13TH ANNUAL THUMBS UP RUN/WALK/BIKE EVENT
SAVE THE DATE!
Join us Saturday, September 19, 2026!
Registration opens on April 1st!
Sign up to Volunteer!
2026 DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
Early Registration & Packet Pickup
Thursday, September 18th, 2025
4:00-7:00 pm: Early Packet Pickup
Location: Lupulin Brewing Company
Address: 570 Humboldt Drive, Suite 107, Big Lake, MN 55309
Pick up your race materials, purchase Thumbs Up merch, & enjoy a BOGO beverage courtesy of Lupulin! $1 from every beverage sold will also be donated to Thumbs Up as part of Lupulin’s ‘Pouring for a Purpose’ campaign!
Make sure to get a sweet treat from Mac’s Mini’s too!
Friday, September 19th, 2025
4:00-7:00 pm: Early Packet Pickup
Location: Orono Park Pavilion
Address: 18599 Gary St., Elk River, MN 55330
Chalk Party! Help us Chalk the Walk with positive messages and remembrances of our loved ones (chalk provided), and enjoy dinner with the Top It food truck!
Join us later in the evening for a Remembrance Ceremony with live music from Kat Perkins!
REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 9:00 PM!
Directions & Parking
Event Location: Lake Orono Park – 18599 Gary Street, Elk River, MN 55330
Please plan on parking at the Sherburne County Fairground Parking Lot:
18335 Joplin St NW, Elk River, MN 55330
Parking is free/no charge
Please try to carpool if you are able!
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
7:00 am – 8:30 am: Pre-Registered Packet Pickup
*ALL PACKET PICKUP MUST BE COMPLETED BY 8:30 AM – SAME DAY REGISTRATION WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THIS YEAR’S EVENT*
9:00 am: Opening & Remembrance Ceremony
9:25 am: Keynote Speaker – Kate Gladdin
9:45 am: Stretching by Luke Smith from SNAP Fitness
10:00 am: Races Begin
- 10:00 am – 5K & 10K Bike
- 10:05 am – 5K & 10K Run
- 10:10 am – 5K Walk
11:00 am: Youth Activities, Other Festivities, & Food Trucks
11:45 am: Top Finishers Award Ceremony
12:00 pm: Youth Fun Run – A Color Run! sponsored by Elk Dental Center
- Ages 3-5: 1/2K
- Ages 6-8: 1K
- Ages 9-12: 1 mile
2:00 pm: End of event
Youth Activities
Obstacle Course (ages 3-12)
Bounce Houses (separate for preschool ages)
Crazy Hair
Face Painting by Painted By Kristine
Kindness Rocks by Plaisted Companies
Mindfulness by Ms. Liz
Playground area
Splash Pad (weather dependent)
Skate Park
Food & Beverages
Food Trucks Available On-Site:
Complimentary coffee from Dunn Brothers Elk River
Water Stations along the route
Activities & More Info
Memory Tree – Bring a photo of your loved one to be displayed
Grief Support & Bereavement Memorial Area
Mental Health & Wellness Vendors On-Site
Veteran Memorial Area sponsored by Hannay Electric
Miniature Horses by InterMission Horses
Caricatures by Creating Colucci
Dress for the weather
Friendly dogs are welcome at the event. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pets.
Youth Color Run & Obstacle Course
Elk Dental Center Youth Fun Run & SNAP Fitness Obstacle Course
Returning this year – a Youth Fun Run AND a super fun, themed Obstacle Course! Get ready to run through clouds of color before taking on the twists, turns, ups, and downs of all the obstacles! The Youth Fun Run will be divided into three distances by age and take place following the main walk/run/bike event:
Ages 3-5: 1/2K
Ages 6-8: 1K
Ages 9-12: 1 mile
The Obstacle Course includes a HUGE bounce house, balance beams, tunnels & more!
The Youth Entry Fee (ages 3-12) includes the Youth Fun Run—A Color Run! and participation in the Obstacle Course for each registrant. There is no fee for children age two and under. Registered youth will receive a rubber finisher’s medal and a participant t-shirt.
Please note: the fun run is NOT chip-timed. Youth should register for the standard 5K or 10K event to receive a chip time.
Register by August 25th, 2025, to be guaranteed a t-shirt with your registration fee!
Keynote Speaker – Coming Soon!
The Annual Thumbs Up 5K & 10K route sponsored by First Bank Elk River takes place in charming Elk River, Minnesota. The paved road course offers a 3.1-mile (5K) and a 6.2-mile (10K) run, walk, or bike race. Take in the beauty of the William H. Houlton Conservation Area, the Lake Orono Dam, and breathtaking views along Lake Orono.
