Chicago holiday races fill three Saturdays and New Year’s Eve in December 2026. This guide covers the Santa Hustle at Soldier Field on December 5, the Jingle Bell Run at the Chicago History Museum and a 4.5-mile trail race in Schiller Woods on December 12, small lakefront group runs on December 12 and 26, and the New Year’s Eve 5K in Lincoln Park on December 31. Dates, start times and fees are given as the organizers listed them on their RunSignup pages on November 12, 2026.
Fees go up on fixed dates, and details can change, so check the race’s own page before you sign up.
December 2026 at a glance
| Date | Race | Place | Distances | Fee (as listed Nov 12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 5 | Santa Hustle Chicago | Soldier Field | 10K, 5K, Kids Dash | 10K $79.99, 5K $64.99, Kids Dash $29.99, plus a sign-up fee |
| Sat, Dec 12 | Jingle Bell Run | Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St. | 5K timed, 5K untimed, 1 mile, virtual | 5K timed $50, 5K untimed $45 |
| Sat, Dec 12 | Universal Sole December Trail Challenge | Schiller Woods West, Grove 2 | 4.5 miles, trail | $55 |
| Sat, Dec 12 and Sat, Dec 26 | Lakefront group runs | Lakefront Trail | 5K, 10K, half marathon, 1-mile family run | from $45 for the 5K |
| Thu, Dec 31 | New Year’s Eve 5K | Lincoln Park, Grove 2, 1735 N Stockton Dr | 5K | $40 plus a sign-up fee |
Holiday races in early December
Santa Hustle Chicago, Saturday, December 5. The race starts at Soldier Field. The Kids Dash for ages 12 and under goes first at 8 a.m., the 10K at 8:15 a.m. and the 5K at 8:30 a.m. On November 12 the entry was $79.99 for the 10K, $64.99 for the 5K and $29.99 for the Kids Dash, each plus a RunSignup fee. After November 30 the prices rise to $95, $75 and $35. The organizers promise holiday music and candy canes and cookies along the course.
Jingle Bell Run, Saturday, December 12. The Chicago edition of this Arthritis Foundation event starts from the Chicago History Museum at 1601 N Clark St. The timed 5K starts at 7:30 a.m. and costs $50; the untimed 5K costs $45. There is also a 1-mile option, and a “Virtual Jingler” entry comes with a shirt and lets you raise money for the cause without running in Chicago. The race page does not list a start time for the 1-mile run or the untimed 5K.
Universal Sole December Trail Challenge, Saturday, December 12. The Universal Sole running store takes this 4.5-mile trail race back to Schiller Woods West, Grove 2, at 8400 West Irving Park Road, on what the store calls the Far Northside of Chicago. The start is at 10 a.m. The organizers describe a flatter off-road course of crushed limestone with rocks and roots, on a mix of single and double track, and warn that rain can make parts of it muddy. The fee is $55 and goes up after November 30.
Small group runs on the lakefront, December 12 and 26
The same organizer lists four small group runs on the Lakefront Trail, two on each Saturday: the Run for Breast Cancer and the Sunrise Marathon on December 12, and A Merry Christmas Run and the New Year’s Run on December 26. Each offers a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, a 1-mile family fun run and a virtual option. Waves start at 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 a.m., and the course map is emailed before race day.
These are not chip-timed races. Timing is optional: you can track your own time with an app and send it in, or ask a coordinator to time you. Each wave has a capped field. Fees on the Sunrise Marathon, Merry Christmas and New Year’s Run pages were $45 for the 5K, $50 for the 10K and $60 for the half marathon; the Run for Breast Cancer listed $49, $55 and $65.
New Year’s Eve 5K, December 31
The last race of the year in Chicago on our list is the New Year’s Eve 5K on Thursday, December 31, at Lincoln Park, Grove 2, 1735 N Stockton Dr. The race page gives a 9 a.m. start. The organizers promise music and a champagne toast at the finish. Entry was $40 plus a sign-up fee on November 12 and rises to $50 after November 14, so this is the first deadline in this guide.
Holiday races in our archive
The Racer’s Hub archive keeps the results of earlier December and New Year’s races. The 2009 Jingle Bell Run (Chicago) was held on December 5, 2009, and the 2010 Jingle Bell Run Chicago on December 4, 2010, both timed by Accu-Split. The 2015 New Years Day race in Chicago has 717 entries in its searchable list. These are past results only; they do not tell you anything about the 2026 races.
To find your own result, open the race page and type your name or bib number into the search box above the list. You can also search the archive for “Jingle”, search for “New Year” or browse all races in Chicago. For Thanksgiving morning, see our turkey trots guide for Chicago, Rockford and Iowa.