5k "Run with the Bison" Fun Run

About the Event

May 17, 2026 | Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields

Come celebrate the bison at Belwin Conservancy! Join us for Belwin's annual 5k "Run with the Bison" Fun Run! This family friendly, untimed run is open to runners and walkers of all skill levels. The 5k "Run with the Bison" Fun Run is part of our annual Belwin Bison Festival including live music, activities in the tent, food trucks, interactive eco-arts, prairie activities will be open to the public from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The bison herd are released onto the prairie around 12:30 PM.

The Belwin Bison Festival celebrates the bison's critical ecological role in restoring and maintaining our prairie. Come celebrate the return of the Bison to the prairie with us!

Be prepared for the weather - event is rain or shine.

Course

The 5k will start on Division Street and run you through two of Belwin's beautiful restored prairies: the Bison Prairie, that has been maintained by bison for the past 15 years, and Tallgrass Trails.

**Note: The bison will be released into the prairie after the 5k fun run has finished.

**Check-in begins at 9:00 am at Belwin's Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields, 15601 Hudson Road N, Lakeland. There will be a station for check in and same day registration within the tent.

**Line-up at the starting line starts at 9:45 am - starting line is a 10 minute walk from the check-in station.

Be prepared for the weather - the event is rain or shine.

Registration

5k "Run with the Bison" Fun Run

$20.00 online registration (available through May 15th, 12:00 pm)

$25.00 same day registration (in person, payable with cash, credit card, or check)

Registration fee for runners includes entrance to the festival.

* Youth 12 years and under run for FREE! They still need to register by a parent or guardian through the online system, or sign a waiver on the day of the race *

Schedule

9:00 AM - Check-In Starts at 9:00 am
9:45 AM - Line-Up starting line starts at 9:45 am - the starting line is a 10 minute walk from the check-in station.
10:00 AM - Run Begins!
10:00 - 11:30 AM 5k Run

Belwin Bison Festival including live music, activities in the tent, food trucks, interactive eco-arts, prairie activities will be open to the public from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The bison herd are released onto the prairie around 12:30 PM.

Proceeds

All proceeds and donations support native habitat restoration and environmental education at Belwin Conservancy.

For more information visit: https://belwin.org

Parking

Parking is available at Belwin's Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields, 15601 Hudson Road N, Lakeland. Entrance fee is waived for runners.
(No parking on Division Street)

Refund Policy

The Race Organizers reserve the right to cancel this event at any time due to inclement weather and/or safety concerns. In any instance the event WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED.

No Refunds. Substitutions may be considered upon request.

Races Offered

May 16, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

10:00

sell

$20.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for May in Afton.

thermostat Temperature

9.8° / 21.1°

wb_sunny Feels like

6.8° / 18.3°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

10h 57m

water_drop Avg rainfall

4.1 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

—

air Avg wind speed

12.7 km/h (Gentle breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

Moderate

terrain Course conditions

Firm and slightly soft

sunny Max UV Index

High (6.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

63.5%

wb_twilight Sunrise

05:41

nightlight Sunset

20:33

About Afton

Learn more about the host city, Afton.

Afton is a city in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It lies nearly on the banks of the Saint Croix River, which forms the natural eastern border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.