5KKids

29th Annual Firecracker 5k 2027

Date: Saturday, July 3, 2027
Start time: 8:00 AM start (Chicago)
Location: Mc Leansboro, Illinois
Entry fee: From $15 · goes up to $30 on Jun 18, 2027
Included with entry: Includes a shirt
Fundraising: Takes optional donations when you register

Registration is open.

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Official race website

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Events and entry fees

Event	Distance	When	Entry fee	Cap
5k Run	5K	Jul 3, 20278:00 AM	$25$30 after Jun 18, 2027	–
T-Shirt Only	–	Jul 3, 20278:00 AM	$15	–
5k Walk	5K	Jul 3, 20278:01 AM	$25$30 after Jun 18, 2027	–
1/2 Mile KID's FUN RUN	Kids	Jul 3, 20279:10 AM	$15	–
Virtual 5kVirtual	5K	Jun 3, 2027	$20	–

Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.

The 5K fee goes up to $30 on Jun 18, 2027.

Race day planning

Entry fee schedule

5k Run and 5k Walk: $25 until Jun 18, then $30 until Jul 2.
T-Shirt Only and 1/2 Mile KID's FUN RUN: $15 until Jul 2.

Online registration closes Jul 2, 2027, unless the race fills first.

How the price compares

At $25, entry is about 29 percent below a typical 5K in Illinois, which costs $35 right now.

What a typical finish looks like

A typical finisher at a 5K in Illinois runs 35:55, about 11:34 a mile, based on 426 races with published results. Women typically finish in 40:13 and men in 31:16.

Light and altitude

Sunrise on race morning is at about 5:35 AM, and the 5k Run starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 450 feet above sea level.

Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.

Start location and course

450 E Hull St, Mc Leansboro, IL 62859

Directions to the start

The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.

2026 results

All results (5 years)

5k Run

finishers

28:43

median (9:16 /mi)

17:37

winning time

47% / 53%

women / men

Finish times, fastest to slowest. Each bar is a slice of the field; the dashed line is the median.

1/2 Mile KID's FUN RUN

finishers

6:26

median (12:52 /mi)

3:55

winning time

53% / 47%

women / men

5k Walk

finishers

44:45

median (14:26 /mi)

34:47

winning time

63% / 37%

women / men

Aggregated from official results (So iLL Racing) for 29th Annual Firecracker 5k. Individual finisher names are not stored here.

How fast do you need to be at 29th Annual Firecracker 5k?

At the 2026 5k Run, the fastest tenth finished in 21:52 or better, the top quarter in 24:21, and half the field in 28:43; the last tenth came in after 41:08.

At the 2026 1/2 Mile KID's FUN RUN, the fastest tenth finished in 4:54 or better, the top quarter in 5:31, and half the field in 6:26; the last tenth came in after 7:52.

At the 2026 5k Walk, the fastest tenth finished in 37:10 or better, the top quarter in 39:32, and half the field in 44:45; the last tenth came in after 50:52.

Third place by age group, 2026 5k Run
Age	Women	Men
Under 20	26:09	20:11
20-29	n/a	27:21
30-39	33:54	30:12
40-49	24:23	21:57

Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.

What would my time get me?

Where a finish time would have placed in 2026.

EventFinish timeGenderAge group

Finishers by year

Up 94 percent since 2022.

2022

101

2023

127

2024

107

2025

128

2026

All events combined, from official results.

29th Annual Firecracker 5k 5K year by year

From 2022 to 2026, the field went from 49 to 93 finishers, and the median time dropped from 29:06 to 28:43.

Year	Finishers	Median	Fastest tenth	Winner
2026	93 (+18%)	28:43	under 21:52	17:37
2025	79 (-14%)	30:19	under 20:58	17:16
2024	92 (+18%)	28:11	under 18:37	15:09
2023	78 (+59%)	26:41	under 20:04	15:29
2022	49	29:06	under 19:56	15:35

From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.

How fast is it?

Faster than most Illinois 5Ks

The fastest quarter of the 2026 5K field finished under 24:21, against 28:26 in a typical Illinois 5K, so times here run 14 percent faster.

Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.

Typical race-day weather

Around July 3 the day usually runs from 71°F at dawn to 88°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 40% of days. Cold snaps dip to 65°F and hot years reach 93°F.

Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.

Race details

Where: 450 E Hull St, Mc Leansboro, IL 62859Map
Course: Road
Start elevation: About 450 feet
Included with entry: T-Shirt
Donations: Accepted when you register
Distances: 5K, Kids
Editions: 2027 (Jul 3, 2027), 2026 (Jul 4, 2026), 2025 (Jul 5, 2025), 2024 (Jul 6, 2024), 2023 (Jul 1, 2023), 2022 (Jul 2, 2022)

Organize this race? Add details or a correction

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Quick answers

When is 29th Annual Firecracker 5k?: Saturday, July 3, 2027, starting at 8:00 AM.
How much does it cost?: Entry starts at $15 before processing fees, and rises to $30 on Jun 18, 2027.
When does registration close?: Online registration closes Jul 2, 2027, unless the race fills first.
Is the entry fee high for Illinois?: At $25, entry is about 29 percent below a typical 5K in Illinois, which costs $35 right now.
Do runners get a shirt or medal?: Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
Can I donate to a cause when I register?: Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
What distances can I run?: 5K, Kids.
How big is it, and how fast?: In 2026, 93 runners finished the 5k Run; the median finish was 28:43 and the winner ran 17:37.
Is it a fast course?: The fastest quarter of the 2026 5K field finished under 24:21, against 28:26 in a typical Illinois 5K, so times here run 14 percent faster.
Where does it start?: 450 E Hull St, Mc Leansboro, IL 62859.