Juneteenth Freedom Run/Walk

Woodward Park - Ft Washington Parking Lot
7775 North Friant Road
Fresno, CA US 93720

The Juneteenth Freedom Run will be held at Woodward Park.  Enter from the NE entrance (N Fort Washington Rd & N Friant Road).  Use the kiosk to pay the $5 for parking once you find a spot.

June 12th 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Kocky's bar & Grill, 1231 Van Ness Ave, Fresno, CA 93721

June 13th 4:00pm - 7:00pm
REI in Riverpark, 7810 N Blackstone, Fresno, CA 93720

June 14th  6:45AM to 7:15AM

This packet pick-up is mainly for out of town registrants. Bib pickup will close at 6:45AM for the 5 mile race and 7:15AM for the 5K race.

LOCATION: Woodward Park, Fort Washington and Friant entrance; first parking lot, west of the Art of Life sign.

You are invited to join us on June 14, 2025 for the fourth annual Juneteenth Freedom Run 5K/5Mi run/walk. Juneteenth is the African American community’s addendum to Independence Day. It is a nationally recognized and celebrated holiday which commemorates the notification of the Emancipation Proclamation to Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. The Fresno community has been celebrating this historical moment for over 30 years. The run/walk is part of many Juneteenth celebration events in Fresno. 

Proceeds from the race will continue to fund scholarships for college-bound youth. Applications open on 6/23/25.

To participate in the run or walk at Woodward Park on 6/14/25, sign up at https://www.juneteenthfreedomrun.com/ and join a team!

 

Walkers and runners of all ages can enjoy the 5K distance. Competitive runners can shoot for breaking the course record and earning some cash. The record for fastest times belong to:

• Elijah Williams (2024), 16:47
• Erica Cuellar (2024), 21:43

Age group awards will be awarded to the top three males and females in each of the following age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80 and over.

The 5-mile run distance is twice the length that Opal Lee, the 96-year-old who is known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” walked to collect signatures to make Juneteenth a holiday. The initial 2.5 miles were a symbol that, in Texas, “the enslaved didn’t know they were free until two and a half years after the emancipation.” 

Competitive runners can shoot for breaking the course record and earning some cash. The record for fastest times belong to:

Anthony Cortes (2024), 27:44
Toni Espinoza Mundarain (2024), 38:01

Age group awards will be awarded to the top three males and females in each of the following age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80 and over.

• Finisher’s medal
• High quality Tech shirt 
• Tailwind Hydration along the course
• Fabulous race cheerleading
• Age group awards
• Pancake breakfast

There are FREE trainings for the walk/run starting in March 2025. Wear comfy clothes to walk or run in, and bring water. Please arrive 15 minutes early to fill out the liability release form for the training.
Thursdays - Cottonwood Park in Clovis at 7:00pm.
We'll meet at the SW corner of N Clovis Ave & Alluvial Ave, Clovis, CA 93612.
There is lots of free parking by the pond on Alluvial.

Saturdays - Woodward Park at 7:00am (will change as heat rises - updates on Instagram at juneteenth5k.5mi).
We'll meet at the entrance of N Fort Washington Rd & N Friant Rd, Fresno, CA 93730, inside the first parking lot, by the Art of Life sign.
Park admission is $5.

Thank you to the Kiwanis for cooking a delicious pancake breakfast for race participants.

If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.

Questions?

If you would like to help with this event, please share the race sign up link. You can also sign up to sponsor the race or volunteer by emailing the Race Director at run4healthcoaching@gmail.com.