Stride for Pride 5K & Relay

Join us on Saturday, March 6th, 2027, for the Stride for Pride 5K & Relay, a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, health, wellness and inclusivity! It is open to participants of all fitness levels--awards to all levels! Whether you’re running, walking or cheering on your friends and family, we’ll celebrate together with pride. We will have queer owned businesses and vendors, music and more!

Our Goal:
To celebrate inclusivity, empower the LGBTQIA+ community, and promote health and wellness. This event is not only about running but about creating visibility and creating spaces where everyone can feel safe, supported and celebrated. Let's come together and amplify the conversation around inclusivity, pride and community.

Post-Race Celebration
After the race, join us for a Post-Race Celebration! We’ll have music, vendor booths, drag, aerial silks, live music, and a chance to mingle with fellow runners. We encourage participants to pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day with friends and family.

Vendors:
If you would like to be a vendor at our event please reach out to info@harebandits.org and share a little bit about what you do and what you'd like to have at the event! (open to local business owners, queer biz owners, nonprofits, artists, and more)

Performances/Music/Art:
If you would like to be a performer at our event please reach out to info@harebandits.org and share a little bit about what you do (open to dancers, artists, musicians, djs, drag queens, and more)

Photography:
Stay tuned!

Awards & Prizes
Finisher Medals for all 5K Relay and 5K participants!

Top 3 Male, Female, and Non-Binary finishers in the 5K will receive awards in the following age divisions:
Overall, 1-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+

Top 3 Male, Female, and Open Gender teams in the 5K Relay will receive awards.
Relay Divisions: Overall Top 3

Additional surprise awards that having nothing to do with how fast you run!

Registration Policies
Event is rain or shine!
There are NO refunds for this race if you did not purchase the Race Insurance. 
Race Management reserves the right to cancel or modify the event due to unfavorable conditions
Registration fees are not refundable in the event of cancellation due to extreme weather conditions or other unsafe conditions.

Visit our FAQ, Packet Pickup, Course, & About Hare Bandits, pages below for everything else you need to know!

Sponsors:
Partner with us and help make this event impactful. Contact us at info@harebandits.org to become a sponsor and join us in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and inclusive racing!

Contact Information
For any event-related inquiries or assistance, please contact:
Name: Hannah Baxter, Race Director

Email: info@harebandits.org ATTN: Hannah

Our mission is to democratize running as a universally accessible sport. We are committed to fostering an inclusive running environment that celebrates diversity, with a special focus on supporting LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent individuals. Through our initiatives, we aim to eliminate perceived barriers to entry historically faced by non-traditional runners, creating a space where everyone feels welcomed. 

We seek to promote an active and healthy lifestyle, instilling a sense of community within the running space. By cultivating a supportive atmosphere, our goal is to empower each individual, providing personalized support and guidance to help them achieve their unique fitness objectives. Together, we strive to build a running community that reflects the richness of human diversity, where everyone can thrive and find fulfillment in reaching their personal goals. 

Our open season is coming up in April 2027! If you're curious about being a part of the time this is your chance to come out and see how we run this town!

Learn more about us & open season at www.harebandits.org

Medals and Awards

Finisher Medals
All participants in both the 5K Relay and 5K Run/Walk will receive a finisher medal to celebrate their achievement.

Top 3 Male, Female, and Non-Binary finishers in the 5K will receive awards in the following age divisions:
Overall, 1-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+

Top 3 Male, Female, and Open Gender teams in the 5K Relay will receive awards.
Relay Divisions: Overall Top 3

Additional surprise awards that having nothing to do with how fast you run!

Claiming Awards 

Awards Ceremony:
As race results become available, participants can claim their awards at the Awards Ceremony, which will take place prior to the last participant finishing the race.

Unclaimed Awards: 
Please note, we do not ship unclaimed awards. All awards must be picked up at the event.

*If you’re familiar with McAlpine Park and its course, all races follow the original 5K course.
Course will be marked clearly to ensure each participant follows it correctly.
*Handoff zones will be clearly marked and a volunteer will be present at each to direct the relay members.

*There will be one water stop on the course accessible for all participants as well as at the finish

5K Course: See map. After the Mile 2 marker participants must turn right on that first pass on the pond. This will take you through the final mile, when you run past the 2 mile marker for the SECOND time you will turn left to finish.

2-Person Relay: Whoever you select as the first leg of this race will be running the first mile marked on the course map. You will hand off to your second leg shortly after the mile 1 marker. The second leg will run the remaining 2 miles of the course, finishing the race. Second leg should arrive to the handoff zone NO LATER THAN 9:04AM. Please plan accordingly.

3-Person Relay: Whoever you select as the first leg of this race will be running the first mile marked on the course map. You will hand off to your second leg shortly after the mile 1 marker. Your second leg will run the second mile (which includes a hill), and hand off at the 2 mile marker. The third leg will turn right on that first pass on the pond (see marked on map), running the 3rd and final mile, when they pass by the pond the second time they will turn left to finish.

Second leg should arrive to the 1 mile handoff zone NO LATER THAN 9:04AM. Please plan accordingly.

Third leg would arrive to the 2 mile handoff zone NO LATER THAN 9:10AM Please plan accordingly.

Walkers: Thank you for joining us! We ask that you kindly move to the right to let runners pass. Please pay special attention near the handoff zones and around the pond where folks will be finishing their race!

Where do I park?
In the McAlpine Creek Park parking lot, there's plenty of space. From there you'll walk the main path, across the bridge to the race and market area.

Where is the race starting line? 
To your left once you cross the bridge - you can't miss it! Our course is the same as the McAlpine Cross Country course.

Can I watch my friends in the relay before the 5K starts?
Unfortunately if you're racing the 5K you'll be starting at the same time as the relay.

Can I buy food or alcohol at the event?
There will be baked goods and delicious coffee at the event. Free snacks and drinks will be provided to all racers. There will be free water for everyone. We highly encourage you to pack a picnic! We will have a picnic area in the shade and are encouraging people to stick around to eat, watch the performances, and shop the market! We will not have alcohol available for purchase.

I’m a vendor, where do I go?
You can drive your car on the park; the ballast will be down from 6:30am to 7:30am for all vendors.

Do you have a locker?
Please store things you do not need in your car. Hare Bandits is not responsible for any stolen or missing items. 

How early can I arrive? 
Day of packet pickup starts at 8am as well as our clothing drive and that's when the DJ will begin playing. You're welcome to show up earlier but you'll just see us setting up :)

Will there be seating?
There is a set of bleachers where the awards ceremony and DJ will be. There's also a couple of picnic tables spread out. We encourage you to bring fold up chairs and blankets to sit or picnic at in our picnic area!

Where are the bathrooms?
There will be port-a-potties on site as well as very nice park bathrooms near the parking area.

Pre-Race Packet Pickup:
TBD

Race Morning - Saturday, March 6, 2027
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
McAlpine Creek Park
8711 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28212

Pick up your race packets before the event starts!