Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle

Working with community partners, Craven Smart Start provides Craven County children with quality early learning opportunities and health and family support to give them a foundation for success in kindergarten and beyond. Proceeds raised from the Holiday Hustle will expand Craven Smart Start’s ability to provide more services for children, birth to five, and their families in Craven County. The Holiday Hustle will feature the Tinsel 10K and Jingle Bell Jog 5K, which take runners on a course through downtown New Bern starting and ending in Union Point Park. The event also includes the Santa Family Fun Run with a course around Union Point Park. All races will be available as a virtual option including the virtual 48.6 mile 12 Days of Christmas Challenge, we introduced in 2020.

Registration Fees:

• Jingle Bell Jog 5K - $30 until Nov. 28 / $35 Nov 29 until race day
• Tinsel 10K - $35 until Nov. 28 / $40 Nov 29 until race day
• Santa’s Fun Run - $15 / $20 on race day
• Virtual 5k & 10k - $20
• Virtual 48.6 mile 12 Days of Christmas Challenge (this race can be any form of exercise-Running, walking, swimming, biking, elliptical, etc.) - $40

$5 per person family discount for in person races (3 or more participants)

Register by Nov. 6 to guarantee T-shirt.

DUE TO SUPPLY ISSUES, PLEASE BE AWARE IF YOU REGISTER AFTER NOVEMBER  6TH, YOU WILL NOT GET A RACE SHIRT.

Registration Fee is NONREFUNDABLE. 

Packet Pick up will be Friday, December 11th from 4-7 at Craven Smart Start, 211-F Neuse Blvd, New Bern or at Union Point Park beginning at 7am the morning of the race.

Awards:

• In-Person Awards for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place, male & female, in age categories 8-17, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-64 and 65+
• Medals to 1st, 2nd, 3rd place overall in each race male and female

Giveaway:

• All in-person registrants will receive a long sleeve performance t-shirt. Available in YS, YM, YL, AS, AM, AL, AXL, AXXL. Register by Nov. 6th to guarantee t-shirt!
• All Children 15 and under participating in the Family Fun Run will receive a medal.
• Everyone that completes the Virtual 48.6 mile 12 Days of Christmas Challenge will receive a long sleeve performance T-shirt and medal upon completion. 
• Participants of the 5k and 10k virtual run will receive a medal upon completion (no shirt).
   

Join fellow runners on December 1, 2026 for the Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle. It's a fantastic Ultra, 10K, 5K, 1.6K featuring a flat and fast course in New Bern.