Apple Festival 5k
About this race
Apple Fest 5K
Presented By: Rhyne Financial
A Lincolnton Tradition Returns
Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 8:00 AM
Lincolnton High School | Downtown Lincolnton, NC
A beloved Lincoln County tradition is back! With roots stretching back more than 35 years, the Apple Fest 5K returns to kick off one of Lincolnton’s favorite days of the year.
Runners and walkers will start at Lincolnton High School before making their way to the beautiful Marcia H. Cloninger Rail Trail. The primarily rail-trail course will take participants through the heart of Lincolnton before returning to Lincolnton High School for the finish.
After crossing the finish line, hop on the complimentary shuttle from Lincolnton High School to Downtown Lincolnton to experience all the Lincoln County Apple Festival has to offer!
Whether you’re chasing a personal best, walking with friends and family, pushing a stroller, or simply coming out to be part of a longtime community tradition, there’s a place for you at the Apple Fest 5K.
Best of all, your registration supports United Way of Lincoln County and our work to invest right back into programs, partnerships, and resources serving local families and individuals.
Run the trail. Celebrate the tradition. Stay for the festival.
RACE DETAILS- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- 5K Start Time: 8:00 AM
- Start & Finish: Lincolnton High School
- Race Type: Timed 5K Run/Walk – primarily rail-trail course
- Course: Start at Lincolnton High School, cross N. Aspen Street toward Dixon Street, enter the Marcia H. Cloninger Rail Trail for an out-and back route, and return to Lincolnton High School.
- Beneficiary: United Way of Lincoln County
- Festival Shuttle: Complimentary transportation will be available from Lincolnton High School to the Apple Festival following the race.
T-SHIRT + APPLE SWAG
Register by October 5, 2026 to be guaranteed an official Apple Fest 5K T-shirt and apple-themed swag bag!
Registrations received after October 5 are not guaranteed a shirt or swag bag, so register early.
PACKET PICKUP
Friday, October 16 | 4:30–6:00 PM
Lincolnton High School
Pick up your race bib, T-shirt and swag bag ahead of race morning.
In-person registration will also be available during packet pickup.
AWARDS
Awards will be presented to the Top Overall Male and Female, plus the Top Male and Female finisher in each age group:
· 14 & Under
· 15–19
· 20–29
· 30–39
· 40–49
· 50–59
· 60–69
· 70–79
· 80+
Stroller Division: One award will be presented to the overall fastest stroller participant.
Pick your distance
Running
5k Timed
This is a timed event. Please make sure to wear your timing device for accurate times.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 1 year of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Lincolnton, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:33 AM and sets at 6:47 PM local time (EDT) in Lincolnton on October 17, 2026 — 11h 14m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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Angel Dash 5k
Night Crawl 5K
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🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Lincolnton
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Lincolnton 5K Races 7 races
- Lincolnton Running Calendar 2026 8 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 8 Lincolnton events
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