Tens of thousands run, walk and relay their way across all four corners of the city — from Stormont to Ormeau Park — cheered on by the whole of Belfast. Northern Ireland's biggest mass-participation day, and free to come and watch.
What it is — the full 26.2-mile marathon plus a team relay (run a leg each), an 8-mile walk and a wheelchair race. Over 23,000 took part in 2026, its biggest ever. Free to line the route and cheer.
When — Sunday 2 May 2027, starting at 9am at Stormont and finishing in Ormeau Park, on the May Day bank holiday weekend.
Family — two easy ways in: come and spectate for free (the finish at Ormeau Park and the relay changeovers are brilliant fun for children), or take part together via the team relay (short legs, so everyone does a manageable stretch) or the 8-mile walk.
Mind the road closures. Big closures run right across the city on the morning (roughly 6am to mid-afternoon), so come by public transport, use the event shuttle buses, or walk in — don't plan to drive across town.
The route — from Stormont it winds through east, south, west and north Belfast and home to Ormeau Park, past some of the city's best spots to stand and cheer.
Note on a kids' run — the dedicated all-ages fun run is a separate event, the festive Belfast City 5K in November, so the May marathon day is best for families as a spectator day or a relay/walk.
What's on
Run it, relay it, walk it — or cheer it
There's more than one way to be part of the day. Here's what's on, from the elite marathon to a family cheering on the sidelines.
🏃The full marathonThe classic 26.2 miles, run solo — famous for the local support and crowds cheering runners the whole way round.
👥The team relayThe most popular option, and the one families and workplaces enter together — the 26.2 miles split into five legs, so each person runs a manageable stretch.
🚶The 8-mile walkA walk on the same day for those who want to be part of it without running — a great group option.
♿The wheelchair raceThe event includes a wheelchair race alongside the runners.
📣Free spectatingThe best family option of all — line the route and cheer. The relay changeovers and the finish at Ormeau Park are the liveliest spots, and the fancy-dress runners are a joy to watch.
🎉The finish at Ormeau ParkA big open park where the runners come home to a real party atmosphere — the natural place for families to gather and meet finishers.
Plan your visit
Watching, taking part, and the road closures
Spectating is completely free — just pick a spot and cheer. Good family viewing runs along the east-Belfast stretch (Upper Newtownards and Beersbridge Roads) and the Ormeau Road as runners head to the park, and the finish at Ormeau Park is the natural family gathering point. If you want to take part, the team relay and 8-mile walk are the easiest group entries — enter on the official site. The one big thing to plan around is the road closures: major closures run across the city on the morning (roughly 6am to mid-afternoon), so come by public transport, use the event's shuttle buses, or walk in — driving across town on the day is not the plan.
Check the 2027 road-closure map and entry details.
The exact 2027 road closures, shuttle-bus times and entry fees for each event are published on the official site nearer the day. Check belfastcitymarathon.com to plan your route in — and to enter if you're taking part.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Date
Sunday 2 May 2027, 9am start at Stormont Estate, finishing in Ormeau Park — the May Day bank holiday weekend. Northern Ireland's biggest mass-participation event.
Cost
Spectating is free — line the route anywhere. Entering the events has a fee (the full marathon was around £73 for 2027; team relay and 8-mile walk fees are on the official site).
The events
Full marathon, team relay (five legs), 8-mile walk, and a wheelchair race. Over 23,000 took part in 2026.
Route
From Stormont through east, south, west and north Belfast, finishing in Ormeau Park.
Getting there
Come by public transport or the event shuttle buses — major road closures run across the city from around 6am to mid-afternoon, so driving across town is not advised.
Family
Two ways in: free spectating (the finish and relay changeovers are great for kids), or take part together via the team relay or 8-mile walk. The dedicated all-ages fun run is the separate festive Belfast City 5K in November.
Best spots
The finish at Ormeau Park, plus the east-Belfast roads (Upper Newtownards, Beersbridge) and the Ormeau Road as runners near the park.
Weather
Early May, so bring a layer and something for a shower if you're standing out cheering for a while.
Questions
The Belfast City Marathon, answered
When is the Belfast City Marathon 2027?
Sunday 2 May 2027, starting at 9am at Stormont Estate and finishing in Ormeau Park — on the May Day bank holiday weekend.
Is it free to watch?
Yes — spectating is completely free. Just pick a spot along the route and cheer. Entering the events (marathon, relay, walk) has a fee, via the official site.
How can families take part together?
The team relay is the family favourite — the 26.2 miles split into five shorter legs so everyone runs a manageable stretch. The 8-mile walk is another good group option. (The dedicated kids' fun run is a separate event — the festive Belfast City 5K in November.)
Where's the best place to watch?
The finish at Ormeau Park is the natural family spot, with a party atmosphere. Good roadside viewing runs along the east-Belfast roads (Upper Newtownards, Beersbridge) and the Ormeau Road as runners head to the park.
How do I get there with the road closures?
Come by public transport or use the event shuttle buses — major road closures run across the city from around 6am to mid-afternoon, so don't plan to drive across town. Check the closure map on the official site.
How big is it?
It's Northern Ireland's largest mass-participation sporting event — over 23,000 took part across the marathon and team relay in 2026, its biggest ever, and it's been running since 1982.
Getting there
The race starts at Stormont Estate and finishes in Ormeau Park, BT7. Come by public transport or the event shuttle buses — major road closures run across the city on the morning, so avoid driving across town. Ormeau Park is the family gathering point at the finish.
The Belfast City Marathon was first run in 1982, and over four decades it has grown into Northern Ireland's biggest running event and its largest mass-participation sporting occasion — from the low tens of thousands in a typical year to a record of more than 23,000 across the marathon and team relay in 2026. Its shape has become a fixture of the early-May bank holiday: a start at Stormont, a loop that threads through all four quarters of the city, and a finish in Ormeau Park.
What makes it special isn't the elite times — it's the sheer number of ordinary people taking it on, the relay teams and walkers and the fancy-dress runners, and the crowds of families out along the roads to cheer them home. Come and be one of the voices on the roadside, or gather everyone into a relay team and do it together.