The Last Best Beer Run and 5k
Date
Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:55 AM MDTRace options
3 distancesTap any distance below for fee tiers and close dates.
Quick take
A 5k with a twist: choose a 'no beer' run or enjoy beer stops, a costume contest, and an after-party during Craft Beer Week.
Best for: casual, fun-first runners, runners who like a competitive edge
Race options
Distances & registration
3 optionsTap a distance to see fee tiers and close dates.
5K
closes May 16, 2026, 6:15 AM MDT
6d 9h 2m leftRun (no beer during the race)
Closes May 16, 2026, 6:15 AM MDT · From $38.53
2.5 Miles
2 options · closes May 16, 2026, 6:15 AM MDT
6d 9h 2m leftELITE BEER RUN
Closes May 16, 2026, 6:15 AM MDT · From $43.82
Beer Run
Closes May 16, 2026, 6:15 AM MDT · From $43.82
Race feel
- Fun
- Competitive
- Quirky
- Festive
Fun
Competitive
Quirky
FestiveThe Last Best Beer Run and 5k offers a unique blend of running and celebration as the grand finale of Billings Craft Beer Week. Choose your adventure: a traditional 5k to challenge your speed, or the popular Beer Run featuring multiple beer stops along the course. Embrace the Cartoons and Video Games theme with a costume contest and scavenger hunt, then join the lively beer fest-style after-party.
What to expect
- • Choose between a traditional 5k or a unique beer run with 8-10 pours on course. Bibs are assigned to waves to manage crowds.
Past results at a glance
Past race snapshot
What the field usually feels like
Based on past public results. Helpful context, not a prediction.
Selected year + distance
150 finishers in 2.5 Miles
Ranked by chip time when available
Smaller finish counts move year to year; treat this snapshot as directional context.
Crowd
Small field
150 2.5 Miles finishers. A quieter race where the pack may spread out more quickly.
Typical finish
1:05:33
Middle-of-pack benchmark using chip time when available.
Competitive feel
Speedy front
There is real pace up front, even if the overall field is broad. Front-group read: 28:15.
People mix
More women
About 57% women and 43% men among finishers who listed gender.
Quick read
For the 2.5 Miles in 2025, this looks like a small field: 150 finishers in this data set. A middle-of-the-pack finish was around 1:05:33. The quicker front of the field averaged about 28:15. Use it as a feel check, not a promise about race day.
Fastest finishers in this file: 22:36 (male) and 26:37 (female).
Show historical award cutoffs0 rows
Cutoff = slowest posted time still inside the top finishers for a division.
Show the year-by-year numbers
| Distance | Year | Finishers | Typical | Average | Front 10% | Fastest M / W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 Miles | 2025 | 150 | 1:05:33 | 1:03:40 | 28:15 | 22:36 / 26:37 |
| 2.5 Miles | 2024 | 136 | 35:17 | 36:58 | 20:16 | 16:48 / 18:57 |
| 2.5 Miles | 2023 | 189 | 40:43 | 41:36 | 21:03 | 15:32 / 18:35 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2025 | 26 | 39:32 | 42:29 | 27:04 | 26:09 / 27:31 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2024 | 36 | 22:46 | 25:02 | 18:01 | 15:01 / 19:06 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2023 | 35 | 22:30 | 28:17 | 18:20 | 18:27 / 18:12 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2022 | 187 | 50:33 | 52:12 | 27:02 | 19:44 / 24:22 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2022 | 18 | 31:04 | 34:02 | 22:20 | 21:04 / 23:36 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2019 | 239 | 45:24 | 47:11 | 25:05 | 20:40 / 22:43 |
| 3.1 Miles | 2019 | 59 | 30:04 | 33:58 | 21:46 | 17:17 / 22:18 |
Last summary update: May 10, 2026
Ready to register?
Finish signup on the organizer site (check fees and dates there).
From the organizer
THE EVENTS: 5k Run: No beer, all run. This will be the first wave that starts right at 9:55am. Run past all the beer stations and get to the finish line without stopping! Don't worry, your race entry still gets you into the after party if you are over 21!
Read full descriptionHide full description
We are limiting the NO BEER 5K to 300 People. Beer Run: Same course as 5k Run. This will be run in multiple waves! Starting with an "Elite Wave" at 10:00am. You'll drink between 8 and 10 4-ounce pours of beer along the way. Water will be available at each beer station, and bathrooms will be available near the halfway mark! The BEER RUN 5K is limited to 500 people. There will be two Cartoons and Video Games themed items hidden on the course and one hidden at the after party. Bring one to the Race Director and you will win a prize! Costume Contest: Cartoons and Video Games Themed. Come as Elmer Fudd and chase that wascawwy wabbit to the finish line or help Ash Ketchum catch all the beer stops on his way to the becoming the best beer runner from Pallet Town. Bonus points for combining cartoons/video games with beer! (Yogi Beer, Sonic the Hophog, etc). Food Trucks: Michelle's Pantry Tis the season for amazing craft beer, themed runs, and awesome events. The 2026 Billings Craft Beer Week will take place Sunday, May 10th through Saturday May 16th. There will be events throughout the week with the Last Best Beer Run rounding out the week! Participants can win awesome prizes by visiting multiple breweries, and don’t forget to download the Billings Brew Pass to log all of your brewery stops and win a Brew Trail limited run t-shirt! It’s only available during the week’s festivities and while supplies last. Learn more: https://www. visitbillings. com/blog/arts-culture-events/2025-craft-beer-week T-Shirt Deadline: April 30th. Shirts will be ordered on May 1st. We will be ordering extra, but you will not be guaranteed your preferred size after this date! NO REFUNDS Your Bib: This is your entry into your correct wave. You pick your wave at packet pickup. Once a wave fills up, there are no exceptions. We do not want the beer stops getting too crowded. Bibs 1-100 are the 5k (No Beer) Participants: 9:55am Start Time Bibs 101-150 are the Elite Wave and Wave 1: 10:00am Start Time Bibs 201-250 are Wave 2: 10:02am Start Time Bibs 301-350 are Wave 3: 10:04am Start Time Bibs 401-450 are Wave 4: 10:06am Start Time Bibs 501-550 are Wave 5: 10:08am Start Time Bibs 601-650 are Wave 6: 10:10am Start Time Bibs 701-750 are Wave 7: 10:12am Start Time Bibs 801-850 are Wave 8: 10:14am Start Time Course Safety Rules: Through the main part of downtown (see course map below), you will be running on the sidewalks, this is because 1st Ave and Montana Ave are state routes and cannot be fully shutdown. We will have officers at each of these busy intersections along with a volunteer directing you and traffic. We are here to run and drink delicious beer in a safe manner! Once you leave Thirsty Street Brewing's beer stop, the road is yours. Stay close to the bike lane marked by cones! You will have 8 beers to drink on the course, and all in the first 2 miles! Once you run through the back gates of Dehler, we'll have some beer ready for you as well as snacks/treats from Michelle's Pantry. After Party: This is a beer fest style after party. Beer will start flowing at 10:30am. More beer will be ready as soon as breweries finish up on the race course. We are guests of Dehler Park, please be considerate of the Billings Mustangs who will be practicing on the field. Also, lets keep the area clean so we can keep coming back. Moving the finish line to Dehler Park is a great privilege.
After-Party
Food & Drink