The 2026 Circle UP Keweenaw Color Run is happening in time for the fall colors. On Saturday, Oct. 3 at 10 a.m., all are invited to participate in this five-kilometer (5K) event along the Houghton Pier. During the event, participants will be covered in color by both staff and volunteers along the route.
There are no winners for the Color Run. Shelby Oja, the President of Circle UP Keweenaw, says, “You can skip, you can crawl, you can moonwalk, you can do whatever on the route… the whole point is to be with the community and enjoy the outdoors with all the fall colors.” Circle UP is a social group based on forming connections and having fun.
Registration for Color Run is open now and ends on Friday, Oct. 2 at noon. Day-of race sign-ups are also accepted. T-shirt preordering is closed, but participants who ordered t-shirts can pick them up Friday, Oct. 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Keweenaw Brewing Company. Participants can also pick up their shirt day-of the event, where there will also be a limited number of t-shirts available for purchase.
There will be two routes: the 5K route and an accessible route. The 5K route starts at the Michigan Tech Lakeshore Center, with participants going along the Portage Canal and up the stairs at Prince’s Point. The accessible route starts at the same place, but avoids the stairs at Prince’s Point, instead going up Phoenix Dr. to Cliff Dr. There will be signs and an aid station along both routes. Parking will be available throughout downtown Houghton, but the lots between the Lakeshore Center and UP Kids will be closed for Fall Fest and will not be available for Color Run parking.
The Color Run is presented by Circle UP, in collaboration with Visit Keweenaw. Color Run also acts as Circle UP’s only fundraiser. The money gained from Color Run allows Circle UP to stay free to join, as well as throw free community events throughout the year. Oja says that Circle UP is “open to any adult that wants to meet people and be engaged in the community.”
After Color Run, Houghton Fall Fest, also known as the Canal Colors Fest, will be happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Houghton Waterfront Pier. There will be live music, kids’ games, free tractor rides, and a sled dog meet and greet.
For more information about the Keweenaw Color Run or Circle UP, contact hello@circleupkeweenaw.com. For more route details, visit circleupkeweenaw.org/color-run. For more information on Houghton Fall Fest and its events, visit visitkeweenaw.com/canal-colors-festival/.
