Tacky Sweater 5k Run/Walk

🎄✨ HO HO HO and Welcome to the TACKIEST 5K of the Year! ✨🎄

Straight from the North Pole (okay, maybe more like South Carolina), it’s your jolly friend Christmas here, and I’m inviting YOU to jingle all the way through the woods at the Tacky Sweater 5K! 🎅🧣🎽 This isn’t just any run—it’s a full-blown festive fashion disaster parade on the move! Whether the forecast calls for snowflakes ❄️ or sweat beads 💦, nothing stops a South Carolina runner in a sweater covered in tinsel, blinking lights, and pure holiday joy! 🌟

 
🦌 Tacky Day Details:

🎄 WHEN: Race kicks off at 10:00am sharp (don’t be late—Santa's watching!)

🎁 WHERE: Lakewood Nature Preserve – 220 Lakewood Dr., Greenville, SC

🎁 PACKET PICKUP: Begins one hour before the run (plenty of time to fluff your sweater pom-poms!)

Get ready for 2 festive loops (1.5 miles each) through the wild & whimsical woods of Lakewood! The trails are wide, grassy, and sprinkled with just enough hills to jingle your bells 🎶. Keep your eyes peeled for curious critters who might just mistake your outfit for a holiday decoration gone rogue! 🐿️🦃🦌

• COURSE MAP HERE

 
🎉 TACKY SWEATER CONTEST 🎉

This is where the magic ✨ (and the mayhem) happens!

🎅 CASH PRIZES for the most spectacularly ridiculous sweaters:

🥇 1st – $50

🥈 2nd – $25

🥉 3rd – $10

👕 Rules of the Reindeer Runway:

Sweaters MUST be worn the entire race (not tied around your waist like a last-minute elf escape).

🎨 Creativity – The wilder, the better (lights? ornaments? 3D candy canes? YES.)

🎄 Theme – Bonus for holiday or running-inspired looks!

🧶 DIY Vibes – Homemade disasters get extra love.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All ages & styles welcome—kids, grownups, even your festive four-legged friends! 🐶

🧑‍🎄 Best Group Sweater – Grab your crew, match your holiday chaos, and shine together!

📸 Photo Finish Required – Strike a pose at the "Tacky Sweater Finish Line" (go ahead, throw in some jazz hands!).

🎤 Judging Tent Fun – Head there post-race to show off your style and collect your prizes!

🙌 Spectator Votes Count! Loud cheers, claps, and votes at the post-race party help crown the People’s Choice!

🌲 After the Race:

Kick back by the barn, soak up the holly-jolly vibes, and sip on holiday cheer (BYOB-style! 🧃🎅). Enjoy festive tunes, fun photo ops, and all the cozy feels as we celebrate the season together. So grab your most horrendous holiday sweater (the itchier, the better), lace up those jingle-joggers, and run wild through the woods in full festive fashion. 🎄💨 This is one holiday event you’ll remember fa-la-la-long after the season’s gone!

Upstate Race Series Registration Policies & Options

✅ Transfers

• Registered participants may transfer their entry to another person through their RunSignUp profile
• Transfer & Manage Registration HERE

✅ Distance Changes

• Participants may switch to a different race distance (e.g., drop from Half Marathon to 5K).
• Switch Distance & Manage Registration HERE

✅ Club & Referral Discounts

• Join the Upstate Running Club and receive 15% OFF registration.
• Refer 2+ runners and receive $5 OFF.

✅ Race Shirts & Swag

• Race shirts are sold and shipped separately.
• Finisher medals and awards (age group & overall) are not shipped.

✅ Refunds & Deferrals

• No refunds or deferrals will be offered (unless the event sells out).
• If the race sells out, you may request a 50% OFF code for a future Upstate Race Series event.