Newton Pride Monster Dash 5K

Newton Pride Monster Dash 5K is a family Halloween event in Newton, New Jersey, held on October 24, 2026 over a certified 3.1-mile course with an 8:30 a.m. start. Runners of every age and ability are encouraged to enter in costume, and awards go to the leading man and woman as well as across age groups. Proceeds fund scholarships for academic, athletic and social clubs at Newton High School.

Age-group awards change how you race: instead of chasing the overall winner, pick off the runners around you over the last mile and work from them. For anyone new to the distance, three or four weeks of easy running with a couple of short pickups each week is enough to line up prepared. The certified course also means your time here works as a benchmark, so run it now and you have a clean comparison for next year.