Dallas gets a full weekend of running shoes, cheer signs and finish-line hugs when the BMW Dallas Marathon Festival returns to Dallas City Hall Plaza from Friday, December 11 through Sunday, December 13, 2026. It is one of the happiest weekends on the city’s calendar, and this year the biggest races filled up early: the official site lists Sunday’s events as sold out.
Sunday, December 13 is the main event, starting at 8:00 a.m. The full marathon (26.2 miles), the half marathon (13.1 miles), the half marathon walk and the 50K ultra marathon all begin and end downtown, winding through some of Dallas’s most vibrant neighborhoods and iconic landmarks, with cheer stations and on-course entertainment along the way. The marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier, and every entry includes a donation to Scottish Rite for Children, the festival’s primary beneficiary.
Still want to run? Saturday, December 12 is the family’s best way in. The 10K starts at 8:00 a.m., followed by the 5K at 8:10 a.m. and the 5K Walk at 8:15 a.m. Kids take over at 10:00 a.m. with the 100M Dash, and the Oncor Kid’s Race, a one-mile run or walk, follows at 11:00 a.m.
The fun starts Friday, December 11, with the race expo from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the Friday Night Lights Mile at 7:00 p.m., a series of fast and friendly one-mile heats around City Hall Plaza for walkers, beginners, youth and elite runners. Not running at all? Spectators are welcome all weekend, and the finish-line energy at City Hall Plaza is free for everyone. Happy City News will be cheering.
Photo: BMW Dallas Marathon
