WHIPPER SNAPPER RACES FOR KIDS
June 19, 2026 | Duluth, MN
To 2026 Race Day
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Registration for the 2026 Whipper Snapper Races will open on April 1.
IT’S FOR THE KIDS!
Grandma’s Marathon weekend shouldn’t be just for the adults, so be sure to bring the kids to Bayfront Festival Park for their very own race complete with finisher medals!
Bring them out to Bayfront Festival Park on Friday afternoon on race weekend, and let them join hundreds of other children to get their running fix.
These fun, short-distance races are the perfect way to introduce kids to running or to keep the fire burning bright for your future marathon finisher. You just may have a Grandma’s Marathon champion of the future on your hands!
All participants will receive an official race number, finisher medal, and a goodie bag!
2026 RACE DETAILS
Schedule of Events
YAF Festival for Kids: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
In-Person Registration: 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Whipper Snapper Races: 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
IMPORTANT: The Whipper Snapper Races for Kids are a popular weekend event, so online pre-registration is encouraged to help ease congestion and eliminate waiting time on race day.
BAYFRONT FESTIVAL PARK
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
Heats for the Whipper Snapper Races for Kids will be separated by age group. Races will be run on a rolling basis, as indicated below:
Ages 4 & Younger — 3:30 p.m.
Ages 5 & 6 — 4:00 p.m.
Ages 7 & 8 — 4:30 p.m.
Ages 9-14 — 4:45 p.m.
NOTE: The world-famous mascot race will occur before the kids’ heats begin at 3:30 p.m.
All participants in the Whipper Snapper Races for Kids will receive an official race number and finisher medal. Each participant will also receive a goodie bag at the conclusion of their race.
DECC PARKING RAMP & BAYFRONT FESTIVAL PARK LOT
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
Paid parking on race weekend is available for $10 per day at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) parking ramp the Bayfront Festival Park open lot.
Metered and other paid parking is available in Canal Park or downtown Duluth, which is approximately one-half mile away from the DECC. NOTE: To crossover I-35, or to help protect pedestrians from cold or inclement weather, there is an indoor skywalk system that connects downtown Duluth to the DECC facilities.
Our Whipper Snapper Races for Kids are accessible to our wheelchair and adaptive participants. Families in need of special accommodations can email Event Operations Manager Erin Hamrick at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947.
For answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Grandma’s Marathon race weekend, please click HERE.
YAF FESTIVAL FOR KIDS
Sponsored by the Young Athletes Foundation (YAF), the festival will run from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 19. Activities for the kids will include:
- Bounce House & Inflatables
- Climbing Wall
- Face Painting
- Balance Bikes
- Playfront Park
YOUNG ATHLETES FOUNDATION
The Athletes Foundation (YAF), the charity arm of Grandma’s Marathon, was created in 1990 to assist with the promotion and development of healthy and active lifestyles for youth throughout Carlton, Cook, Douglas, Lake, and St. Louis Counties. Since its inception, the YAF has donated more than $1.3 million to the community’s youth athletic, recreational, and nonprofit organizations.
If you are interested in volunteering for any of our Young Athletes Foundation (YAF) events or have any other questions, please contact our Program Director Alivia Nelson via email at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947.