Jack Gamble Melon Run
About this race
🍉 Gainesville’s Favorite Fourth of July Tradition
Start your Independence Day with 3 miles, rolling hills, and a slice of watermelon at the finish.
The Melon Run is one of the Florida Track Club's largest events of the year and as much a part of July 4th as BBQ and fireworks. This community favorite brings runners of all ages together for a festive, fun, and slightly hilly celebration.
🍉 The Race
• 3-mile rolling course
• Age-group awards in 10-year increments
• Age-group winners receive a watermelon
• Post-race refreshments (yes, more watermelon)
👑 Bonus Events
• Free ½-mile kids run
• Crowning of the Melon Run King and Queen after the races
👕 Registration Details
Register by June 19 at 11:59 PM to select a race tank top.
• No tank tops available after June 19, 2025
• Price (no tank option) increases after June 19
• Price increases again after June 27
• Race tanks will not be held if you do not attend
👟 Youth Pricing (12 & Under)
• $25 regular registration
• $15 no-tank option
Pricing automatically adjusts based on age on July 4, 2025.
Children receive the additional discount with a family membership.
📍 Race Day Information
Start Time: 8:00 AM
Location: Albert “Ray” Massey Westside Park
1001 NW 34th Street
Gainesville, FL 32605
Parking: Use the large lot on the west side of the park off NW 34th Street.
Bib Pick-Up: Begins at 7:00 a.m. in front of the pool near the finish line (east side of the park)
⚠️ Race Day Registration = Online Only
Register online through 7:30 AM on race morning using your phone or computer, then pick up your bib.
• No in-person registration assistance
• No paper forms
• No in-person payments
💳 FTC Member Discount
FTC Members:
Log in to your FTC account and click the "Local Races" tab for the discount code. Enter that code on the payment page during registration.
Not a member yet? Join the Florida Track Club and take part in 9 free races and 3 discounted events each year.
Annual Membership Rates:
• Individual: $40
• Family: $65
• Student: $25
• Senior (65+): $25 individual / $40 family
(Email us to set up Senior membership.)
Three miles. Rolling hills. Watermelon at the finish.
There’s no better way to kick off the Fourth of July in Gainesville. 🇺🇸🍉
Pick your distance
Running
3 mile Run (With Tank Top)
3 Mile Run (No Tank Top)
Typical race-day weather
Based on 7 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Gainesville, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:33 AM and sets at 8:33 PM local time (EDT) in Gainesville on July 4, 2026 — 13h 59m 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.
Reviews
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2026 results — Jack Gamble Melon Run
3 mile Run (With Tank Top) · 352 finishers
| Place | Name | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel Freas | 15:59 | 5:20 /mi |
| 2 | Sam Weiler | 16:09 | 5:23 /mi |
| 3 | Declan O'Dwyer | 16:20 | 5:27 /mi |
| 4 | Ethan Frey | 16:33 | 5:31 /mi |
| 5 | Ethan Bergmann | 16:54 | 5:38 /mi |
Every finisher is on the results page, filterable by distance, gender and age group.
All results by year
Other races near Gainesville
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Santa Paws 5k-9 and 10K-9 Run/Walk - Gainesville
Not So Scary Triathlon
Children’s Miracle Network Dash and Bash 5K
Habitat Hustle 5K Run/Walk
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Gainesville
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Gainesville 5K Races 43 races
- 10K Run Events in Gainesville 27 races
- Gainesville Running Calendar 2026 52 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, 56 Gainesville events
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