Wild Turkey 5K Trail Walk/Run

'The WT5K is a must for any trail runner. Simply put, it is the best 5K course I have run in the region. On top of that, the race organization was top notch and the post-race Union County Heritage Festival is a don't miss event. I'll be back next year for sure'. Jason Huber, WT5K Bracket Winner, 2022. 

The Wild Turkey 5K Trail Run and Walk will again offer two options this year to allow everyone to participate in the way they feel most comfortable!

On-Site Wild Turkey 5K - Come run with us again this year!! Run, jog or walk our exciting, mostly wooded 5K (3.1 mile) trail at the Union County Agriculture Center on Saturday, September 23, 2023, starting at 8:00am to support our local Carolina Waterfowl Rescue charity. Registration fees are $25 until July 31, $30 until August 31st, and then $35 until 7:45am on Race Day (online registration closes at midnight on Monday 9/18/23). Groups of 4 who register together receive a $5.00 discount each! Children aged 5 to 14 pay just $15.00! First Place finisher medals and Charlotte Running Company gift certificates will be awarded for overall Men and Women, and the top finisher guy or girl in each of the age brackets (14 and under, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+). Results will be recorded by the Race Committee, separately from the Run Anywhere event.

Run Anywhere Wild Turkey 5K - Walk, jog, run or race 3.1 miles anytime, anywhere (instead of meeting and running/walking the specified course with a group at a designated time), by yourself or with friends between 8:00am Saturday, September 23rd and 5:00pm on Sunday, September 24th! Everyone is welcome! Stay active, stay connected with others via social media, and support our Carolina Waterfowl Rescue charity through the Run Anywhere Wild Turkey 5K, a fun option for your 3rd weekend in September! Registration is $25 anytime up until midnight on Monday, September 12th. No performance prizes will be awarded for the Run Anywhere race. Groups of 4 who register together receive a $5.00 discount each! Children aged 5 to 14 pay just $15.00! There will be NO price increases closer to the event for the Run Anywhere race. If you are a brand-new runner, by all means alternate running and walking, or feel free to break the run/walk into 2 or 3 sessions, just get 3.1 miles in during the race window! Recording results is optional, but virtual runners may post their times and course on our Facebook page so we can all share in your accomplishment. You may also post on this website under the RESULTS tab. 

For BOTH the On-Site and Run Anywhere events: 

Choose which race format suits you best for 2023 and REGISTER! Remember to chat to friends to get the group discount when you register together at one time. 

Generate 4 registration referrals and get $10 refunded on YOUR registration!

T-shirt giveaway commitment limited to registrations by 8/31/23 to allow for ordering and production time. 

Race Bag Pick Up:

Thursday 9/21/23 5:00 - 7:30pm, in person at Home Brew, 215 S. Main St., Monroe NC 28112 - first 8 people there get a free Home Brew water bottle & smoothie coupon ($15 value)

Friday 9/22/23 4:00 - 7:00pm, in person at Charlotte Running Company (CRC), 5355 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Suite 200, Charlotte NC 28277 - everyone picking up at CRC gets 10% of any CRC purchase made at pick up and will be entered to win 1 of 3 soft style T-shirts (drawing on Race Day) AND first 8 people there get a free Home Brew water bottle & smoothie coupon ($15 value)

Saturday (Race Day) 9/23/23 will be in person at the Agriculture Center lower Parking Lot from 6:45am - 7:45am. (The Union County Agricultural Center, 3230 Presson Road, Monroe, NC 28112). Avoid congestion by using one of the early pick-up locations listed above!!

Run Anywhere participants, get the T-shirt mailed to you for an additional $7.50 if you register before the 8/31/23 deadline and we'll try to get it to you by Race Day. No T-shirt will be available to Run Anywhere participants after the 8/31/23 deadline as there will be no commitment to provide a T-shirt and the mail fee cannot be collected through the registration process.

We will award prizes to randomly selected On-Site participants, but you must be present (at the 9:30am Awards ceremony) to win. 

Proceeds from the 2023 Wild Turkey 5K events benefit the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, a non-profit wildlife rescue organization located in Indian Trail, NC. CWR is run by federally licensed migratory bird rehabilitators specializing in waterfowl, providing medical treatment and care to orphaned or injured wild birds and other animals.  CWR is an all-volunteer group that donates their time, money and expertise to helping North Carolina's birds in need.  
https://www.cwrescue.org.   

Take a selfie after you’ve completed your run/walk, add a short blurb about your experience, and post to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/UnionCountyHeritageFestival/

If you are free for a few hours between 9am and 4pm on Saturday, September 23, 2023, plan to come on out to the Union County Ag Center to join your friends, family and neighbors for the 9th Annual Heritage Festival! Check out the website: https://www.unioncountyheritagefestival.org/ and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/UnionCountyHeritageFestival/ for regular updates. 

Donate! If you’re unable to participate but would still like to make a donation to help out the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, click on the DONATE tab at the top.

Save the date for the next Wild Turkey 5K and Union County Heritage Festival on Saturday, September 28, 2024!