Rules and FAQ
FAQs
❄️ Reindeer Run – Frequently Asked Questions. 1. When and where is the Reindeer Run? The Reindeer Run takes place on December 12 at 141 Meeting Street. The Start and Finish line are located on Meeting Street near the Queen Street…
35th Annual Reindeer Run/Walk 2026
- Date
- Saturday, December 12, 2026
- Start time
- 8:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Entry fee
- From $20 · goes up to $40 on Nov 4, 2026
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35th Annual Reindeer Run 5K | 5K | Dec 12, 20268:00 AM | $35$40 after Nov 4, 2026 | – |
| Child Registration (Child includes ages 5 to 16 ) | 5K | Dec 12, 20268:00 AM | $20$25 after Dec 11, 2026 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
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The 5K fee goes up to $40 on Nov 4, 2026.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- 35th Annual Reindeer Run 5K: $35 until Nov 3, then $40 until Dec 10, then $45 until Dec 12.
- Child Registration (Child includes ages 5 to 16 ): $20 until Dec 10, then $25 until Dec 12.
Online registration closes Dec 12, 2026, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $35, entry is about the same as a typical 5K in South Carolina ($35).
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Charleston runs 36:07, about 11:37 a mile, based on 11 races with published results. Women typically finish in 39:14 and men in 32:53.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:12 AM, and the 35th Annual Reindeer Run 5K starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 20 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
141 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All results (5 years)3,093
finishers
37:58
median (12:15 /mi)
13:44
winning time
61% / 39%
women / men
Aggregated from official results for 35th Annual Reindeer Run/Walk. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at 35th Annual Reindeer Run/Walk?
In 2025, the fastest tenth finished in 25:52 or better, the top quarter in 30:22, and half the field in 37:58; the last tenth came in after 59:52.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 22:35 | 17:56 |
| 20-29 | 20:54 | 18:45 |
| 30-39 | 20:49 | 18:16 |
| 40-49 | 20:15 | 19:42 |
| 50-59 | 25:31 | 20:54 |
| 60-69 | 25:59 | 24:35 |
| 70+ | 35:42 | 27:22 |
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 2025.
Finishers by year
Up 86 percent since 2021.
1,662
2021
2,186
2022
2,549
2023
2,746
2024
3,093
2025
All events combined, from official results.
35th Annual Reindeer Run/Walk 5K year by year
From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 1,662 to 3,093 finishers, and the median time rose from 37:53 to 37:58.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,093 (+13%) | 37:58 | under 25:52 | 13:44 |
| 2024 | 2,746 (+8%) | 39:28 | under 26:46 | 15:35 |
| 2023 | 2,549 (+17%) | 40:04 | under 26:44 | 16:58 |
| 2022 | 2,186 (+32%) | 38:31 | under 26:07 | 15:04 |
| 2021 | 1,662 | 37:53 | under 26:14 | 16:05 |
From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Slower than most South Carolina 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 30:22, against 28:28 in a typical South Carolina 5K, so times here run 7 percent slower.
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 December 12 the day usually runs from 48°F at dawn to 64°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 23% of days. Cold snaps dip to 36°F and hot years reach 72°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.
From the race's page
What the organizers of 35th Annual Reindeer Run/Walk cover on their registration page, in brief.
Race details
- Where
- 141 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 20 feet
- Included with entry
- T-Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 5K
- Editions
- 2026 (Dec 12, 2026), 2025 (Dec 13, 2025), 2024 (Dec 14, 2024), 2023 (Dec 8, 2023), 2022 (Dec 10, 2022), 2021 (Dec 11, 2021)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is 35th Annual Reindeer Run/Walk?
- Saturday, December 12, 2026, starting at 8:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $20 before processing fees, and rises to $40 on Nov 4, 2026.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Dec 12, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for South Carolina?
- At $35, entry is about the same as a typical 5K in South Carolina ($35).
- 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.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 3,093 runners finished the 34th Annual Reindeer Run 5K; the median finish was 37:58 and the winner ran 13:44.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 30:22, against 28:28 in a typical South Carolina 5K, so times here run 7 percent slower.
- Where does it start?
- 141 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401.
From the organizers
Half-Moon Outfitters Reindeer Run, presented by The Charleston Place, is a family-oriented, pet-friendly 5k run/walk located in downtown Charleston, SC. This year we celebrate our 35th year of the annual race!
The event has grown significantly over the years; from only a few hundred participants to record attendance of over 3,500 runners. The funds generated from the Reindeer Run benefits the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital located in downtown Charleston. This hospital provides more spacious, family-centered amenities and expanded services, including an expanded neonatal intensive care unit, an entire floor dedicated to the care of children with cancer, and the most comprehensive pediatric heart center in South Carolina.
COSTUME CONTEST: