Above / Registration and sponsorship opportunities are now open for Naperville Sunrise Rotary St. Paddy’s Day 5K. Costumed runners welcome to put on the green! (Photo courtesy Rotary Sunrise)
Registration is now underway for the 17th Annual Sunrise Rotary St. Paddy’s Day 5K to step off at 8AM Sat., March 14, in Downtown Naperville. Presented in cooperation with the West Suburban Irish, the St. Paddy’s Day 5K is held immediately prior to the annual WSI St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The race is one of the first certified 5K’s of the running season in the area.
Proceeds from the event will benefit food, housing and mental health for youth and families. Beneficiaries for the 2026 5K are DuPage PADS, Loaves & Fishes Community Services and NAMI DuPage.
Lead Sponsors for the race are Gerald Subaru and Naperville Running Company. Corporate Sponsor opportunities, registration and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.napervillesunrise.com/events/5k.
“Funds raised from the St. Paddy’s Day 5K are critical to our club mission to
help local youth and families,” noted Rotary Club of Naperville-Sunrise President Marion Ruthig in a news release. “Our club’s legacy over the past 35 years has been to foster the next generation of community leaders. This event is also a fun part of the St. Patrick’s Day revelry in Naperville.”
St. Patrick’s Day themed costumes and hats are encouraged. Costume awards encourage participants to enter into the festive spirit of the event by donning their St. Patrick’s Day finery for the run.
Participants receive a collectable St. Paddy’s Day 5K technical running shirt.
Prizes are awarded to the top overall male and female runners and commemorative prizes to the top three male and female runners per age division. Post-run refreshments will be offered in an open-air tent. Race times will be posted online.
For more information and registration visit www.napervillesunrise.com/events/5k.
Then there’s the song about poor ole’ Michael Finnegan who grew whiskers on his chinnygan. The wind blew them off and they grew in again. Poor ole Michael Finnegan. Begin again. And register for an entry in both the St. Paddy’s Day 5K that begins at 8AM and the WSI St. Patrick’s Parade that steps off at 10:30AM right after the fun run in downtown Naperville.
