing a time, and an afternoon gun changes how you prepare: eat normally through the day, then leave yourself a full 20 minutes of warming up before you race. Families are well served here, with a mile for youth runners and a short dash for small children, so the event works as much as an outing as it does as a race.