Utica Ugly Sweater 5K

Utica Ugly Sweater 5K takes place in New York Mills, New York, on December 6, 2026, with both the 5K run and the 5K walk starting at 11:00 AM. You sign up for Team Santa or Team Grinch, and finishers receive a custom stocking and a medal that works as a Christmas tree ornament. There is a post-race party with drinks and food, awards for the top athletes overall and by age group, and a separate contest with prizes for the best sweater. The field is capped, and the event supports the NY Mills high school parent-teacher-student organization.

An 11:00 AM start in upstate New York is a gift in December: you can eat breakfast normally and warm up without freezing. For the run, four to six weeks of consistent three-times-a-week training will carry you around 3.1 miles. And since walkers go off at the same time, you can bring anyone along, sweater included.