Essex County Turtle Back Zoo Penguin Waddle
About this race
Join the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo and Fleet Feet Montclair for a wild morning of miles and fun!
📅 Saturday, October 18
⏰ 8:30 AM
📍 Essex County Turtle Back Zoo
Get ready to waddle, run, or walk your way through a 3-mile course (or take the 1.3-mile Safari Shortcut) before crossing the finish line inside the Zoo for a one-of-a-kind celebration!
🎟️ Post-run Essex County Turtle Back Zoo admission is included with registration. Stick around after the run to explore and say hello to the animals.
🎁 The first 300 participants to register will receive custom pom-pom beanie (a $35 value)
This event is perfect for the whole family—whether you sprint like a cheetah, stroll like a tortoise, or waddle like a penguin, everyone’s invited to join the fun.
👟 Costumes, animal spirit, and family smiles are highly encouraged!
ZOO MEMBERS
SPECTATING: Zoo members do not need to purchase a spectator pass to enter the Zoo early. Simply show proof of your valid Essex County Turtle Back Zoo membership at packet pick-up (either on Friday or event morning) for early admission.
PARTICIPANTS: Already registered or planning to sign up? Reach out to Maddie at maddie@fleetfeetmontclair.com with valid proof of Essex County Zoo Membership, and the Zoo admission portion of your registration fee will be waived or refunded.
PACKET PICK-UP
Early Pick-Up (Recommended!)
📍 Fleet Feet Montclair – 603 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ 07043
📅 Friday, October 17
⏰ 2:00 – 6:00 PM
Event Day Pick-Up
📍 Location TBA
📅 Saturday, October 18
⏰ 7:30 – 8:30 AM
SPECTATORS:
Want to cheer on your family and friends at the finish line inside the Zoo?
Spectators will need an Official Spectator Pass to enter the Zoo early before it opens to the public. We’re offering a special discounted $10 rate (normally $22) so you can join the finish line celebration and explore the Zoo afterward.
Day of spectator passes will be available for purchase at the start and zoo entrance.
PARKING:
This is a point to point run. Meaning the start and finish area are in two different places. The start is near The Waterfront at South Mountain Recreation Complex and the Finish is in the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo.
Parking closest to the start is across Cherry Lane at the Oakdale Parking Lot in the South Mountain Reservation. There are additional parking lots and garages throughout the South Mountain Recreation Complex.
This is not an official race. There is no event timing. Details are subject to change.
Pick your distance
Running
Penguin Waddle (13+ Years Old)
Penguin Waddle (2-12 Years Old)
Official Spectator Pass
Want to cheer on your family and friends at the finish line inside the Zoo? Spectators will need an Official Spectator Pass to enter the Zoo early before it opens to the public. We’re offering a special discounted $15 rate (normally $22) so you can join the celebration and explore the Zoo afterward. Pass is needed for spectators 2 years old and up!.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 5 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in West Orange, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:10 AM and sets at 6:13 PM local time (EDT) in West Orange on October 17, 2026 — 11h 03m 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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🏃 Plan Your Next Race in West Orange
Find upcoming events by distance:
- West Orange 5K Races 11 races
- West Orange Running Calendar 2026 11 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, 14 West Orange events
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