HogmanHoway 5K

NEWCASTLE’S NEWEST NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY – the HogmanHoway 5K!

Happy Run Year – The Newest event to hit Newcastle’s New Year’s Party! 

This New Year’s Eve, swap the usual ‘what should I do to celebrate?’… for something unforgettable — run your way into 2026 at the very first HogmanHoway 5K, right in the heart of Newcastle City Centre.

Starting and finishing at the Civic Centre, this flat and fast closed-road course takes you through the twinkling festive lights and iconic city streets for a truly electric night-time running experience. Whether you’re chasing a PB or just soaking up the atmosphere in fancy dress, this is not just a run — it’s a celebration!


Make a Night of It

Why stop at one spectacle? Head down to the Quayside fireworks at 6pm, take in the celebrations, then make your way to the Civic Centre to run off the winter chill and welcome in the night with thousands of fellow runners.

Inside the event hub, you’ll find baggage storage, toilets, refreshments, and a buzzing New Year’s Eve party atmosphere to keep the energy flowing right up to the start line.

Every runner will receive:

  • special edition HogmanHoway 5K medal
  • A festive New Year’s Eve goody bag
  • limited-edition event buff to complete the look

Getting Here Is Easy

Whether you’re local or travelling in, access couldn’t be simpler:

  • Haymarket Metro Station is just a short walk from the Civic Centre, with Monument and St James also within reach.
  • Car parking is available nearby, including Civic Centre, Eldon Square, and Claremont Road car parks — ideal for runners staying in town for the midnight celebrations.

Who Can Take Part?

The HogmanHoway 5K is open to runners aged 11+, from first-timers to club speedsters. Entries will be limited in this inaugural year — so if you want to be part of history in the making, now’s the time to secure your place.


 End your run year on a high. Start the new one in style.

Happy Run Year — see you on the start line!

What’s included in your entry?
  • Specially designed medal
  • Finisher’s goody bag
  • Limited edition HogmanHoway 5K buff
  • Closed-road city centre route
  • Chip-timed results
  • Baggage and toilet facilities
  • Party refreshments

Howay man, get your entries in NOW!

Event Details
5K Entry
Min Age 11
£22

£2 discount to UKA club members at the check out
Specially designed medal
Finisher’s goody bag
Limited edition HogmanHoway 5K buff

3-lap elite race. Prizes for top 3 men & women.

Mass race open to everyone aged 11 and up.

N.B. Affiliated is to be part of a registered running or triathlon club.

View all prices here:https://in.njuko.com/hogman-howay-5k?currentPage=select-competition

£2 discount applied for UKA club members.

Midnight 29th December, or when entries sell out.

Unfortunately we don’t accept any entries on the day of the event.

Children aged 11 and older on the day of the event can enter.

No, all we ask is that any participant unsure of their physical ability to take part should seek medical advice from a GP prior to the event.

Absolutely! This event is for everyone, from beginners to charity fundraisers and club runners.

The route is flat around Newcastle City Centre, so it’s perfect for a first event. It may be advisable to try a few training runs before the event so you feel confident in completing the distance. It’s not a race against the clock but a fun and safe way for you to find out how enjoyable running is and hopefully start you running regularly!

You should receive a confirmation email from info@eventsofthenorth.com confirming your entry. Please check your spam inbox for the email if you are unable to find it.

Make sure you have this confirmation of your place before we begin sending race packs out, as we cannot guarantee to have a place available for you if for any reason your entry has not been completed.

Yes, up to the 2nd December, you can change any incorrect addresses and add any merchandise to your entry so they will be sent to you via post before the event.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR CORRECT ADDRESS is linked to your entry, this is where we will be sending your race pack and if this is incorrect, we may not be able to post your number.

If you are a UK resident, we will send you your race number, timing chip and race information pack via post up to the week of the event.

We will also send out our digital Race Guide two weeks before the event date via email. Please read through all of this information in advance and familiarise yourself with all the key timings, locations and details.

You will receive the following items:

- Race number
- Timing chip (attached to number)
- Event Information leaflet
- Any pre-ordered merch

If you are an overseas entrant, your pack will need to be collected from Race Information on the event weekend.

Race packs are being sent in batches from two weeks before the event via first class post. If you entered AFTER the postal deadline, you will need to collect your pack on race day from Race Information.

If you entered BEFORE the postal deadline and you have not received your race pack by 28th December, please email us at info@eventsofthenorth.com and we will reallocate you a race number which will need to be collected from Race Information.

Details of the location and timings of Race Information will be included in the digital race guide emailed out to all participants two weeks before the event.

If you realise prior to the event, let us know via email and we can arrange a reallocation for you, which will need to be collected from Race Information on the event day.

If you can’t find your number on the day, come and see us in Race Information and we will check your entry and issue you a new number for a small fee.

There are a number of city centre car parks, including, Eldon Square, Eldon Gardens, The Gate and Claremont Road, that will be open on the day of the event (NB charges apply).

Please note, access to some city centre car parks will be restricted at certain times due to road closures for the run, and the evening fireworks on the Quayside. Please check the full road closures document before travelling to the event.

The Newcastle metro service will be running for the entirety of the evening. The closest stations to the start and finish of the races are Monument, Haymarket and St James stations. Check the Nexus website or app for the latest updates and timings.

Some city centre bus services will stop earlier, due to road closures on the Quayside.

Please allow extra time to travel to the event as public transport will be busy in the afternoon and evening. Make sure you get to the event with plenty of time, particularly if you need to use the baggage facilities or visit Race Information.

If you have been sent your number in the post, you don’t need to register on the day. Plan to assemble at the start 20 minutes before the race start time, wearing your race number on your front.

If you need to visit Race Information for any reason, or drop bags at our baggage facilities, please allow more time as the event site will be extremely busy on the event day.

Elite race: 7:05pm

Mass race: 7:25pm

Times are subject to change, final start times will be confirmed in the Race Guide.

Please come to Race Information on event day, no later than 45 MINUTES BEFORE the start of your race. We will be able to check your entry and issue you with an alternative race number for a small fee.

If your race number hasn’t arrived in the post, or if you’ve already contacted us and been told to come to Race Information, please come NO LATER THAN 45 MINUTES before the start of your race. This is because there may be a queue and we want to ensure everyone has their number and the races are able to start on time.

We would expect the majority of runners to complete the 5K in 15 minutes – 1hour and 10 minutes.

Yes, the course does take you along public roads in the city centre, but they will be closed for the duration of the run.

There will be course signage and marshals at all key junctions to ensure you don’t get lost.

Take a look at the event information on the website, which has a map of the route and a course description. The route has been designed to be accommodating for everyone, so that whether you’re hoping for a PB or trying it for the first time, you’ll have a great experience!

We advise participants to run/jog or combine that with walking because of the time it would take to walk the full course. There will be a back marker behind the last runner to ensure that all participants cross the finish line.

Your run will be chip-timed, and the results will be sent to you via text, plus the full results will be available on the website after the event. The timing chip will give you an accurate start and finish time, so there’s no rush to be first over the start line when the gun goes!

Yes, we’ll be having a New Year’s Eve celebration! With refreshments and an indoor space for socialising, turn the run into a party before heading off for your own midnight celebrations!

If you’re not running, or planning to spectate friends and family, why not consider volunteering with us at the event? You can cheer on your loved ones, and be part of the action as a marshal, handing out medals or on a turning point. Many people love to participate in our events as a volunteer, it’s the best way to spot runners and cheer them on when they need it most.

Email us at volunteers@eventsofthenorth.com to register your interest and we’ll welcome you to our volunteering team with open arms!

Water will be available at the finish for all runners, and we’ll have celebratory drinks and treats to kick of the party! Plus, many of the city centre businesses will be open, potentially offering discounts to runners on the day – everything you need to refuel and celebrate properly!

In the case of cold or wet conditions, we will still go ahead with the event. Our events will only be cancelled if there are severe weather conditions. Make sure you are suitably dressed, if it is drizzling or cold bring a layer or bin bag that can be easily discarded at the start. It may not be a fashion choice, but will keep you warmer and dryer before you set off.

That’s such a shame! We are sorry you are missing out on the event. Please contact info@eventsofthenorth.com to inform us of your withdrawal.

Unfortunately, your entry fee is non-refundable, however there could be the possibility of deferring your entry to the following year, if you can show us an official letter from your doctor or physio. The deadline for medical deferrals is 4 weeks prior to the race date.

DO NOT PASS ON YOUR RACE NUMBER TO ANYONE ELSE. It potentially puts them at risk as we have no medical information or emergency contact details for them.

For more information on our medical deferral policy, please email us at info@eventsofthenorth.com

There is a transfer window open until 2nd December. You can transfer your place to someone else through your original registration email up until this date. Simply log into your dashboard via your confirmation email and follow the instructions to transfer to a new participant. They will receive an email from us asking them to complete their registration and pay a transfer fee. We don’t allow private transfers of resale of entries, even if it’s to someone you know.

After the 2nd December, or without the official transfer, you CANNOT give your race number to anyone else under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. For health and safety reasons, we need to ensure that the event organiser has all the details of the runners on the day in case of a medical incident. Giving your number to someone else is also against UK Athletics rules, and we will disqualify anyone we catch running in someone else’s number.

To ensure the safety of all runners, there will be road closures in place throughout the city centre which may affect you. In due course there will be a full traffic management schedule posted on the website and you will receive information via post about road closures and timings.

The full road closure document is also available to download. If you have any queries or concerns, please contact us at info@eventsofthenorth.com

If you don’t want to run but would like to be involved, we are always looking for volunteers to help us with the event. It’s a chance to show off the very best of Newcastle, the friendly people and local pride. Please email us at volunteers@eventsofthenorth.com to register your interest.

Run clubs, charities and groups: Key areas such as water stations, secondary finish and busy road junctions will need a small team of volunteers. We invite your club or group to ‘own’ one of these key areas, and bring along flags or branding, or collect for charity. Some groups even bring music or noise makers to cheer the runners at they come past!

With an additional few hundred runners and their support in the city centre, it’s an ideal opportunity to maximise on sales for your business. We would love to help communicate any runner offers, please email us at info@eventsofthenorth.com with your business details, contact details and the offer you would like promoted, and we will be in touch.

We appreciate that the event may inconvenience certain residents or businesses. We are operating a rolling road closure programme designed with and approved by Newcastle City Council with the aim to minimise impact on individuals and businesses, while ensuring the safety of those participating in the event.

All businesses affected by the event will receive an information leaflet explaining which roads are closed, for how long and how you move around. The full road closure document will be available to download.

Event Details
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