601 Mallery Street, Saint Simons Island GA
Saturday, July 4th, 2026
42nd Annual July 4th Sunshine Festival 5k Race and 1-mile on St Simons Island!
Race Details
- Date: July 4, 2026
- Location: 601 Mallery Street, Saint Simons Island, GA
- Web Address: Visit our official race website.
- Finisher Medals: All 5k and 1-mile finishers will receive medals!
Hotel Discounts
- Sea Palms Resort: Attention Runners! Getting a good night's rest is essential for crushing your 5k race, come stay with us for a quiet and peaceful rest with a view!
- Discount: Use this link for 10% off! Sea Palms Resort (travelclick.com)
Important Notes
- Starting Line: Self-seeded by average expected pace per mile.
- Strollers: ARE ALLOWED: be careful and respectful of the Adaptive Athletes.
- Dogs: ARE NOT ALLOWED due to insurance liability and safety issues.
- Registration: PRE-RACE DAY walk-up registration on July 3rd is available: NO RACE DAY registrations on July 4th.
Pre-Race Day Packet Pickup & Registration
- Date: Thursday, July 3rd, from 4-7 pm (Location to be determined).
- Packet Pickup: Friends or family can pick up your packet but may have to get in multiple lines.
- Shirt Pickup: After picking up your bib, proceed to a different line to pick up your shirt.
Race Day Schedule
- No Race Day Registrations: Registration is not available on race day.
- Packet Pickup: RACE DAY packet pickup available on July 4th, from 6 am - 6:45 am.
- 5k Race Start: 7 am: 1 Mile packet pickup from 6 am until 7:45 am and starts at 8 am.
- Awards Ceremony: 8:30 am.
Starting Line Information
- Location: St Simons Park / Kings Park, 515 Park Ave, St Simons Island, GA 31522.
- Timing: Overall Fastest Male and Female winners scored by gun time: others by chip time.
- Pace Sections: The starting line will be sorted by expected pace with 10 different sections.
- Push Rim Division: Starts 2 minutes ahead of everyone else.
Bathrooms
- Facilities: 2 multi-stall bathrooms across the street in Mallery Park by the ball field.
- Additional Options: 8 bathrooms in the Village Pier Casino building and 8 Porta-potties by the starting line.
On-Site Food and Snacks
- Sandy Bottom Bagels: Bagels available.
- Georgia Watermelon Association: Handing out watermelon.
- Winn-Dixie: Providing oranges, bananas, cookies.
- Starbucks: Serving cold brew.
5K and 1 Mile Routes
- 5K Route: USTAF Certified route, view a preview here.
- 1 Mile Route: Starts and finishes at the 5K starting line.
Awards
- 5K Awards: Overall, Masters, Grand Masters, top 3 male and female finishers in each age group.
- 1 Mile Awards: 1st, 2nd, 3rd male and female for ages 12 and under, and 13 and over.
- Costume Awards: Award for the Best Costume (1st Place only).
- Team Awards: For the Best Team (Largest) and Fastest Team with specific requirements.
Parking Information
- Parking Options: Carpool, be dropped off, ride a bike, or walk when possible.
- Street Parking: Available along Mallery Street, the ballpark area, library, and lighthouse.
July 4th Activities
- Craft Show: Postell Park, featuring 60 artists and makers.
- Golf Cart Parade: July 4, 11:00 am: dress your cart in red, white and blue.
- Live Music: Bands perform throughout the day on the bandstand.
- Fireworks: Display at 9:00 pm: best viewing at Neptune Park and waterfront spots.
Community Impact
- Mission: Proceeds help Golden Isles Track Club promote good health in the community.
Course Map
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