Boos & Brews 5K (Syracuse)

Boos & Brews 5K (Syracuse) is a Halloween-themed race in Baldwinsville, New York, put on by Willow Running on October 24, 2026, with the 5K listed at 10:00 a.m. Demand has been strong enough that the event runs two separate starts, and it draws participants of all ages. Costumes are encouraged, and there is a contest with prizes across several categories.

Participants get a custom shirt and a medal, and the post-race gathering includes beer specials and homemade Halloween treats. With waves rather than one mass start, you will have runners around you the whole way, which is helpful if you tend to drift when you are on your own. The distance suits a first race as much as a hard autumn time trial; a month of regular running with one faster weekly session is enough to prepare.