WinterFest 5k & Fun Run

Kick off the holiday season with a spirited run/walk at Thornton's Carpenter Park. Choose from the chip-timed 5k, or experience the festive atmosphere in a shorter distance in our untimed Fun Run/Walk.

Stick around after for the festival, including Ice skating, Holiday Marketplace, Santa visits, and the Heated Beer Garden. 

Celebrate the Best of Winter in Thornton, Colorado.  You'll enjoy a warm drink at the finish line in your festive collectible mug.

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For details about this event, click on the menu options under "Race Info" or scroll to the very bottom of this page for links to other pages on this site.

Date: Thursday Dec 10, 2026

Time: 4-7pm

Location: Road Runner Sports Westminster

Address: 10442 Town Center Dr, Ste 300, Westminster, CO 80021 

APPU FAQs:

Yes, you can pick up for a friend or send someone to pick up for you!
Yes, we will accept walk up registrations during advanced packet pick up.
Yes, you can pick up your packet during advanced packet pick up even if you just signed up!

5k COURSE:

Lollipop course with a shared start and finish area at the north end of the Carpenter Park campus.

Course Surface: Mostly concrete with small section of dirt/crushed gravel. We will run in any and all conditions - rain/snow/shine.  Trails will be in "as is" condition. Plan your footwear accordingly.

Aid Stations: There will be no aid stations on course.  There are two opportunities for restrooms on the course at the park fixed location bathrooms.

Course Cut Off: There is no cut off time for this event

CLICK HERE for an interactive 5k map.

Family Run/Walk:

This short run starts near the main finish line and finishes just like the 5k event through the main archway!  CLICK HERE for an interactive fun run map.

Most FAQs are answered on our parent website, 3WRaces.com. CLICK HERE to be redirected.

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One of the most common questions regarding a race in Colorado in December is "What about the weather?" 

We will produce the event under almost any conditions.  If there is active lightning, a tornado warning, or white-out blizzard conditions, then the event may be postponed (up to 1 hour) or canceled.  Registrants will be notified - see the FAQ page for details. There is no alternate date scheduled for the event.  Of course, event swag would be made available to registrants at an alternative date/location, if this is ever the case.  For those who are concerned about such conditions, an event protection optional coverage is something to consider and is made available at the time of registration.  Likewise, advance registration is NOT required and you may register online or in-person up until the start time of the event.  Additionally, there are options to transfer to another race date/location owned by 3W Races if you chose to transfer at least 72 hours before the start of the event.  See the FAQ page for details and instructions on how to complete such a transfer.

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Water - There will be NO water stations on the course for this race. Water will be provided in the expo area. Please keep in mind that all 3W Events maintain a cup-free finish area so cups will not be provided.  Bring your own water bottle. You can leave your water bottle at the expo/finish area if you desire!

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Dogs and Strollers - are welcome on this course.  Please make sure to have complete control of your dog or your stroller at all times.  Dogs must be kept on a short leash and you MUST stop to clean up after your dog - even in the middle of your race.

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If you have more questions not answered there, email us: info@3wraces.com

Jan: 5k = $10 / Fun Run = $8
Feb - April: 5k = $15 / Fun Run= $10
May - Sept: 5k = $20 / Fun Run = $12
Oct - Nov 19th: 5k = $25 / Fun Run = $15
Nov 20th until night before event @ 4PM: 5k = $30 / Fun Run = $20
Race Day: 5k = $40 / Fun Run = $25

GROUPS: 
Join a TEAM during registration and when your group reaches 5 or more members, everyone gets $5 off!  (See FAQ for details.)  Discounts honored ONLINE only in advance of race day and do not apply for the fun run.

Want to win some cool stuff including 3W Races vouchers, gift cards, and gear from sponsors?  Bring 5 or more items to donate to Food for Hope on race day and you'll be entered into the exclusive race day raffle!! Drop off items before you run at the charity table near the 3W Race's tent in the expo. After you race, view the RAFFLE board at the registration tent to see if your bib number was pulled for a prize!

Food for Hope's Current Needs:

• Sugar (2 & 5lb bags)
• Ready to eat soup (Chunky, Progesso, etc.)
• Tea (in bags)
• Ground coffee
• Canned fruit
• Dried fruit (dates, figs, apricots, and raisins)

At Food for Hope, we strive to uphold the school district food policy, therefore we can't distribute expired food. Please help us follow this standard of providing quality & nutritious food by checking the expiration date on your food before you donate!

9:15 - 10:00 AM: Race Day Registration/ Late Packet Pick-Up

10:10 AM Fun Run/Walk Start

10:15 AM 5K Start

11:00 AM Post-Race Awards 

We’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Sneakers4Funds to provide you with a socially responsible way to donate your gently worn, used or new sneakers and running shoes to a good cause we support! The sneakers will help benefit Growing Home as well as give a hand up, not a handout, to micro-enterprises in 25 developing countries. The athletic shoes will be kept out of landfills where they can take decades to fully decompose. Visit Sneakers4Funds to learn more!

It's super simple! All you need to do is bring your lightly worn athletic shoes and sneakers to the race (either race day or at packet pick up). We collect them and mail them and a donation is made to Growing Home! 

Please donate only gently worn, used, and new athletic shoes.  These sneakers, trainers, and other athletic shoes will be worn again by people in developing nations, so please make sure there are no holes or soles falling off and that they are in wearable condition.  Dress shoes, sandals, brown shoes, flip flops, cleats, etc. and other shoes that are NOT athletic shoes will NOT be accepted. 

Please tie your shoes together or put a rubber band around the pair! 

5K:

10 year age groups will be recognized:

Age groups 5k: M/F 0-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+

The top 3 Men and Women will be recognized as well as the top three m/f in each of the above listed age groups.

The event is CHIP TIMED.  OVERALL Winners (top three m/f) are scored based on GUN TIME.  All others (age groups) are scored based on chip time. 

Your chip time starts when your timing chip crosses the start line.  Your timing chip is adhered to the back of your race bib (race number.)  You will receive this number from the registration volunteers when you pick up your shirt/race packet.  Please wear the bib that is assigned to YOU and not to someone else in your family.  Please wear the bib on the FRONT, OUTSIDE of your clothing just above your hips.  If you wear a bib assigned to someone else or do not wear the bib HORIZONTALLY on the front, outside of your clothing, your result may not register and you will be ineligible for awards.

RESULTS will be sent to you electronically upon finishing (if you opt in for that option during registration) and will be available to view here LIVE during the event and after the race.  Please email us if you find an error, in the case that you wore someone else's bib or your age/gender information, name spelling, etc is incorrect.  info@3wraces.com  RESULTS will be posted LIVE during the event on the RESULTS PAGE.

Family Walk/Run

There will be no awards given for this untimed event. 

All runners will receive an awesome finishers mug. Come get in some miles and then warm up with cocoa in your proudly earned collectable, finisher mug with your fellow runners.  2025 Mug is pictured below.

Compliments of the City of Thornton, all registered racers (21+) get ONE FREE BEER in the beer garden after the event!

- Redeemable on RACE DAY only until 2 PM.

We are very exited to partner with Food For Hope for the Winterfest 5K & Fun run. Food for Hope delivers food to local children in Adams County.  Bring your in-kind food donations on race day for a chance to win a raffle prize! Your generous donations go directly to LOCAL Adams County children.  Food for Hope programs include:

During the 2023-24 School year, Food for Hope supported over 3,700 on a monthly basis in all food programming in Adams County Schools. Our weekend bag program distributed over 21,000 bags, over 113,000 snacks with the School Fuel Program while also running In-School Food Pantry Programs. 

As of the 2025-2026 School Year, Food for Hope is now operating nine in-school/district site food banks at:
Adams 14 - Hope Center
27J - Brighton Learning and Resource Center
Pinnacle Charter School
Shadow Ridge Middle School
McElwain Elementary School
STEM Launch
Northglenn High School

Mapleton Schools

Coronado Elementary 

These locations provide fresh and shelf-stable groceries for students and their families who attend school in these communities and need nutritional support.

Learn more about what items to bring for donation and how to be entered into the race day raffle HERE!

We are proud to partner with Sneakers4Funds! When you donate your gently used or new athletic shoes, a donation is made to our ongoing charity partner, Growing Home! 

Bring your shoes to Advanced Packet Pick Up or on Race day! Click here for more info!