- Sun 17 May 2026
09:00
Age 17 & over
FREE-£40
- 13.1 miles road running
Event overview
One of London’s standout running events, where movement, music and East London culture collide.
Festival weekend
Hackney comes alive for an unforgettable weekend of running and celebration. Thousands of spectators line the streets, live entertainment fuels the route, and the atmosphere is loud, colourful and motivating from start to finish!
Run Hackney Half for charity
Hackney Half 2026 has officially sold out for the fourth year running. If you missed out on a general entry, charity places are now the only way to take part. Running for charity gives you a guaranteed place on the start line, the chance to support an incredible cause, and an added sense of purpose as you tackle one of London’s most electric half marathons.
What are charity places?
Charity places are entries purchased by charities and offered to runners who commit to fundraising for that organisation. In return, you get a confirmed race place and the opportunity to make a real impact through your training and race-day effort. See the Fundraising section for more benefits.
Highlights
-
Festival atmosphere
Hackney’s streets pulse with live music, crowds, colour and energy as the borough hosts a full-scale weekend celebration.
-
Dynamic route
A closed-road course through one of London’s most creative areas, showcasing vibrant neighbourhoods and iconic street art.
-
Post-race Village
Stay and soak it all in with food stands, bars, live music, yoga sessions, stretching workshops and a buzzing social scene long after the finish line.
Prefer to enter directly? General entry options are explained on the Hackney Half page.
Event photos
Event video
Charity places
The charities below have places in the event. To secure your charity place, simply find a charity then book a charity place or join a charity team with your own place.
What is 'Quick book'? Save time and secure your place immediately using our simple booking system - look for charities marked 'Quick book'.
.png "Dreams Come True logo"){kind=logo}
.png "Turn2us logo"){kind=logo}
Quick book
Free sign up
Homelessness
Missing People
Secure your FREE place right now with #TeamMissingPeople and raise funds to help those affected by a disappearance or those who are thinking of going missing.
- Personalised running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Training plan
- Pro training advice
- Training guide
- Online training zone
- Dedicated contact
- Cheer squad on the day
- Exclusive social group
- 9 places left
- Instant confirmation of place
- Hassle-free process
- Ready-made fundraising page
Sign up
FREE
Fundraise
£350
Mental health
Samaritans
Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year providing a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, whatever life has done to them.
- T-shirt
- Technical t-shirt
- Running vest
- Personalised running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Supporter cheer packs
- Fundraising incentives
- Dedicated contact
- Cheer squad on the day
- Post-race reception
- Refreshments
Get a place from the charity.
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£350
Buy own place + join charity team.
Fundraise
Any amount
Health and Medical
Cure Parkinson's
Here for the cure; working with urgency to find new treatments to slow, stop and reverse Parkinson’s.
- Running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Dedicated contact
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£400
Hospice
St Joseph's Hospice
Providing the highest quality hospice care to help people live their lives to the full.
- Personalised running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Training plan
- Pro training advice
- Dedicated contact
- Pre-event meet-ups
- Cheer squad on the day
- Post-race reception
- Free massage
- Exclusive social group
- Certificate
- Submit fundraising up to 1 month after event
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£250
Human rights
Refugee Action
Helping refugees build safe, hopeful and productive new lives in the UK.
- Technical t-shirt
- Running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Dedicated contact
- Cheer squad on the day
- Exclusive social group
- Submit fundraising up to 1 month after event
Get a place from the charity.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£400
Buy own place + join charity team.
Fundraise
Any amount
Health and Medical
My University Hospitals Sussex
Delivering vital funds to support care, treatment and research across University Hospitals Sussex.
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Training plan
- Pro training advice
- Training guide
- Online training zone
- Dedicated contact
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£275
.jpg "Cats Protection logo"){kind=logo}
Animals
Cats Protection
For a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
- Running vest
- Personalised running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Training plan
- Dedicated contact
- Certificate
- Submit fundraising up to 1 month after event
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£250
Health and Medical
Meningitis Research Foundation
Join the race to defeat meningitis as part of #TeamMRF, driven by a passionate mission to prevent the devastating impact of meningitis by uniting people and knowledge to save lives.
- Running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Dedicated contact
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£300
Quick book
Health and Medical
CNWL NHS Health Charity
Ensuring every patient and staff member in the Central and North West London NHS Trust have the support, care and treatment they need to live well.
- Personalised running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Training plan
- Dedicated contact
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£350
Cancer
Prostate Cancer Research
Transforming Research. Transforming Lives.
- Technical t-shirt
- Running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Fundraising incentives
- Training plan
- Pro training advice
- Training guide
- Online training zone
- Dedicated contact
- Certificate
- Memento
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£300
Children
Make-A-Wish UK
Creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
- Running vest
- Fundraising support
- Fundraising materials
- Training plan
- Online training zone
- Dedicated contact
- Certificate
Get a place from the charity.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£300
Buy own place + join charity team.
Fundraise
Any amount
- All fitness levels
- Beginner-friendly
- Event expo
- Event village
- Families
- Fancy dress
- Free venue entry
- Spectators
- Teams
- Traders at event
- Venue accessible
Free Festival Village
A high-energy weekend of sport, culture and celebration for all ages with live music, street food, fitness sessions, family activities and entertainment in one buzzing outdoor hub.
Timetable
Sport & movement
- Live fitness sessions and entertainment on the Main Stage
- East London’s top instructors, DJs and performers
- From Fight Klub, Zumba and Pilates to Soca Step, dance and post-race stretch sessions
- Drop in, join in, or soak up the atmosphere
Children & families
- Dedicated Family Fun Zone in the south of the village
- Hackney Playbus activities for under-5s
- HulaFit, face painting and hands-on sports games
- Basketball, hockey, trampette classes and fun fitness challenges
Fuel & refresh
- Local street food and drink traders all weekend
- Pizza, burgers, vegan and plant-based options, fresh juices and more
- Full bar serving your favourite drinks
- Catered for gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan diets
Traders
- Market on the Marshes open all weekend
- Artisanal food, drink and fitness merchandise
- Ideal for post-race treats, gifts and browsing
- Cut off time
- Distance markers
- Entertainment
- First aid
- Food stations
- Marshals
- Out and back
- PB
- Sweeper
- Toilets
- Traffic free
- Undulating
- Water stations
- Wave start
- Way markers
Overview
Cruise down Mare Street through a carnival of sound, pass by the famous Town Hall, head through the historic Broadway Market, and then take in Hackney Wick, which is flush with vibrant street art. Explore green spaces including Haggerston and Downs Parks, cross over twelve canals and rivers, and enjoy a panoramic view of the Olympic Park.
Map
Cut off
3hr 30 mins.
There is a race cut-off time of 3 hours and 30 minutes for each runner, after which any runners still on the course will be asked to move to the pavements so that roads can be reopened.
- Bar
- Cafe
- Changing facilities
- Entertainment
- Music
- Park
- Secure bag storage
- Toilets
- Urban
Event HQ
Hackney Marshes
London
Greater London
E9 5PY
UK
The venue
The Hackney Festival village is located on Hackney Marshes, E9 5PF.
- Considered the spiritual home of Sunday League football, Hackney Marshes are inextricably linked with exercise and movement.
- Easily accessible by public transport, Hackney Marshes are serviced by both overground and Tube links.
Parking
Westfield Stratford City (E20 1EJ): 25-minute walk.
Getting there
London Overground
- Clapton Station | 30-minute walk
- Hackney Wick Station | 20-minute walk
- Homerton Station | 20-minute walk
Train
- Stratford Station | 25-minute walk
- Leyton Station | 20-minute walk
Bus
Local bus services will be running on diversions on event morning. Please check the TFL website for detail.
Cycling
There will be numerous bike parking facilities within the Festival Village. Don’t forget to bring an appropriate cable or chain lock!
Every year thousands of runners take part in this event and fundraise for charity. While this is hugely beneficial to the charities it gives the runner advantages too, from supporting a cause that is close to your heart to securing a place in this highly sought-after event and much more.
Benefits of running for charity
Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and run, plus all of these extras which will elevate your event experience:
-
Fundraising support
Charities know that raising money is all part of the challenge, which is why they provide advice, branded materials and a personalised online fundraising page to help the donations roll in. Think videos for social media, branded imagery and testimonials from previous runners.
-
Training support
Whether this is your first run or your fifth, you'll need to train for it! You'll receive an in-depth training plan with guidance, plus many charities have access to expert coaches and elite runners too, who can provide exclusive tips for your race preparation. Experts include Runningwithus, Full Potential and five-time Olympian Jo Pavey!
-
Branded running kit
When you show up on the day, people need to be able to see clearly that you're supporting a charity. Most charities will give you a branded and personalised t-shirt or vest to run in on the big day, and often a training top too.
-
Support on the day
When you're partway through your run and your energy is flagging, what you need is a boost from cheering spectators to keep you moving. Many charities set up a cheer station along the route, keeping an eye out for you to send up a huge cheer as you run past!
-
Post-race recovery
Refreshments and an indulgent post-race sports massage are often provided by charities for their runners. This is the perfect way to recover alongside other people who have run for that cause.
-
Exclusive social groups
You won't be the only person running for that charity, so it's well worth meeting other runners through the charity's invite-only social media pages! You can organise to meet up for training runs, chat with the charity's expert coaches and share tips and stories with each other to keep the motivation levels running high.
Running a half marathon and charity fundraising go hand-in-hand - which charity will you run for?
First ever charity run. Hackney Half Marathon was brilliant, crowds were great, community spirit as it should be, locals were amazing, everyone played their part, a great day and a memorable day which I can look back at with pride. Thank you to all of you. Blisters on my feet, but walking tall 😉 John E
This was my first Hackney Half. Really enjoyed it, it was a great atmosphere and experience all round. And most importantly running for TeamMonk - raising funds for my good friend Michael Monks cancer treatment. Sarah W
This was the first time I ran Hackney Half. It certainly didn't disappoint in terms of crowd support and music around the course, very on par with my experience of running the London Marathon. Plenty of aid stations providing water in cups, which helped cut down on the plastic waste, and designated rubbish points for them nearby once emptied. There were pacers available if you needed support on the day. Carmen
This is a brilliantly organised, very, very cool race. The support is wonderful from local people and Marshall’s. it’s heavily staffed from start to finish, despite some 22k people competing I felt I hardly spent any time in a queue. Highly recommend it. Alistair
Brilliant atmosphere, with bands dotted along the short course, and lots of friendly encouraging stewards, volunteers and supporters. My first ever organised run, it was a great experience and I intend to do more! Rebecca
Amazing event. The festival feel they create makes this one really special. The route is one of the best supported I have ran in. Not much elevation. A couple of short sharp hills but nothing terrible. Lots of aid stations and the paramedics were amazing as the heat put a few people out. The atmosphere at the finish line was the best. The medal and t shirt are in my top 3 faves of all my races. If you get the chance, I highly recommend this half. Angela S
Loved the whole thing from booking to finishing. Andrew B
Amazing event, great atmosphere. Also, great organisation. Karol S
Throughly enjoyed my run this morning through Hackney! The support was fantastic the course was a nice flat run! Had a great time running and have already booked my place for next year! Great experience thank you Hackney x Ricci S
- Chip timing
- Event app
- GPS tracking
- Medal
- Training plan
- T-shirt
- Vouchers
As part of your #HackneyHalf entry you'll receive a rewards bundle featuring:
Included
- Finisher t-shirt
- Chip timed results
- Aid stations
- Commemorative medal
- App tracking
- Course entertainment
- Bag drop
- Training support
Sustainability
- Carbon offset
- Public transport links
- Sustainability policy