Sat, Dec 12, 2026

Sleighbells on the Square 5K

Marietta, GA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2023

5K1K50 Yards

Entry is $35 now and rises to $40 after Nov 21, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Sleighbells on the Square 5K

The course starts and finishes on Marietta Square, looping through the surrounding streets and back. It is a winter morning downtown, and holiday attire is part of the scene. Dogs on leashes and strollers are both welcome, which gives the start line a certain organized chaos. The race benefits a local children's emergency fund run by the county bar association.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at a running store in Kennesaw, with race-morning pickup available at the square itself.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Marietta on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

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.

5K · 2025 results

883finishers

17:11winner

38:04median

1:00:55cutoff

Top 3: Parker Gurley (17:11) · Wesley Cole (17:51) · Jayson Lynch (17:55)

The Sleighbells on the Square 5K has been held every year since at least 2023. 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 5K 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

5K12/12/2026 08:00$35

1K12/12/2026 09:10$35

50 Yards12/12/2026 09:20$10

5K Virtual12/12/2026 08:00$35

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

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

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the Sleighbells on the Square 5K

Will I finish last at the Sleighbells on the Square 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 38:04, 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 Sleighbells on the Square 5K a good first 5K?

With 883 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Sleighbells on the Square 5K?

The 5K winner ran 17:11 while the median finisher took 38:04. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.