The Shropshire Santa Run starts at 9am on Sunday 6 December in Oswestry, on roads closed from 8.15am. Council car parks are free that day; suit pick-up times.

The Shropshire Santa Run is on Sunday 6 December 2026 in Oswestry. The 5k starts at 9am from race HQ at the Memorial Hall, SY11 2EG, on fully closed roads, with closures from 8.15am. It is open to runners aged 11 and over, and every entrant gets a five-piece Santa suit and a festive medal.

Updated 6 November: Oswestry Town Council says its Central, Horsemarket and Smithfield car parks are free on Sunday 6 December.

The organiser, Adrenaline Sporting Events, bills it as Shropshire’s largest Santa run, with “thousands of runners dressed as Santa Claus” on the streets of Oswestry (Adrenaline Sporting Events). Oswestry Town Council lists it in its events calendar for the same date (Oswestry Town Council).

Race day timetable

From the organiser’s 2026 event page:

  • 8am: arrive in Oswestry
  • 7am to 8.15am: race numbers and Santa suits at race HQ, the Memorial Hall
  • 8.15am: road closures begin
  • 8.45am: warm-up
  • 9am: race start
  • 70 minutes: the cut-off. Roads reopen behind the runners at that pace, and anyone who falls behind it may be asked to withdraw.

The start and finish are on Church Street, and the organiser suggests spectators watch there. The route has good pavements if you want to cheer from elsewhere, but stay off the course until the runners have passed. The 2026 route is published on Strava as a 5.1km loop (Strava route).

Santa suit collection

Collect your suit and number before race day at The Lounge, Cross Street, Oswestry SY11 2NG:

  • Wednesday 2 December, 11.30am to 2pm
  • Thursday 3 December, 5pm to 8pm
  • Friday 4 December, 11.30am to 2pm

Or collect it at race HQ on the morning, from 7am to 8.15am.

Entry

Entries are through the organiser’s booking page on Let’s Do This, linked from the event page. The organiser’s own page does not list the price, so check it there before you enter. Each entry includes the Santa suit, a Christmas medal, closed roads and a silver band playing Christmas music.

The organiser’s FAQ page says you cannot run with a buggy or a dog, there is no relay class, and no results are issued because it is a fun run. Entries cannot be refunded or deferred but can be transferred to another runner free of charge up to 14 days before the race. Fundraising for a local charity is welcome but not required (Santa Run FAQs).

Road closures and parking

The race runs on fully closed roads from 8.15am. If you live on the route and need your car that morning, the organiser advises moving it before 8.15am; drivers coming into town should follow the diversion signs. The organiser has not published the list of closed streets, so check our roadworks and travel page nearer the day.

Runners are pointed to two car parks:

  • From the south: the central car park on Salop Road, SY11 2NR
  • From the north: Bailey Head car park, SY11 1PZ

Local runners are asked to walk in. Parking is free that day at Oswestry Town Council’s Central, Horsemarket and Smithfield car parks, one of six free December weekend dates the council announced on 3 November (Oswestry Town Council). Our parking in Shropshire page has the tariffs for Oswestry’s other car parks.

The rest of Oswestry’s Christmas weekend

The Santa Run closes a busy weekend in the town. All three come from Oswestry Town Council’s events calendar:

  • Friday 4 December, from 5pm: Christmas Live in the town centre, with fairground rides, Santa’s grotto, live music, entertainers, market stalls and late night shopping (Oswestry Town Council).
  • Saturday 5 December, from 11am: Borderland Rotary Club’s Christmas Parade of festive trucks, floats, music and dancing (Oswestry Town Council).
  • Thursday 19 November, from 4pm: before all that, the Christmas lights go on at the Bailey Head at about 6.30pm. More on our Christmas lights page.

The rest of the county’s December dates are on our What’s On in Shropshire page.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Shropshire Santa Run 2026? Sunday 6 December 2026, starting at 9am in Oswestry.

Where does it start? Race HQ is the Memorial Hall, Oswestry SY11 2EG. The start and finish are on Church Street, a short walk away.

How old do you have to be? Eleven or over.

Do I have to be fast? No. It is a festive fun run with a 70-minute cut-off, which works out at about 14 minutes a kilometre.

Can I bring my dog or a buggy? No. The organiser’s FAQ rules out both.

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