Florence, South Carolina – Residents and running enthusiasts are being invited to lace up their shoes for a spring tradition in Florence as the 11th Annual Flo-Town 5K Run/Walk returns on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The event will begin at 9 a.m., with check-in and race packet pickup starting an hour earlier at 8 a.m. Participants will gather at 1000 Stockade Drive, the site of the city’s Waste Water Management Facility, where the certified course begins.
Organizers say the race welcomes both runners and walkers, emphasizing a simple message: walk or run, just get it done. The event is hosted through a partnership between the City of Florence Employee Wellness Program and the Florence Track Club, continuing a collaboration that has helped build the race into a popular community gathering.
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From the starting point, participants will quickly enter the Freedom Florence Connections within the Florence Trail System. Located in East Florence, these trails form part of an approximately eight-mile network that winds through the natural landscapes surrounding Jeffries Creek.
The route takes runners and walkers through wooded paths and across boardwalks before looping around the Freedom Florence pond and returning toward the historic Florence Stockade area.
The course is notable not only for its scenery but also for its historical setting. Sections of the trail pass near the site of the Florence Stockade, which once served as a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp for Union soldiers during the Civil War.
The nearby Florence National Cemetery, where veterans from numerous conflicts are buried, stands as a reminder of the region’s past. Along the route, participants will move through areas once used for guard posts and rifle pits before circling an open broom-straw field and making their way back to the finish line.
At the end of the race, participants will return to the Waste Water Management Facility’s LEED-certified Administration and Laboratory Building, where showers and restrooms will be available. The event will be held rain or shine, organizers noted.
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Registration costs $35 through April 16, with the fee increasing to $45 for late registration beginning April 17 and continuing through race day. Those who register by the April 16 deadline are guaranteed a race T-shirt in their selected size, while supplies last.
Awards will be presented to top overall male and female finishers, as well as top masters finishers. Age-group recognition will also be given across a wide range of categories, from runners nine and under to participants aged 70 and older. Organizers have even included a category recognizing the top three canine participants.
Strollers are permitted, though organizers caution that the trail terrain may present challenges in certain areas. Friendly dogs are also welcome, provided they remain on a leash and under their owner’s control throughout the event.
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Proceeds from the race will support the Florence Track Club, and the event will also count toward the 2026 Pee Dee Grand Prix Race Series, adding another incentive for competitive runners while maintaining the welcoming spirit that has defined the Flo-Town 5K for more than a decade.
