Event-record 7,500+ registrations from 45 states and 18 countries; Race Day Sunday, November 8 starts on the waterfront and finishes on State Street into the Funk Zone Finish Line Festival
Santa Barbara, Calif. (November 5, 2026) – The Santa Barbara Half Marathon presented by HOKA & 5K takes over the American Riviera this Sunday, November 8, for its sixth edition. An event-record 7,500+ registered runners from 45 states and 18 countries will trade ocean views for downtown energy over 13.1 miles or 3.1 miles, then run straight into a street party in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.
The weekend opens Friday with Packet Pick-Up at the Palm Park Festival presented by SB Independent and builds through Saturday’s HOKA Shakeout Run and Yoga at the Park. On Sunday, runners wake up for a 7:00am start on Cabrillo Blvd., with the handcycle division leading off and four waves of Half Marathon runners heading west along the waterfront.
“There’s no running event quite like this one,” said David Monico, Event Director. “You run miles along the Pacific on world-renowned Cabrillo Boulevard, finish on the historic State Street promenade, and celebrate at a Finish Line Festival right in the middle of our local businesses.”
A Course That Shows Off the City
The Half Marathon starts on Cabrillo Blvd. where State Street meets the Pacific, then heads west past the Harbor and Santa Barbara City College to the course’s one real climb, about 150 feet up to the Mesa. After a turnaround just past mile 2.5, runners get it all back downhill with ocean views. Miles 5 to 10 run flat and fast along Cabrillo Blvd. past Chase Palm Park and East Beach before the course turns up State Street past the historic Granada Theatre, loops Alameda Park and Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden, and drops back down State Street to the finish.
The best seat on the course is the HOKA Fly Zone on Cabrillo Blvd. The main spectator zone sits at the start area, where friends and family will see their runners pass three times before heading over to meet them at the finish line or the Funk Zone Finish Line Festival. A second HOKA Fly Zone at Mile 11 on State Street brings the noise with the UCSB Gaucho Pep Band.
The energy builds all morning:
- Live music on course – local musicians and entertainers perform along the route
- Fuel – Voli Sunset Strawberry Lemonade and water at six aid stations; GU gels at the start and mile 9.75
- Pace team – OnPace and HOKA pacers from 1:25 to 3:00
The Santa Barbara 5K starts at 8:30am on Cabrillo Blvd., winds through downtown and shares the same State Street finish line.
Looked after every mile. Volunteer medics staff every aid station, the on-course medical tent at State and Anapamu, and the festival medical tents on Yanonali. Running alongside them this year, members of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department’s hand crew will race the Half Marathon while serving as a backup emergency response team on course.
A Finish Line Inside the Funk Zone
Finishers cross the line on State Street and walk straight into the Funk Zone Finish Line Festival on Yanonali Street, Santa Barbara’s arts, wine and craft beer district a few blocks from the beach. Festival partners open at 8:00am, and Outside Voices plays live from 9:00am to 11:00am.
- Complimentary drink with your bib ticket – every bib carries a drink ticket good for one complimentary beer at a participating Funk Zone partner, Friday through Sunday
- Show your bib – select Funk Zone businesses offer participant promotions all weekend, and every Finish Line bag includes a free Rori’s ice cream scoop
- Awards with local flavor – top-three overall Half Marathon finishers receive a custom engraved red-roof tile from Action Roofing, a nod to Santa Barbara’s signature architecture, at 9:00am on the Festival Main Stage; 5K overall awards follow at 9:15am
- Age-group plaques – designed by San Marcos High School art students
- The finisher haul – the 2026 poppy medal by Santa Barbara Half Art Prize recipient Solange Aguilar, a Known Supply organic cotton tee and an Open Water aluminum bottle
- For the little ones – the HOKA Kids Fun Run presented by White & Grube Orthodontics starts at 10:30am at State and Yanonali, with a medal for every kid
Friends and family can follow along with live tracking at santabarbarahalf.com.
Race Weekend at a Glance
Friday, November 6
- 2:00pm–6:00pm – Packet Pick-Up and HOKA Hub at the Palm Park Festival presented by SB Independent (Chase Palm Park Great Meadow)
Saturday, November 7
- 8:30am – HOKA Shakeout Run; 9:30am – HOKA Yoga at the Park
- 10:00am–2:00pm – Packet Pick-Up, HOKA Hub and DJ Darla Bea
Sunday, November 8 – Race Day
- 7:00am – Half Marathon presented by HOKA (four waves)
- 8:00am – Funk Zone Finish Line Festival opens on Yanonali St.
- 8:30am – Santa Barbara 5K
- 9:00am – Half Marathon overall awards; 9:15am – 5K overall awards
- 10:30am – HOKA Kids Fun Run presented by White & Grube Orthodontics
Event Fast Facts
- Sixth edition
- Central Coast’s largest running event, with an event-record 7,500+ registrations; 5K sold out
- Runners from 45 states & 18 countries; Colorado, Texas and Washington send the most out-of-state runners, and Mexico and Canada lead international entries
- Youngest entrant, 6 months (Kids Fun Run); oldest Half Marathon entrant, 83
- Volunteer & staff crew of more than 400 strong
- Two dozen blind runners and their guides from Blind Fitness & Eyeshine
- $250,000+ raised for local organizations since 2021 through the Santa Barbara Running Association, including this year’s event
- Half Marathon event records: 1:06:35, Alex Cyr (Toronto, Canada), 2025; 1:17:38, Addie Zerrenner (Goleta, CA), 2021
- 5K event records: 15:46, James Silva (Bakersfield, CA), 2021; 17:44, Jordan Hasay (San Luis Obispo, CA), 2022
- The Half Marathon is a Southern California USA Track & Field Grand Prix event and an SBRA Grand Prix event
For results, live tracking and more information, visit santabarbarahalf.com and follow @santabarbarahalf & @runlocalevents on social media.
About Run Local® – Founded in 2012, Run Local’s mission is to inspire movement in your community™. The organization has produced events in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout California, including the Oakland Marathon (March), San Jose Half & 8K (June), and the Santa Barbara Half presented by HOKA & 5K (November). Each of its events celebrates the local running community, artists, and the unique diversity of each region. For more information, visit runlocalevents.com and join us on social @runlocalevents.