Most races ask runners to remember a watch, a race number and some sensible kit. The Limerick City Night Run leaves room for vampire capes, skeleton suits and whatever else can survive five kilometres through the city.
The Halloween themed 5K takes place on Thursday October 29th, starting at 8.00pm from King John’s Castle Plaza. Up to 2,000 runners, walkers and costume loving participants are expected to take over the streets as part of Limerick’s October Twilight Thursday programme.
Running 5K while dressed as a vampire will probably do nothing for your aerodynamics. It should, however, make the race photographs considerably better.
With closed roads, chip timing, a castle finish and a party waiting beyond the line, this is far removed from the usual Sunday morning road race.
Five Kilometres Through Limerick After Dark
The race begins at King John’s Castle Plaza before heading through the heart of Limerick city. The route takes participants along Nicholas Street, Patrick Street and O’Connell Street, continuing past The Crescent and along O’Connell Avenue towards Punches Cross before turning back towards the castle.
Organisers describe the course as flat and fast, giving club runners and regular racers a genuine opportunity to chase a strong 5K time. The roads will be closed and the route fully marshalled, allowing the field to move through the city without the usual traffic or junction stops.
Limerick City and County Council has published an extensive road closure plan covering the course between 7.00pm and 10.00pm. That commitment should help create the rare pleasure of running through central city streets that have been handed over to participants for the night.
The finish brings everyone back to King John’s Castle, where a live DJ, Halloween lighting and a waiting crowd should ensure the final few hundred metres feel rather different from an ordinary local 5K.
Fancy Dress Is Encouraged, Not Required
The costume element is a major part of the event, but nobody needs to run inside a giant inflatable pumpkin unless that sounds like a good idea.
Fancy dress is optional, with prizes planned for the best costumes on the night. That gives participants the freedom to commit fully to the Halloween theme or turn up in normal running gear and concentrate on the clock.
It should make for an unusual mix at the start. Some runners will be checking their splits and looking for a personal best. Others may be trying to work out how quickly a zombie, witch or six foot skeleton can cover O’Connell Street.
The event is open to people aged 16 and over, with runners, joggers and walkers all welcome. That broad approach suits a race built around atmosphere as much as finishing time.
The Finish Line Leads Straight Into The Castle
Crossing the line is only the first part of the evening.
Every race entry includes admission to the party inside the grounds of King John’s Castle. Live music begins from 9.00pm, with a bar and the fancy dress crowd carrying the night on after the running has finished.
That gives groups a better reason to enter together. The usual routine of finding the car, changing shoes and heading home is replaced by a finish line that leads directly into one of Limerick’s best known landmarks.
Friends and family who are not taking part can still join the evening. Separate supporter tickets cost €20 and include castle entry from 8.00pm, the chance to watch the finish and access to the live music afterwards. Those tickets are available through RaceReg.
What The €30 Race Entry Includes
General admission costs €30. Each race entry includes chip timing, a custom Halloween finisher’s medal, water and refreshments, access to a bag drop, a fully marshalled closed road course and admission to the party at King John’s Castle.
The medal gives every finisher something permanent from the evening, while the chip timing ensures anyone who runs through the costume parade at full effort still receives an accurate result.
Online race registration is currently scheduled to close on October 28th. The event is limited to 2,000 places, so entries could close earlier if that capacity is reached.
How Race Night Will Work
Check in and the bag drop will operate from 6.30pm until 7.45pm at King John’s Castle Plaza. Check in closes at 7.45pm, followed by the DJ warm up at 7.50pm and the race start at 8.00pm.
The course closes at 9.00pm, when medal collection and refreshments will also be available. The party inside the castle begins from 9.00pm and continues with live music.
Organisers advise participants travelling by car to arrive before 7.00pm. Arthurs Quay Car Park and the visitor car park opposite King John’s Castle are among the nearby options. Limerick Colbert Station is around a 15 to 20 minute walk from the start, while the city centre is roughly ten minutes away on foot.
A Thursday Night Race Worth Remembering
The date is one of the event’s best features. Taking place two days before Halloween, it arrives when the city is already building towards its main weekend celebrations. It also offers something different from the familiar weekend race routine.
Five kilometres is short enough for newcomers and walkers to join the night without facing an intimidating distance. It is also long enough for experienced runners to race properly, particularly on a closed city route with chip timing.
The Limerick City Night Run has a clear idea of what it wants to be. It is part road race, part fancy dress gathering and part Halloween night out. The combination should attract people who might never consider entering a conventional race, while still giving quicker runners a worthwhile test.
Race Essentials
Event: Limerick City Night Run 2026
Date: Thursday October 29th
Location: King John’s Castle Plaza, Nicholas Street, Limerick
Start Time: 8.00pm
Distance: 5K
Entry: €30
Minimum Age: 16
Entry Includes: Chip timing, custom finisher’s medal, refreshments, bag drop and castle party admission
Entry Status: Open
Race Registration: Enter through Eventmaster
Supporter Party Tickets: €20 through RaceReg
Image: Just Race Events/myrunphotos.ie
