Sat, Apr 24, 2027

Gator Festival 5K

Lake Waccamaw, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2025
5K1 Mile

Entry is $18 now and rises to $22 after Jan 8, 2027, so registering before then saves $4.

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About the Gator Festival 5K

This race is part of Gator Fest, a local festival in Lake Waccamaw, so the energy around the start line comes from a town already in celebration mode. The course is open to runners and walkers alike, and both distances draw a crowd that is more neighborhood gathering than racing event.

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Gator Festival 5K 2026 Results

Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K Results · 2026

243finishers
19:58winner
40:16median
1:00:05cutoff

Top 3: Nicholas Davis (19:58) · Patrick Tyson (20:01) · Antonio Tranquilino (20:03)

The Gator Festival 5K has been held every year since at least 2025. 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 3.1 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 Nov 12, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

3.1 Miles4/24/2027 08:00$30
1 Mile4/24/2027 08:05$18

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.

Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Lake Waccamaw — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

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Common Questions About the Gator Festival 5K

Will I finish last at the Gator Festival 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 40:16, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:00:05, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Gator Festival 5K a good first 3.1 Miles?

A field of 243 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 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Gator Festival 5K?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 19:58 while the median finisher took 40:16. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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