St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend: dates, closures, parking

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts come from St. Jude’s marathon home page, schedule of events, race day road closures page and FAQ. This page is updated each year at the same address.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend is Thursday to Saturday, Dec. 3-5, 2026, and race day is Saturday, Dec. 5. The 5K and 10K start at 7 a.m. and the marathon and half marathon at 8 a.m. on B.B. King Boulevard, and every race finishes at AutoZone Park. This is the event’s 25th year. All in-person races are sold out; virtual races are still open on the St. Jude Memphis Marathon site. Questions go to 800-565-5112 or marathon@alsac.stjude.org.

Know before you go

• Race day: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026
• Expo and packet pickup: Thursday, Dec. 3, noon to 7 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 4, noon to 8 p.m., Renasant Convention Center
• Starts: 5K and 10K at B.B. King Boulevard and Madison Avenue; marathon and half marathon at B.B. King Boulevard and Beale Street
• Finish: AutoZone Park; the finish line and hospitality close at 4 p.m.
• Driving: be parked downtown by 6 a.m. Saturday, the organizer says
• Organizer: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 800-565-5112

The weekend schedule

From the St. Jude schedule of events:

St. Jude puts the average race day high at 53 degrees and the low at 36.

Registration and cost

The in-person 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon are sold out for 2026. Virtual races remain open. In a normal year, St. Jude Heroes fundraising registration opens in spring (April 1 to June 2 in 2026) and general registration follows (it opened June 3 in 2026) until each distance sells out; registration ends the Tuesday before Thanksgiving at the latest, according to the FAQ. Age minimums: 16 for the marathon and 14 for the half marathon. The 5K has no minimum, but runners under 12 must be with an adult. Bibs cannot be transferred to another runner.

Watching is free. The 2026 spectator guide, with the best places to cheer, is listed on the race day page as coming soon.

Road closures

St. Jude’s race day page lists every closure. Times are estimates, and roads reopen as the last runner passes. The big ones:

• Union Avenue, Danny Thomas Boulevard to B.B. King Boulevard: closed from 6 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4, to 5 p.m. Saturday.
• B.B. King Boulevard, G.E. Patterson Avenue to A.W. Willis Avenue: closed midnight to 5 p.m. Saturday.
• Danny Thomas Boulevard, Union Avenue to A.W. Willis Avenue: 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• North Parkway, Danny Thomas Boulevard to Watkins Street: 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Watkins Street to East Parkway, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Front Street, Georgia Avenue to Henry Avenue: 6:30 to 11 a.m.
• Poplar Avenue, B.B. King Boulevard to Front Street: 6:30 to 11 a.m.; right lane closed from East Parkway to Morrie Moss Lane, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Beale Street, Fourth Street to Front Street: 7 to 10:30 a.m.
• Riverside Drive, Georgia Avenue to Jefferson Avenue: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
• Stonewall Street, North Parkway to Poplar Avenue: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Streets around Overton Park and the Evergreen area (Tutwiler, Hawthorne, Mignon, Idlewild, Faxon and others) are local traffic only from 8:30 a.m. to about 1 p.m.

Mail delivery along the route may be late on Saturday, St. Jude says. MATA’s detour map is listed as coming soon.

Parking and getting there

• Parking: arrive early. Runners and spectators should be downtown and parked by 6 a.m., and St. Jude encourages buying downtown parking in advance.
• Rideshare drop-off and pickup: the Tennessee Welcome Center at 119 N. Riverside Drive, and Beale Street between Danny Thomas Boulevard and Lauderdale Street.
• Gear check: runners must use the clear bag handed out at the expo.

What to know

• No strollers, baby joggers, animals, bikes or skateboards on the 5K, 10K, half or full marathon courses. Strollers are allowed at the kids’ race only.
• Runner tracking is free for friends and family on the St. Jude site.
• Weather: officials can delay, cancel or suspend the race for weather or safety.
• Reunion spot: left field inside AutoZone Park is the only runner reunion area in the Finisher Festival.

Why it matters

The weekend is St. Jude’s largest single-day fundraising event. More than 22,000 participants and supporters raised $15.8 million in 2025, and more than 4,000 volunteers work the course, according to St. Jude. The 2026 goal is more than $16 million.

Next years: St. Jude lists Saturday, Dec. 4, 2027, and Saturday, Dec. 2, 2028.

Frequently asked questions

When is the St. Jude Memphis Marathon in 2026? Race day is Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026. The 5K and 10K start at 7 a.m. and the marathon and half marathon at 8 a.m. The Health & Fitness Expo runs Thursday and Friday, Dec. 3-4.

Can I still sign up for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon? All in-person races are sold out for 2026, St. Jude says. Virtual races are still open for registration.

What roads are closed for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon? Union Avenue from Danny Thomas Boulevard to B.B. King Boulevard closes at 6 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4. On Saturday, dozens of downtown and Midtown streets close in stages from midnight to about 4 p.m.

Where does the St. Jude Memphis Marathon finish? At AutoZone Park downtown. The finish line and all hospitality close at 4 p.m. on race day.

When is the 2027 St. Jude Memphis Marathon? St. Jude lists Saturday, Dec. 4, 2027, and Saturday, Dec. 2, 2028, as future race dates.

Related: road construction and closures, getting around Memphis and holiday lights and Christmas events.