Firecracker 5K/10K

Celebrate the 4th of July with the Firecracker 5K/10K at the Riverside Park in Bryson City, NC. The race is followed by the Freedom Festival. There's fun for the whole family with events all day, and fireworks at night. You can add whitewater rafting, a train ride, or waterfall hikes. Make a big holiday in a small town. 

The Rotary Club of Bryson City hosts the 37th Annual 5K with a course that starts and finishes in the historic town of Bryson City,  and meanders through Deep Creek Community, the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.   

Register by June 10th to receive a commemorative race shirt. For registrations after this date, we ordered more shirts, but we cannot guarantee we will not run out or not have your size. 

July 3rd, 3:00 - 7:00 pm Onsite Registration and Packet Pick Up at BC Outdoors,169 Main Street, Bryson City, NC

July 4th, 6:30 - 7:15 am Onsite Registration and Packet Pick Up at 101 Mitchell Street, Bryson City, NC

7:30 am The 10K Race Starts 8:00 am The 5K Race Starts

Age Groups & Awards

Awards to the Top 3 Overall Male and Female finishers.

Challenge Award presented to the fastest overall male and female 5K finisher who beats the all-time course record:

Male Record: 16:52 — Silas Harden
Female Record: 19:00 — Annie Batcheller

Awards to the Top 3 Male and Female finishers in each of the following Age Groups:

M/F 9 & Under | 10–14 | 15–19 | 20–24 | 25–29 | 30–34 | 35–39 | 40–44 | 45–49 | 50–54 | 55–59 | 60–64 | 65–69 | 70–74 | 75–79

Inspiration Award presented to the top Male and Female finisher age 80 & Over.

Join fellow runners on July 4, 2026 for the Firecracker 5K/10K. It's a fantastic 5K, 10K featuring a flat and fast course in Bryson City.