Urban League and Hartford Marathon Foundation Invite All to July 18th 5K Race & Movement Festival in Hartford
HARTFORD, CONN., July 1, 2026 – The Urban League of Greater Hartford in partnership with the Hartford Marathon Foundation (HMF) and presenting sponsors RTX and CVS Health will host the 5th annual MOVE! 5K and Movement Festival on Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Hartford’s historic Keney Park.
The event kicks off at 9 a.m. with the 5K Road Race and a 1-Mile Run/Walk followed by the free HMF FitKids Fun Run. The awards ceremony begins at 10:30 and includes the presentation of the Annual Exum Award, honoring former RTX executive and Urban League Board member Earl Exum and his family.
Swimsuits and towels are highly encouraged for the free Movement Festival, taking place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. New this year, Hartford Parks and Recreation will open the Keney Park swimming pool for race and festival participants to experience one of the park's hidden gems. In addition to swimming, the public can enjoy fitness demonstrations, health information, fresh produce, arts and crafts, live entertainment, community resources, and music by DJ Sammie Soca. The Urban League Young Professionals will also host the YP Games, where registered teams will compete in a series of fun challenges.
Whether running, walking, dancing, swimming, competing, learning, or simply spending a summer morning with family and friends at the park, the Movement Festival offers something for everyone!
“We look forward to welcoming community members of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to run or walk with us and celebrate the fifth year of this unique event with our partners at the Urban League of Greater Hartford," said Josh Miller, President of the Hartford Marathon Foundation.
“There is wellness in The Movement,” states David Hopkins, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Hartford. “For the Urban League, ‘The Movement’ has always been about empowering communities and changing lives so MOVE! acknowledges the way wellness extends beyond physical fitness and into our learning, work-life balance, environment, and overall citizenship.”
Registration fees for the 5K and 1-Mile Run/Walk are $25 for adults, $15 for participants ages 13–21, and free for children ages 12 and under. Admission to the Movement Festival is free for all ages. Teams may register for the Urban League Young Professionals YP Games for $10 per person through July 11 or $15 onsite.
Advance registration for the race is available at www.hartfordmarathon.com/move-with-the-urban-league. Onsite registration will also be available. Event shirts will be distributed while supplies last.
Proceeds from the event make the Urban League of Greater Hartford's education, employment, housing, health, and justice programs and services free to all.
Volunteers and sponsors interested in supporting the event are encouraged to contact the Urban League of Greater Hartford.
Learn more about MOVE! With the Urban League and upcoming events at www.HartfordMarathon.com. Follow the Urban League on social media @ulgh64 and HMF on Facebook at HMF Events, Twitter at @RunHMF or Instagram at HMF_Events.
The Urban League of Greater Hartford advances racial equity through economic empowerment programs in the areas of youth development, adult education, workforce development, affordable housing, personal financial management, community health, and social justice, impacting more than 3,000 individuals and their families every year. The community-based, not-for-profit 501(c)(3), was established in 1964 as the National Urban League’s 66th affiliate. For more information about the Urban League of Greater Hartford, visit www.ulgh.org or https://linktr.ee/ulgh64 or call 860-527-0147. Follow on social media @ulgh64.
The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a not for profit organization incorporated in 1994 whose mission is to promote healthy living through fitness and physical activity for people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, gender identities, orientations and experience levels, and to use HMF events to support charity, sustainability, tourism and economic growth in communities. For more information, visit www.HartfordMarathon.com and Facebook at HMF Events, Twitter/X at @RunHMF and Instagram at HMF_Events.
Media Contacts:
David Hopkins
Urban League of Greater Hartford
Phone 860-527-0147 / Email: events@ulgh.org
Elizabeth Cowles
Hartford Marathon Foundation
860-770-4622 / ecowles@cjpr.com