Mistletoe Run

Mistletoe Run is an annual race in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on December 5, 2026. The one-mile fun run opens the morning at 7:30, the half marathon (13.1 miles) follows at 8, and the 5K goes at 8:15. Everyone gets a race shirt, and half marathon and 5K finishers also get a medal. Around the racing there are bounce houses, music, cheerleaders and community mascots, with refreshments at the finish. The event is a major fundraiser for the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina, which funds youth programs for local children.

The staggered starts make this a genuine family morning: one adult can race 13.1 while the rest of the household runs the mile or the 5K. That said, the half is a real half. Ten to twelve weeks of consistent running with a weekly long run is the minimum you want behind you, and if December is your first attempt at the distance, aim to finish comfortably rather than to hit a number.