When you think of Easter traditions, you likely think of egg hunts and Easter bonnets. But what about a 10K race? The Crescent City Classic in New Orleans is a longstanding tradition in the Big Easy, occurring the Saturday before Easter Sunday.
History of the Crescent City Classic
The Classic wasn’t always held on Easter weekend. When it first began in 1979, the race took place in the fall, but it soon became an Easter tradition. It’s one of the oldest 10k races in the US, and it’s also the first one to be on national television.
The Crescent City Fitness Foundation, founded in 1996, sponsors the race. The non-profit’s mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle for residents in the New Orleans metropolitan area. Today, over 20,000 people fill the city each year from all over the globe to participate. This number is quite a big jump from the original 902 runners.
Celebrating Easter Weekend with a Run
The Crescent City Classic starts in front of Caesars Superdome, runs through the French Quarter, up Esplanade Avenue, and ends in beautiful City Park. Surrounding the race is a two-day Health and Fitness Expo, free for everyone, and an exciting post-race fest.
The festival starts as soon as the first person crosses the finish line, featuring food, drinks, and music. It’s been a tradition as long as the race itself and is a great way to celebrate Easter in NOLA.
Do You Want to Run in The Classic?
Are you ready to see how you stack up against the millions of people who have run this famous race? Pre-race warm-ups start in Champions Square at 7 AM, and the race kicks off at 8 AM. Get registered and start getting prepared.
How to Register for the Crescent City Classic
It’s easy to register; just visit the site to sign up yourself, a minor, and any other participants on your team. General registration is $60, but you can opt to participate in the “Run for It” program for $45. This program allows you to set up a personal fundraising page, and you must commit to raising at least $200 for your chosen charity.
Can’t make it to the physical race? No problem, you can also opt for a virtual race-day experience. The tickets are $50, and you can strive to reach your personal fitness goals using an app to officially record your results.
Post-Race Fest
If you run the Classic, you get into the post-race party for free. It features an awards ceremony, food, music, and inflatables and obstacle courses for kids to enjoy (and adults). If you have supporters who want to join the fun (but not the run), they can get tickets for the fest. Pre-purchased tickets are $20, or race day tickets are $25.
If you’re traveling to New Orleans to run in the Crescent City Classic, make sure you’re well prepared with a good night’s rest. Book a room at the Blake Hotel, and you’re only moments from the Superdome, the race’s starting point. Then, after the race, you can catch a ride back to the Blake via a classic New Orleans streetcar. Now, all that’s left to do is start training for race day; see you at the starting line.