Wilmington, N.C., February 20, 2026: Travel industry partners in Wilmington and our island beaches look forward to welcoming athletes and their families on Saturday, February 28th for the 16th Annual Novant Health Wilmington, NC Marathon presented by Wicked Weed, Half Marathon, Fleet Feet Downtown 5K, and the Harris Teeter 1-Mile Kid’s Glow Run presented by Truist. With nearly 5,500 athletes expected to attend, the Novant Health Wilmington Marathon remains the largest participatory sporting event in the City of Wilmington. Athletes from 49 U.S. states as well as Puerto Rico, and 25 cities across North Carolina will be represented. Participants will also travel from seven countries beyond the United States including Tanzania, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Germany, France and Portugal. 

The marathon course will start in Wrightsville Beach at Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier Saturday morning. The full marathon, half-marathon and marathon relay courses will lead downtown, with the full marathon continuing through a loop at Greenfield Lake. All races will finish at Live Oak Bank Pavilion. The Fleet Feet 5K and Harris Teeter kid’s 1-mile will start and finish downtown at Live Oak Bank Pavilion. Roads will be open to traffic throughout race events with detours to minimize any disruptions to morning commutes. 

“The Novant Health Wilmington Marathon has become one of the premier races on the East Coast. We sold out in early January and now have more than 1,000 runners on the waitlist. The continued growth of this event is a direct result of an incredible team, committed sponsors, and the unmatched hospitality of the Wilmington community,” states Tom Clifford, event organizer and founder of Without Limits, “Each year, the marathon generates millions of dollars in economic impact during a key shoulder season for the region. We are grateful to Novant Health and all our partners for their support. To date, the race has given nearly $600,000 back to organizations across New Hanover County, and we look forward to another strong year of giving in 2026.” 

Athletes will be joined by family members, spectators and event volunteers that will more than double the number of attendees for the weekend. Athletes and attendees will stay at various hotels and spend time at local restaurants, businesses and attractions over the race weekend. Race schedules, course maps, sponsors, volunteer opportunities and other event information can be found online here.

“Races and sporting events play a vital role in supporting tourism in Wilmington and our island beaches,” said Kim Hufham, President/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority. “Hosting these events gives us a valuable opportunity to introduce our destination to families visiting from key feeder markets. We hope participants and their loved ones enjoy their time here and choose to return for future competitions and family getaways.” 

The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority (TDA), d/b/a Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau, markets and develops the county and its communities’ leisure and group travel experiences for economic growth and quality of place. 

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Note to Media: To arrange interviews and photo ops for the 2026 Novant Health Wilmington Marathon, please contact Tom Clifford at tclifford626@gmail.com  / 910-297-4973. 

Contact:
Hannah Almeter
Communications/PR Manager
Wilmington and Beaches CVB
910-341-4030 x126
866-266-9690
halmeter@wilmingtonandbeaches.com