Santa Dash 2026

The Santa Dash is back on Sunday 22 November, with the start line at Swinton Bivouac in the Swinton Estate, Ilton, HG4 4JZ. It's the festive fundraiser for the Harrogate Homeless Project, a charity that supports people experiencing homelessness right here in town.

The course is a 2.5km off-road run, and it's designed to be family-friendly. That means it's as much a walk as it is a run, and the off-road terrain keeps it lighthearted rather than a serious road race. If you've got kids, it's a distance they can actually manage without it becoming a chore, and it's just as easy to take it slow and chat your way through. The whole thing is about getting out and moving for a good cause, so there's no pressure to set a personal best.

Behind the event is the Harrogate Homeless Project, which works with people experiencing homelessness in the town. The Santa Dash is their main festive fundraiser, so the money raised goes directly into that work. It's one of those things that's easy to do as a group — a few friends or the whole family out in the fresh air on a Sunday morning, with the proceeds going to a local cause that's hard to ignore.

It kicks off at 11:00 on Sunday 22 November at Swinton Bivouac, and tickets are handled through Eventbrite.