The Meet Me at Waterfront Park 5K presented by Brooks Running will take place along the waterfront on Saturday, May 31. Registration and check-in will be located in the plaza outside of Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion. The start line is on Alaskan Way near the Pike Street Hillclimb and Ocean Pavilion. The finish line is at Pier 62 and will be followed by a Community Celebration open to everyone featuring food, music, family-friendly activities and more!

• Adults are $45 to register while kids remain $20.

If we’re not sold out by May 28, adults will be $55 and kids remain $20. The kids dash for ages 12 and under is free, but registration is highly recommended so we can know how many to plan for!

All proceeds support the work of Friends of Waterfront Park in programming and stewarding Waterfront Park, today and into the future.

The 5K will have three unique start times. You can choose which time is best suited to your needs when you register:

• 7:55 a.m. – You care about your finish time and do not want to get stopped by ferry traffic. You will have 35 minutes of uninterrupted run time. Past 35 minutes you might get stopped for vehicles entering or exiting the ferry terminal.
• 8:20 a.m. – You mostly care about your time, but also wouldn’t bother you too much to stop to let a car or two through.
• 8:40 a.m. – You are a more casual runner or walker, just out with your family or friends enjoying the new waterfront, and would actually welcome a little break to let a few ferry cars through. You will have until 10:00am to reach the half way point (1.55 miles).

The Kids Dash starts at 8:05 a.m., and the Community Celebration will begin after the race around 10 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m., so join the fun whenever you can!

It is a flat out-and-back course, exclusively along the waterfront. You will start on Alaskan Way and head south towards the ferry terminal, with a water stop at the turn around at S. Massachusetts Street. You will return via the pedestrian path with a grand finish on the brand new Waterfront Park Promenade.

View the 5K course map on MapMyRun

Skip the race day lines, sleep in a little, pick up your stuff before race day. You may pick up other people’s packets. Anyone who picks up at either of our packet pickup options will be entered in to win a pair of Brooks running shoes!

Thursday, May 29 

• 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Packet Pickup at West Seattle Runner
• 2743 California Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116
• West Seattle Runner has generously offered 10% off your entire purchase when you show your bib, if you need to pick up any pre-race essentials!

Friday, May 30 

• 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Packet Pickup at Brooks Trailhead
• 3400 Stone Way N Seattle, WA 98103
• Bring in your race bib into the Brooks Trailhead store after the race (May 31 – June 30) for a one-time 15% discount off of all Brooks products. Thank you to the Brooks team for their generous partnership!

Participants may walk the 5K, and while there’s no time limit the closed portion of Alaskan Way will be re-opened at 10 a.m., so participants should clear the halfway point (1.55 miles) prior to that time.

The kids dash is a free .25 mile run for kids 12 and under. Please check in at the kid’s registration tent and they will receive a race bib. The course begins at the same start line as the full race. Please feel free to run with your kids or simply cheer them on at the finish line, and each child participating will receive a prize at the finish!

We strongly encourage participants to consider taking public transportation, rideshare services, or carpooling. Metro Transit offers bus and light rail routes that take you within a 15-minute walk of the waterfront. Visit King County’s website to plan your trip. Visitors coming from West Seattle and Vashon Island can take a 15-minute Water Taxi ride and disembark at Pier 50.

If you plan to drive, please allow ample time for parking and note that Alaskan Way southbound between the Seattle Aquarium and S. will be closed to traffic between 7:00 – 10:00 a.m. on race day.

Pike Place Market Garage is the closest garage to the start and has two entrances on Western Avenue:

• 1531 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA map
• 1901 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA map

Other nearby lot options include Republic Parking and the Hillclimb Garage.

Free Parking: 

Thank you to First & Goal for providing complimentary parking for up to 1,100 participants at the Lumen Field garage, located at 330 S Royal Brougham Way!

• To park at this garage, you will need to show the parking voucher given to you at packet pick up to the attendant as you enter the garage.

• All vehicles using this parking voucher must exit the garage by 2 p.m., or you will be charged the full daily rate. 

• This garage is about a mile away from the starting line, but the free Waterfront Shuttle will be available to pick you up from Occidental Ave S. and S. Royal Brougham, running every 15 minutes from 6:00 – 10:00 a.m. You will be dropped off at Western Ave and University Street, about two blocks from check-in and the starting line.

• The Waterfront Shuttle will run on its normal schedule after 10 a.m., and will return you to King Street Station.

Metered street parking is available throughout downtown. Please note street parking has a limited two- or four-hour-time limit, so plan accordingly. Visit downtownseattleparking.org for more information about parking in downtown Seattle.

Parking apps like SpotHero , ParkWhiz or Parkopedia allow you to book a parking spot downtown ahead of time.

This 5K takes place on an active waterfront, and you will have to cross over the ferry terminal traffic lanes. We have worked very closely with Washington State Ferries and the Port of Seattle to inform race start times and avoid as much traffic as possible. However, there is still a good chance that you will be stopped if you are in Waves 2 and 3. Please listen to the traffic officers and course monitors as they will be assisting both drivers and 5K participants to minimize impacts for everyone. The quicker we are able to pause for ferries, the quicker we can get you back running or walking and we of course will have plenty of fun with surprises along the way to make it go quicker if you are stopped!

All registration fees and donations will go to Friends of Waterfront Park, the 501c3 nonprofit partner to the City of Seattle responsible for managing and stewarding the park. Your gift powers free community events, keeps the park green and welcoming, and brings public art to life along the waterfront. Every dollar helps create a vibrant, inclusive space where people can connect—with nature, with art, and with each other.

Aside from the chance to be part of history with the first ever 5K through Waterfront Park, you’ll get a race t-shirt from Brooks Running, custom commemorative race bib, a finisher’s pin, free race photos, chip timing, fully supported closed course and followed by a free, open Community Celebration (even if you didn’t participate in the 5K).

You will receive your shirt when you pick up your bibs. You will receive your commemorative finisher’s pin when you cross the finish line!

Please note race shirts are limited quantity; we recommend registering early to ensure you receive one!

Yes, bike racks will be located near the entrance of Pier 62. Don’t forget to bring your own locks!

Results will be posted on here immediately after crossing the finish line, and we will email participants with follow up results as well. Prizes for top 3 male, female and non-binary runners in the 5K include Brooks running gear and gift certificates, with bonus prizes for a number of surprise categories! First place finisher in each age group will receive a small prize.

Porta-potties will be available at the start and finish areas. There will not be any toilets along the route. Please go before you start!

There will be a secure gear check available. Please do not leave any valuable items as we are not responsible for lost or stolen items. Gear check will close at 10:30am.

Strollers are welcome, but we ask that you line up at the back of the starting line.

Unfortunately, due to insurance restrictions, we are not allowed to have furry friends out on the course, unless of course they are a service animal. However, they are more than welcome to join the fun on Pier 62 after the race during the Community Celebration, as long as they are on a leash!

Scooters, bikes or unicycles will not be allowed on the course.

There will be one aid station on the 5K course serving water, at the turnaround point on S Massachusetts. Thank you to Reuse Seattle for providing reusable cups and allowing us to reduce waste!

You will be well fed and hydrated at the finish with Boon Boona coffee, Partner’s Crackers, Talking Rain, That’s It Fruit Bars and the Amazon Banana Stand. There will also be multiple food trucks at the Community Celebration on Pier 62 selling additional refreshments.

We will have a baby changing station with a changing table, wipes and changing pads and a nursing station in a private, relaxed tent for anyone that needs it.

Yes! We’d love your help in making sure the event runs smoothly. View all available volunteer roles on the registration site.

No – it’s free for the community!

Join us after the 5K for a free post-race Community Celebration featuring live music performances, local food and drink vendors, and activities for the whole family on Overlook Walk and Pier 62.

In deep collaboration with individuals, communities, and institutional partners, Friends of Waterfront Park’s mission is creating, caring for, and activating a renewed place of connection on Seattle’s central shoreline. As the non-profit partner to the City of Seattle, Friends raises financial support to activate programming, construction, and partners with Seattle Center to ensure public safety and maintenance at Waterfront Park.

Please email [email protected] with any questions or specific accommodation requests for events. Learn more about accessibility at Waterfront Park.