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Irish Jig 5K

location_city Grand Rapids

location_on Michigan

flag United States

calendar_today 08 Mar, 2026 – 15 Mar, 2026

directions_run Running

language Official Website

Register

About the Event

For more than 40 years, the Irish Jig has marked the start of Michigan’s racing season. But 2026 isn’t just another starting line. It’s a turning point. On March 14, we’re not running for tradition. We’re running against a brutal truth: 1 in 2 people will face cancer in their lifetime. That’s not a statistic we’re willing to accept. This year, the Irish Jig becomes more than a race. It’s a stand. A statement. A surge of runners moving as one. Every stride fuels cancer research and care through Corewell Health and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Every step brings hope closer to home. This is not just a 5K. This is a rally for fighters, a reckoning with cancer, a reason to believe in something bigger. Join us. Bring your people. Fill the streets. Run. Walk. Cheer. Because we're taking the Jig WellBeyond anything it's been before. 

New for 2026 is the Kids Gold Ribbon Run and Jig Virtual participation option. The Kids Gold Ribbon Run will take place at 9:30a on the East Grand Rapids Track, allowing kids to use their feet to raise support for pediatric cancer programs. The Kids Gold Ribbon Run is free to register, with an optional $25 commemorative shirt available. The kids will be broken into age groups and complete one lap on the track.

The Jig Virtual is an opportunity to participate in the movement from anywhere that works for you the week of March 9. Your shirt will be mailed out to you on race weekend. Registration for the Jig Virtual closes on March 7th. 

Races Offered

Jig Virtual

Mar 08, 2026

straighten

Distance — Jig Virtual

terrain

Type — Road running

timer

09:30

5K

Mar 14, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Road running

timer

08:30

Kids Gold Ribbon Run

Mar 14, 2026

straighten

Distance — 400m

terrain

Type — Road running

timer

09:30

Weather Overview

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for March in Grand Rapids.

Temp (°C)
Feels Like (°C)
thermostat -1.2° / 8.3°
wb_sunny -6.4° / 3.8°
Wind (km/h)
Humidity (%)
air 13.8 /
water_drop 68.2%

About Grand Rapids

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Grand Rapids is in West Michigan, in the United States of America.

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