Donna Marathon Weekend 2026 shifts toward Jacksonville’s Beaches with Seawalk hub and expanded weekend programming
A signature Jacksonville race weekend returns Jan. 30–Feb. 1 with events centered at the oceanfront
Donna Marathon Weekend 2026 is scheduled for January 30 through February 1, 2026, with its primary hub at the Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach. The three-day schedule again brings multiple race formats and related programming to the Beaches area, reinforcing an identity that is increasingly tied to Jacksonville’s coastal communities rather than a single start-and-finish race day.
The 2026 edition is billed as the 19th annual Donna Marathon Weekend. The event lineup includes a 5K, the DONNA Dash, a half marathon, a marathon, an ultramarathon, event challenges and a Health & Wellness Expo. Organizers have promoted the weekend as drawing participants from across the United States and abroad.
Why the Beaches presence is more prominent in 2026
Race-weekend logistics and programming point to a stronger Jacksonville Beach footprint. The Seawalk Pavilion site, located steps from the shoreline, is listed as the venue for the weekend and serves as the focal point for athlete services and race-day operations. In addition, the weekend format continues to emphasize multiple days of activity, rather than concentrating attention solely on the marathon morning.
The start-and-finish setting at Seawalk Pavilion places the highest-traffic race operations in Jacksonville Beach.
The official schedule spans Friday through Sunday, extending the period of visitor activity around Beaches businesses, lodging and public spaces.
The event structure bundles several race distances and challenges, encouraging repeat engagement across the weekend rather than a single entry.
New host-hotel arrangement tied to Mayo Clinic campus
For 2026, organizers announced a new host-hotel partnership with the Hilton Jacksonville at Mayo Clinic, a property scheduled to open in October 2025. The hotel is designated as the official host hotel for the January 30–February 1 weekend, with race-related transportation and access to pre- and post-race activities highlighted as part of the participant experience.
With thousands of participants expected over three days, race-weekend planning typically blends on-course operations at the Beaches with lodging and event infrastructure across greater Jacksonville.
Participation and regional impact
Tourism promotion for the event notes that the 2025 weekend recorded more than 7,500 runners participating virtually and in person. While 2026 participation totals have not been published, the multi-event format and early registration push are positioned to sustain large crowds.
The weekend is organized by The DONNA Foundation, a Northeast Florida nonprofit that supports people living with breast cancer through financial assistance and funds research, with the marathon weekend serving as its premier annual fundraising and awareness event.