Wed, Dec 2, 2026

Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk

Evansville, IN

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

2.88 Miles

Entry is $25 now and rises to $30 after Nov 1, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk

This is a night race through Garvin Park, run entirely inside a holiday light show that is otherwise open to vehicles. The course loops the park several times, passing illuminated attractions and a fountain each time around. It is one of the few nights the light display belongs to runners and walkers rather than cars and carriages.

Packet pickup happens the evening before at a local fitness store on the south side of Evansville, which keeps lines short on race night. If you miss that window, pickup is also available at the park before the start, near the run/walk tent at the starting line. Parking is in the lot beside Bosse Field or in overflow across the street; none is allowed inside the park itself.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

2.88 Miles · 2025 results

407finishers

15:31winner

33:16median

1:00:55cutoff

Top 3: Jack Minor (15:31) · Joel Compton (17:05) · Wyatt Rooney (17:12)

The Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk has been held every year since at least 2019. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 2.88 Miles results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

2.88 Miles12/2/2026 17:45$25

Bright Lights 1-Mile Walk12/2/2026 18:30$5

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk

Will I finish last at the Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk?

Almost certainly not. Half the 2.88 Miles field finished slower than 33:16, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:00:55, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk a good first 2.88 Miles?

A field of 407 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 2.88 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Bright Lights 5K & 1 Mile Walk?

The 2.88 Miles winner ran 15:31 while the median finisher took 33:16. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.