Gate River Run 15K: 2027 date, course, parking, fees

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Facts come from the organizer’s site, gateriverrun15k.com, and its registration page on Race Roster. This page is updated for each year’s race at the same address.

The 50th Gate River Run is Saturday, March 6, 2027, in Downtown Jacksonville. The 15K starts at 8 a.m. on Bay Street at Newnan Street, by Ford on Bay, 288 E. Bay St., and finishes there after the climb over the Hart Bridge. Registration is open now, and the price goes up on Jan. 1. JTC Running, which began the race in 1978 as the Jacksonville River Run, calls it the largest 15K in the country and it is the USA 15K Championship.

Know before you go

• When: Saturday, March 6, 2027; 15K waves from 7:50 to 8:15 a.m.
• Where: start and finish at Ford on Bay, 288 E. Bay St.; family races at Riverfront Plaza
• Cost: 15K $66.18 through Dec. 31; 5K for Charity $44.79; Junior River Run and Diaper Dash free
• Register: Race Roster, closes March 3
• Parking: downtown garages; 2027 map still to come
• Organizer: JTC Running and 1st Place Sports, events@1stplacesports.com, gateriverrun15k.com

Race day schedule

From the organizer’s home page:

The 15K waves all leave from the same line on Bay Street at Newnan Street. From the 15K page: adaptive athletes and streakers at 7:50 a.m., the top 25 seeded women at 7:55 a.m., the top 300 seeded and Wave 1 at 8 a.m., then Waves 2, 3 and 4 at about 8:05, 8:10 and 8:15 a.m. Later waves may leave early, so be in your area 15 minutes before your time. Walkers go in Wave 4.

Registration and fees

Fees on Race Roster include the mandatory charges:

Entries are not refundable or transferable, and a wave cannot be changed after you register, according to the race FAQs. Wave 1 (bibs 1 to 4,600) is for runners with a verified qualifying time at 10-minute-mile pace or faster from a race since the last Gate River Run.

The course and the Green Monster

The Hart Bridge begins at mile 7, a 140-foot climb over half a mile that runners call the “Green Monster.” The last mile is mostly downhill, and a timing point at 8.3 miles shows your pace for the finish. Every mile is marked with a clock, and water stations and toilets are along the course. No bikes or dogs are allowed on the course, and biking next to a runner can get them disqualified.

Time limit: the 15K page says all participants must reach the Hart Bridge by 10:45 a.m., a 20-minute-mile pace. All 15K finishers get a medal, and bag check is near the finish.

The family races

• Pinnacle 5K for Charity: a timed 5K that starts and finishes at Riverfront Plaza, with a shirt and medal. Half of each entry goes to the race’s charities; the organizer says the 5K has raised more than $1 million in 35 years. Details.
• Junior River Run: a free one-mile run for children 13 and under, with a shirt, bib, medal and goodie packet. A parent or guardian registers each child; race morning sign-up runs 9 to 10:45 a.m. Details.
• Diaper Dash: free 25- to 40-yard dashes for children 4 and under, race day sign-up only, from 11 a.m. at Riverfront Plaza. Details.
• Brooks Rehabilitation Challenge Mile: a one-mile event for challenged athletes at 10 a.m. at Riverfront Plaza. Details.

Parking and road closures

The organizer says the 2027 parking map, garage list and road closure plan are still being finalized and will go on its parking page. What it says now:

• Park in a designated downtown garage or lot. Set your GPS to the garage, not to 288 E. Bay St.: Bay Street and nearby streets close early on race morning.
• Arrive downtown 60 to 90 minutes before your start time, and expect to walk up to a mile to the start.
• Shuttle and River Taxi information will be posted if it is offered.

If you live or work downtown, expect Bay Street and the streets around Ford on Bay to close early on race morning. We will add the closure list here when the organizer publishes it.

Packet pickup and expo

The Runners’ Expo, with more than 100 exhibitors, is the main packet pickup. The 2027 location, dates and hours are not announced yet; check the packet pickup page. The race FAQs say race day pickup costs $10.

After the race

The post-race celebration starts at 8:30 a.m. at Ford on Bay with food, live music, awards, kids’ games and, the organizer says, 120 kegs of free beer. Details.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 Gate River Run? The 50th Gate River Run is Saturday, March 6, 2027. The 15K starts at 8 a.m. on Bay Street at Newnan Street, by Ford on Bay, with waves leaving from 7:50 to 8:15 a.m.

How much does the Gate River Run cost? On Race Roster the 15K is $66.18 through Dec. 31, rising to $71.53 in January, $76.88 in February and $82.23 from March 1 to 3, mandatory fees included. The 5K for Charity starts at $44.79. The Junior River Run is free.

What is the Green Monster in the Gate River Run? It is the Hart Bridge, which starts at mile 7. The organizer describes a 140-foot climb over half a mile, followed by a mostly downhill final mile.

Is there a time limit for the Gate River Run? Yes. The 15K information page says every 15K participant must reach the Hart Bridge by 10:45 a.m., which is a 20-minute-per-mile pace.

Where do I park for the Gate River Run? In designated downtown garages and lots. The organizer says the 2027 parking map is still being finalized and asks runners to set their GPS to a parking garage, not to the start line at 288 E. Bay St.

What this means for you

• Running? Register before Dec. 31 to pay the lowest fee.
• Bringing the kids? The Junior River Run and Diaper Dash are free at Riverfront Plaza.
• Driving downtown March 6? Expect Bay Street closed in the morning, and check road closures that week.

Related: parks and trails, walking and biking trails and Downtown Jacksonville.