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Hoboken’s biggest costumed race is back on the waterfront. The Hoboken Shelter’s HoBOOken 5K returns to Pier A Park in Hoboken, Hudson County, NJ on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with the adult 5K starting at 10 a.m. and the Scary Scurry Kids’ Run at 11 a.m. Every registration supports The Hoboken Shelter and its mission to end hunger and homelessness one person at a time.
The Shelter calls it Hoboken’s largest 5K. The 2025 race drew more than 2,100 runners to Pier A, and this year’s field is shaping up to be just as big. Here is everything our team confirmed with the organizers, from start times and prices to what the kids’ race looks like.
HoBOOken 5K 2026 at a Glance
- Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
- Adult 5K start: 10 a.m.
- Scary Scurry Kids’ Run: 11 a.m.
- Location: Pier A Park, 100 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken
- Course: 3.1 miles along the Hoboken waterfront, USATF certified
- Adult registration: $60 plus a $4.60 sign up fee (in person or virtual)
- Kids’ race registration: $25 plus a $2.50 sign up fee
- Register: official HoBOOken 5K registration page
The Race: A Costumed 5K on the Hoboken Waterfront
The HoBOOken 5K runs on an official USATF certified course along the Hudson River, with Pier A Park as home base. It is costume optional, but costumes are a big part of the fun, and plenty of runners show up as superheroes, witches and everything in between. Serious runners get a certified 5K time, and everyone else gets one of the best Halloween parties in town.
Each in person adult registration includes an official race t-shirt, a race bib, a finisher medal, a digital goodie bag with offers from sponsors and entry into the Race Village. Online registration for the in person 5K stays open until 10 a.m. on race day, October 25.
Scary Scurry Kids’ Run
The Scary Scurry Kids’ Run is open to children age 2 and up. It is a short fun run of about 100 meters on the open grass at Pier A, run in age based heats starting at 11 a.m., with a shorter course for the youngest runners. Kids are encouraged to wear their favorite Halloween costumes, and each registered child gets a race t-shirt plus a few surprises.
A few things parents should know from the race page:
- An adult must stay with registered children the whole time. This is not a drop off event.
- Runners ages 2 and 3 run with a parent or guardian. For ages 4 and up, an adult guide is optional.
- Rain cancels the kids’ race. Kids’ tickets are non refundable and count as a donation to The Hoboken Shelter.
Virtual Options
Can’t make it to Pier A on Sunday morning? The virtual 5K costs the same $60 plus fee, includes the shirt, medal and digital goodie bag, and can be run anywhere during race weekend. Families can also sign up for the Scary Scurry Virtual Scavenger Hunt ($10 plus a $1.60 fee), which sends kids and their Halloween crew to fun spots around Hoboken from October 25 to 31. Scavenger hunt registration closes October 24 at 11:59 p.m.
Where the Money Goes
The Hoboken Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has served neighbors in need since 1982. Proceeds from the HoBOOken 5K help provide meals, shelter, housing support and more. As of October 21, the race had raised more than $84,000 toward its $100,000 goal on the official race page, so every last minute registration helps close the gap.
Want to help without running? The race page has a volunteer sign up, and the Shelter accepts drop off donations of clean adult clothing, adult footwear, towels, twin sheets, small housewares and unopened food at 300 Bloomfield Street (entrance on 3rd Street) every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Learn more at The Hoboken Shelter.
Another shelter benefit race is coming up in Weehawken: on November 14, the student-led 5K for Food Justice supports PERC shelter in Union City. See our guide to the Weehawken 5K and our PERC shelter guide to learn how to help.
Tips for Race Day
- Arrive early. Pier A sits at the south end of the Hoboken waterfront, a short walk from Hoboken Terminal and the PATH.
- Dress for the weather under your costume, and skip anything that drags on the ground or blocks your view.
- Stay for the kids’ race at 11 a.m. on the Pier A grass. It is one of the cutest scenes of the Halloween season.
More Halloween Fun in Hudson County
Make a full weekend of it. Our Halloween events in Hudson County guide rounds up parades, trunk or treats and haunted fun across the county, and things to do in Hoboken this weekend has more picks for October 23 to 25. If you want to keep exploring the river after your run, see our guide to Hudson County waterfront parks this fall.
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