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!
Finisher Medals
- Available for: All 5k and 1-mile finishers!
Website
- Official Site: This is our OFFICAL Race Website!
Hotel Discount
- Location: Sea Palms Resort
- Offer: Use this link for 10% off! Sea Palms Resort (travelclick.com)
- Recommendation: Getting a good night's rest is essential for crushing your 5k race.
Important Notes
- Pacing: Starting Line is 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: NO RACE DAY registrations on July 4th: PRE-RACE DAY walk-up registration available on July 3rd.
Race Day Details
- Date: July 4th, 2026
- Location: Kings Park basketball courts (Park & Mallery streets)
- 5k Race Starts: 7 am
- 1 Mile Run Starts: 8 am
Starting Line
- Location: St Simons Park / Kings Park, 515 Park Ave, St Simons Island, GA 31522 (Across from Mallery Park)
- Seeding: The line will stretch all the way back to Oak Street: self-seed by pace.
- Push Rim Division: Starts 2 minutes ahead of everyone else.
Bathrooms
- Facilities: 2 multi-stall bathrooms in Mallery Park: 8 bathrooms in Village Pier Casino building on Beachview Drive.
- Restrooms: 8 Porta-potties by the starting line.
Photos
- Provider: Sports in Motion Photography.
- Access: Digital images are provided for FREE!
- View Photos: Look for an email or visit www.simphotos.com.
Food and Snacks On-Site Race Day
- Sandy Bottom Bagels: Bagels
- Parkers: Water handing out water bottles
- Georgia Watermelon Association: Handing out watermelon
- Starbucks: Serving cold brew
5K Route
- Certification: USTAF Certified 5k route.
- Video Preview: MapMyRun
1 Mile Route
- Start and Finish: At 5K starting line.
- Course: Follows 5K course with specific turnarounds.
- Timing: The 1-mile fun run will be chip timed.
- Map: Sunshine Festival 1 Mile MAP
Awards
- General: All 5k and 1-mile participants receive a finisher medal.
- Awards Ceremony: Approximately 8:30 am.
- Categories: Overall, Masters, Grand Masters, Age Groups.
Parking
- Advice: Please carpool, be dropped off, ride a bike, or walk!
- Area: Park along Mallery Street, around the ballpark, and by the library or lighthouse.
July 4th Activities
- Craft Show: 530 Beachview Drive, St. Simons, GA from July 3rd to July 5th.
- Golf Cart Parade: July 4, 11:00am, with decorated carts.
- Live Music: Bands entertain throughout the day.
- Fireworks: July 4, 9:00pm, launched from the pier.
More Information
- Proceeds: Used to encourage and promote good health in the Golden Isles.
- Event Link: Race Website
Course Map
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