Unbound Now's Light Up The Dark 5K Presented by Chick-fil-A
About this race
The Unbound Now Light Up The Dark 5K Presented by Chick Fil A is a fun, family-friendly “glow-in-the-dark” run to raise money and awareness for the anti-human trafficking work of Unbound. This annual event is fun for everyone, whether you’re a slow walker or a professional runner! This year, we are offering in-person and virtual options to participants to fight human trafficking in Waco, Texas, and around the world. Build a team, set a goal, and raise funds on the side to end human trafficking!
IN-PERSON: Join us at Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas on April 18, 2026, for a night of fun and wild experiences. We'll have food trucks, music, games, and a "glowing good time." You must have a Zoo Spectator Pass to get into the Zoo if you are not register for the 5K or 1K event.
5:30 p.m. Event Opens
- Day-of check in and race kit pick up
- Performances
- Food trucks: TBD
- Photo booth
5:30-6:30 p.m. Kick-off and performances!
6:30 p.m. Check-in/Registration for all events closes!
7:00 p.m. 1K
7:45 p.m. 5K run
Awards at the conclusion of the 5K
Light Up The Dark in spirit 5K Sofa Edition (virtual): Fight human trafficking wherever you are in the world! Get your friends, family, or coworkers together to support Unbound. Register as an individual or set up a team and receive our Glow Global box with glow-in-the-dark gear for you and your crew by mail, if you register by March 16th at 11:59 p.m.
We'll send out other info and ways to join in the fun to race registrants between now and race day. Make sure you're registered so we can keep you up to date! Share your ideas with us by tagging @unboundwaco, @unboundnow and using the hashtag #LightUpTheDark5K.
Thanks to our amazing sponsors for making this event possible!
Race Day Packet Pick up is TBD
Pick your distance
Running
5K
The Light Up the Dark 5K registration includes: -Finisher Medal -Event T-shirt -Glow Gear -Timing Chip This is a chip-timed event!! There will be awards for the top 3 male and female finshers for each of the following age categories: 14 & under, 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 & up
1K
The Light Up the Dark 1K registration includes: -Finisher Medal -Event T-shirt -Glow Gear This NOT a timed event!
Spectator Zoo Pass
This is for those who will be joining you at the race! Due to the safety of the event, this is a limited opportunity to the first 300 purchasers. You must have a spectator pass to get into the zoo if you are not registered for the 1K or 5K.
5K - Sofa Edition (Virtual)
The 5K - Sofa Edition registration includes the whole "Light Up The Dark" Experience! You will receive a box from Unbound Now by mail with a "race kit" to make your virtual race a glow-in-the-dark great time! Stay comfy at home in your race day swag! There is no reason to show up to pick up your race day swag, we will mail it to you.
1K - Sofa Edition (Virtual)
The 1K - Sofa Edition includes the whole "Light Up The Dark" Experience! You will receive a box from Unbound Now by mail with a "race kit" to make your virtual race a glow-in-the-dark great time! Stay comfy at home in your race day swag! There is no reason to show up to pick up your race day swag, we will mail it to you.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 12 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Waco, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 7:14 AM and sets at 7:49 PM local time (CDT) in Waco on April 3, 2027 — 12h 34m 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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Results — Unbound Now's Light Up The Dark 5K Presented by Chick-fil-A
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Find upcoming events by distance:
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- Waco Running Calendar 2026 41 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, 47 Waco events
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