The Last Best Beer Run and 5k
The Last Best Beer Run and 5k logo

The Last Best Beer Run and 5k

Billings, Montana, United States View on map
May 16, 2026 (America/Denver local time)
Running

About this race

THE EVENTS:

5k Run: No beer, all run.  This will be the first wave that starts right at 9:55am.  Run past all the beer stations and get to the finish line without stopping!  Don't worry, your race entry still gets you into the after party if you are over 21!  We are limiting the NO BEER 5K to 300 People.

Beer Run: Same course as 5k Run. This will be run in multiple waves! Starting with an "Elite Wave" at 10:00am.  You'll drink between 8 and 10 4-ounce pours of beer along the way.  Water will be available at each beer station, and bathrooms will be available near the halfway mark! The BEER RUN 5K is limited to 500 people.

There will be two Cartoons and Video Games themed items hidden on the course and one hidden at the after party. Bring one to the Race Director and you will win a prize!

Costume Contest:  Cartoons and Video Games Themed.  Come as Elmer Fudd and chase that wascawwy wabbit to the finish line or help Ash Ketchum catch all the beer stops on his way to the becoming the best beer runner from Pallet Town. Bonus points for combining cartoons/video games with beer! (Yogi Beer, Sonic the Hophog, etc).


Food Trucks:
Michelle's Pantry


Tis the season for amazing craft beer, themed runs, and awesome events. The 2026 Billings Craft Beer Week will take place Sunday, May 10th through Saturday May 16th. There will be events throughout the week with the Last Best Beer Run rounding out the week! Participants can win awesome prizes by visiting multiple breweries, and don’t forget to download the Billings Brew Pass to log all of your brewery stops and win a Brew Trail limited run t-shirt! It’s only available during the week’s festivities and while supplies last.

Learn more: https://www.visitbillings.com/blog/arts-culture-events/2025-craft-beer-week

T-Shirt Deadline: April 30th.  Shirts will be ordered on May 1st.  We will be ordering extra, but you will not be guaranteed your preferred size after this date!

NO REFUNDS

Your Bib:
This is your entry into your correct wave.  You pick your wave at packet pickup. Once a wave fills up, there are no exceptions. We do not want the beer stops getting too crowded.

Bibs 1-100 are the 5k (No Beer) Participants: 9:55am Start Time
Bibs 101-150 are the Elite Wave and Wave 1:  10:00am Start Time
Bibs 201-250 are Wave 2:  10:02am Start Time
Bibs 301-350 are Wave 3:  10:04am Start Time
Bibs 401-450 are Wave 4:  10:06am Start Time
Bibs 501-550 are Wave 5:  10:08am Start Time
Bibs 601-650 are Wave 6:  10:10am Start Time
Bibs 701-750 are Wave 7:  10:12am Start Time
Bibs 801-850 are Wave 8:  10:14am Start Time


Course Safety Rules:
Through the main part of downtown (see course map below), you will be running on the sidewalks, this is because 1st Ave and Montana Ave are state routes and cannot be fully shutdown. We will have officers at each of these busy intersections along with a volunteer directing you and traffic. We are here to run and drink delicious beer in a safe manner!  Once you leave Thirsty Street Brewing's beer stop, the road is yours. Stay close to the bike lane marked by cones!

You will have 8 beers to drink on the course, and all in the first 2 miles! Once you run through the back gates of Dehler, we'll have some beer ready for you as well as snacks/treats from Michelle's Pantry.


After Party:
This is a beer fest style after party.  Beer will start flowing at 10:30am. More beer will be ready as soon as breweries finish up on the race course.  We are guests of Dehler Park, please be considerate of the Billings Mustangs who will be practicing on the field. Also, lets keep the area clean so we can keep coming back.  Moving the finish line to Dehler Park is a great privilege.

Pick your distance

Running

5k Run (no beer during the race)

A flat and fast 5k course. No beer during the race. Includes entry into the post race beer garden. Enjoy some snacks/beer while waiting for the other breweries to arrive back at the finish line. Must wear your wristband from packet pickup until after the event.

May 16, 2026 5K 9:55 AM
$55.00
Closed

ELITE BEER RUN

Men: Must be capable of a sub 22 minute 5k (without drinking beer) Women: Must be capable of a sub 24 minute 5k (without drinking beer) Drink 8x4ounce pours of beer that are spread throughout the course. Includes entry into the post race beer garden. Enjoy some snacks/beer while waiting for the other breweries to arrive back at the finish line. Must wear your wristband from packet pickup until after the event.

May 16, 2026 4K 10:00 AM
$60.00
Closed

Beer Run

Drink 8x4ounce pours of beer that are spread throughout the course. Includes entry into the post race beer garden. Enjoy some snacks/beer while waiting for the other breweries to arrive back at the finish line. Must wear your wristband from packet pickup until after the event.

May 16, 2026 4K 10:02 AM
$60.00
Closed

Typical race-day weather

Based on 10 years of historical conditions on this event's race dates in Billings.

Temp (°C)
Minimum temperature (race-day average) 8.3° / Maximum temperature (race-day average) 22.2°
Feels Like (°C)
Minimum feels like — heat index / wind chill (race-day average) 5.3° / Maximum feels like — heat index / wind chill (race-day average) 22.2°
Wind (km/h)
Average wind speed (race-day average)
19.8
Precip (mm)
Average precipitation (race-day average)
2.0mm
Humidity
Average relative humidity (race-day average)
52.6%

Course

Route map and elevation profile

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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Results — The Last Best Beer Run and 5k

2023 edition View Results
2022 edition View Results
2019 edition View Results

Other races near Billings

Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months

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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, 42 Billings events

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