Beer City Half™ Santa Rosa

Wind down FeBREWary in Santa Rosa with Beer City Half™! See the sights, run the trails, and drink the brews that have made Santa Rosa famous world-round. Beer City Festival is a full day on a full weekend. Drink local and dig it! (ProTip: Capacity is limited and this event sells out.)

revised August 1, 2023

Welcome to the 2024 race! Registration is open.

10.19.2023 Introducing the Beer City Series! In 2024 we will offer a the Beer City Slam, 4 half marathon events with aggregate scoring. Each race will have it's own awards but we will also be tracking and scoring overall results from the series! You can learn more about the series at BeerCitySeries.com and see the scoring there as well.

What is the Beer City Series? How does it work? How do I win?

Beer City Half is a series of 7 events in Northern and Southern California. Each race has champions and age group winners like any other race. When you race, you're automatically entered into the series results. The races take place in Alameda, Fremont, Orange County, Long Beach, Sacramento, San Jose, and Santa Rosa. You can learn more about the series at BeerCitySeries.com The series results are here. 

Where can I find info about the courses?

Right here on the Course page.

What kind of schwag is there?

Each finisher receives The Key Beer City medal (which doubles as a bottle opener). Hold it close! All finishers also receive a custom Beer City Half shirt and a special Beer City tasting glass made from recycled plastic. Yay sustainability!

Is there packet pickup? When is it? Where is it? Can I pickup race day?

There is packet pickup on Friday, February 23 from 3-6pm at Fleet Feet Santa Rosa, 720 Third Street. Yes, you can pickup for friends. No, this isn't required. You can pickup on race morning too. To wit:

On race day, there is bib pickup starting just after 7am at the Start at A Place to Play.

Will there be beer? What else will be at the finish?

There will be beer tastes for racers over 21 years of age as well as non-alcoholic beer and other drinks like bubbly water and soda pop. Beer drinking ends at noon at the Finish. There will also be post-race treats including Bellwether Farms yogurt, as well as fruit.

Where does the race start and finish?

All races start and finish at A Place to Place to Play Santa Rosa (2375 W 3rd St, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Click here for directions.)

Where do I park?

Parking is available at A Place to Play. Click here for directions. 

What's the Beer Stroll about?

It's a stroll with beer. We have found that folks come with friends who want a taste of beer and something to do. So we send you off with a taste of beer. You walk a mile. You have more beer. It's fun! You also get the same schwag as your over-achieving front or spouse who's running the full race. You don't have to be over 21 to take part in the Beer Stroll. Only if you want the beer part.

What's Race The Rex about?

Shout out to our friends at Mendocino Running Festival, this is an insanely great take on the Beer Mile. Like a beer mile you drink 4 beers over 1 mile of running. With Race The Rex, you have to stay ahead of the T-Rex who may run slower that you do -- but definitely drinks faster. Don't get caught by the Rex or you are OUT of the race.

What''s the Beer City Celebration about?

Join us at Moonlight Brewing in Santa Rosa and party all afternoon! There will be special taproom activities just for SF Beer Week and we will have School of Rock joining us to rock the house. Your $8 ticket covers your first beer.

What's your refund policy?

We have an expansive and generous deferral and transfer policy. 

Beer City practices radical acceptance of deferrals and transfers. You can defer or transfer at any time up until race day (but not after the race has taken place.) This includes gifting your registration to a friend.

Here are your options. You can:

• Defer until next year's race. We sign you up automatically after registration opens for next year's race.
• Transfer your race to a friend. They can come and enjoy a good time.
• Transfer to any other Beer City between now and a year from now. You join us in the future!

All of these options are available to you by selecting Manage Registration in your profile. Here is a little tutorial on how to manage your registration.  It's all free of charge. 

As to refunds, we don't offer cash refunds under any circumstance. Please consider purchasing race insurance. This is exactly what it's here for.

Each Beer City Half runner receives the special Santa Rosa Key to Beer City, a comfy Beer City Santa Rosa t-shirt, a 7oz Beer City tasting glass, custom bib, and free race photos. 

Podium trophies are given to the top 3 in each race by gender. Age group awards are given 3-deep in 10-year divisions (example: 20-29). Age group winners are requested to identify themselves at the timing table.

All runners are entered into the Beer City Series results and our Slammers receive a special lanyard that holds all the keys. Collect them all -- gotta run first!

Race the Rex and The Beermazing Race have their own treats and rewards as well.

Friday, February 21 - Bib Pickup (optional)
4:00pm - 6:00pm at Fleet Feet Santa Rosa, 720 Third Street, Santa Rosa

Saturday, February 22 - Beer City Festival

Beer City Half
A Place to Play, 2375 W 3rd St, Santa Rosa
Click here for directions

7:00 am: Registration and bib pickup opens 
8:30 am: Half Marathon Start
8:45 am: 10k Start
9:00 am: 5k Start
9:10 am: Beer Stroll Start
11:00 am: Race the Rex 12:00pm: Post race drinking concludes 

Beer City Shindig
Moonlight Brewing, 3350 Coffey Lane Suite D, Santa Rosa

1:00 pm: Shindig begins!
2:00 pm: School of Rock kicks off
5:00 pm: Shindig winds down.
5:05 pm: Beer City closing sing along.

The Beermazing Race

1:00 pm: Beermazing Racers gather at Shindig (Moonlight Brewing)
1:05 pm: Instructions are read; capes are distributed. Beermazers are off.
5:00 pm: Beermazing Racers return to Moonlight. 
5:05 pm: Beer City closing sing along.

Beer City Half offers our runners over 21 years of age a selection of beer from Lagunitas, as well as pours from a collection of our local brewer friends. There will also be non-alcoholic Hop Water as well as the water, bubbly drinks we provide.

Beer will be served in 7oz Beer City  tasting glasses for you to take home (without a beer in them still).

Also, there will be bubbly water and sodas, as well as snacks for everyone, including Bellwether Farms yogurt and fruit.