Bloomsday FAQ

Q: Why did Bloomsday switch to Race Roster?

A: Race Roster provides new registration management tools and greater flexibility for participants.

Q: Will my old Bloomsday login still work?

A: No. Previous Bloomsday logins do not transfer to Race Roster. You'll need to create a new Race Roster login or register with out an account.

Q: Do I have to create a Race Roster account to register?

A: No. You may register as a guest. However, creating an account is recommended for easier access and updates.

Q: What are the benefits of creating a Race Roster login?

A: A login allows you to:

• Manage your registration details
• Update emergency contact information
• View your registration history and results

Q: I've already registered, can I still make changes?

A: Yes, If you created a Race Roster login, you can manage eligible changes directly through your account.

Q: Is my personal information safe?

A: Yes. Race Roster uses secure, encrypted systems and industry-standard privacy practices to protect your information.

There are two ways you can get a bus pass:

Before April 15th you can purchase a $2.00 pass by visiting the race registration page and clicking the "buy bus shuttle pass" button.

After April 15th you will be able to purchase a $2.00 bus pass at the trade show by visiting the STA Booth.

Yes, but they need to know your assigned bib number and your name (the exact name used to register). Your bib number is identified in your email receipt or you can use our lookup form to find it, which also requires knowing your birthdate. When picking up someone else's race bib, you will be required to provide your name and phone number.

If you pick up a race bib for someone else, make sure he/she knows you're doing so.

All registrants can find their bib number three different ways: (1) check your email receipt, (2) log in to the registration site to view your order(s), or (3) use our lookup form to search for your registration and bib number.

Yes, you can purchase Bloomsday shuttle bus passes at the STA booth at Race Check-In on Friday and Saturday. You can also pay for the STA shuttle on race morning, but the cost is $2.00 each way, and exact change is required. Learn more about the Bloomsday shuttle bus service provided by STA.

• The 7.5-mile route is entirely on asphalt, which can be hard on paws, especially in warm weather.
• Water stations for humans are not set up to accommodate pets.
• The large, tightly packed crowd of thousands of runners and walkers can be overwhelming and even frightening for animals not used to that environment.

We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated on race day! To align with our clear bag policy, hydration backpacks and large packs are not permitted on the course.

We’ll also have well-stocked water stations along the course to keep you hydrated from start to finish.If you'd like to bring your own water, we encourage you to carry a small handheld water bottle.

To help keep all participants and spectators safe, Bloomsday follows a Clear Bag Policy.

Here’s what’s allowed:

✅ Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags (no larger than 12” x 6” x 12”)
✅ One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (Ziploc-style)
✅ Small clutch bags or wallets (no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”)
✅ Small fanny packs or running belts (to hold essentials like a phone, ID, or keys)

Here’s what’s not allowed outside of the Red Group:

🚫 Backpacks (including hydration packs)
🚫 Large purses, drawstring bags, or opaque totes
🚫 Any bag larger than the allowed size unless it’s clear

All bags are subject to search at entry points. Keeping what you bring compact and visible helps us maintain a smooth and safe experience for everyone.

Bloomsday starts in waves. The first few groups are competitive wheelchair racers, beginning at 8:30 a.m. They're followed at 8:45 by elite (prize money) women. The first large group, which includes Elite, Second Seed, and Corporate Cup starts at 9:00 a.m. Entrants with yellow, green, orange, blue, lilac, and red numbers start at intervals after that (to be determined on race morning). Timing of each runner will begin when he/she crosses the starting line, and ends when he/she crosses the finish.

For more information on Bloomsday starting procedures and estimated starting times for different color groups, click here.

Downtown businesses are open and eager for visitors on Bloomsday weekend, and there's plenty of parking. Plan to do some shopping or dining, then drop by the Convention Center to pick up your race number. For downtown Spokane parking information, view the parking map. For information on parking close to the Convention Center, click here.

Parking is more limited on Bloomsday morning due to street closures, but there are a number of options. Many downtown parking lots are open, and the Spokane Arena also has parking available (just a short walk through Riverfront Park to the starting areas). In addition, thousands of Bloomies take special Bloomsday bus shuttles to and from the start/finish each year. If you'd like to join them, visit the STA booth at the Bloomsday Trade Show for information and passes.

No. Bloomsday numbers are not like a ticket to a show or concert. We need to know that the person with the number is the same person whose name and information is in our database. This is a matter of safety. Also, running with another person's number ruins the race results, since the person using the number might be a different gender and age from the person who originally entered.

If someone else wears your number, there is a possibility that that person and YOU will both be disqualified from running Bloomsday for up to five years.

Official Bloomsday merchandise will be for sale at the Bloomsday Trade Show on Bloomsday weekend. You can also purchase merchandise at our online store to have it shipped to you.

The shirt is your reward for finishing the Lilac Bloomsday Run. If you can't participate, you will not be able to get a shirt. This isn't meant to be punitive or exclusionary, just a way of preserving the notion that the T-shirt is an award for reaching the finish line.

The course closes at 1:30 p.m., or when the sweep vehicle passes, whichever comes first. If you haven't reached the finish line by that time, you can keep going as long as you move off the roadway onto the sidewalk. Traffic will be allowed back on the streets, volunteers will begin cleaning up and packing up, but you can keep going anyway. Just move to the sidewalk and follow all traffic laws while completing your journey.

If you complete the course after the finish line has closed and you don't receive a T-shirt, please contact the Bloomsday office after Tuesday to make arrangements for your shirt.

These items but is not limited to :

Backpacks
Bicycles
Wagons
Dogs
Rollerblades
Unregistered runners
Skateboards
Hand cycles
Motorized vehicles
Motorized wheelchairs
Headphones, iPods, etc.
Running while pushing Strollers, Baby Joggers or wheelchairs.

Your start time is tied to your assigned color group, which is selected during registration.

You can find your color group and start time:

• In your registration confirmation email

• By logging in to your Race Roster participant dashboard

• Using the bib number lookup tool once bib numbers are assigned

You will need your bib number to pick up your race packet at Check-In.

a schedule of when you can pick up your number, click here.

The Lilac Bloomsday Run has been held in all kinds of weather, so dress accordingly. Average temperature at the start is approximately 50 degrees, but it has occasionally been in the high 70s. We have also started with snow on the streets.

We don't ever anticipate having to cancel or reschedule Bloomsday. However, it's conceivable that there may one day be conditions--either because of extreme weather or due to some other unforseen difficulty--that will cause the run to be cancelled. This will only be done if, in the judgment of the Lilac Bloomsday Association, holding the event would risk the health or safety of participants.

Porta-potties are scattered throughout Riverfront Park, near each starting street, and near all water aid stations along the route.

Water stations are available at regular intervals along the course, on both sides of the street.

• 1st Station: Greenwood Cemetery

• 2nd Station: Spokane Falls Community College

• 3rd Station: Top of Pettet (“Doomsday”) Hill

• 4th Station: Broadway & Nettleton

• 5th Station: Just past the finish line, before the T-shirt distribution areas

Gear check at the start is limited to:

• Corporate Cup participants

• Elite Athletes (race numbers under 500)

• Second/Senior Seed runners who purchased the amenities package

Eligible runners may drop off warm-up gear at the start line and retrieve it at the Corporate Cup Post-Race Party after the race.

All other participants should arrive dressed and ready to run, as no gear storage is available.

Medical Aid stations are located throughout the course, generally just before or after each water station.

• There are five stations along the course, plus one at the finish line and one in Riverfront Park.

• Look for Medical Aid banners.

• Volunteers will be wearing red vests for easy identification.

If you need assistance, stop at the nearest station or alert a race official or volunteer immediately. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

T-shirts are awarded only to finishers, not entrants. T-shirt distribution is located a short distance after the finish line. Both sides of the street have all sizes. Only one shirt per person. Each finisher must pick up his/her own T-shirt. Please have the T-shirt tag removed from your runner number and ready to turn in to volunteers. No tag, no T-shirt!

Bloomsday is traditionally held the first Sunday in May.

• The first Sunday in May 2026 is May 3.
• The first Sunday in May 2027 is May 2.
• The first Sunday in May 2028 is May 7.
• The first Sunday in May 2029 is May 6.
• The first Sunday in May 2030 is May 5.

We know it’s a change from previous years not to receive your bib before race day. Due to limited staff and volunteer resources, we’ve made the decision to include a souvenir bib with your finisher shirt and provide a printable, personalized bib as a digital download for those who’d like one ahead of time.We understand it’s not quite the same experience, and we truly appreciate your flexibility and continued support.

A souvenir bib will be sent with your finisher shirt as long as you log your time in the virtual results portal.

• During registration (January 1 – April 15), you can add your name to the front of your bib.

• This option is only available for in-person participants.

• Names are limited to 10 characters.

Jr. Bloomsday registration opens February 2, 2026

• Date: Sunday, April 12th
• Distance: 1 Mile

Click Here to Sign Up

For information on volunteering, click here.

Visit our results portal sponsored by Spokane Tribe Resort and Casino. No time submission = No finisher shirt

Bloomsday has partnered with local hotels to offer special race-weekend rates.

• Visit the Bloomsday website lodging page to see participating hotels and booking details.

• Many hotels offer discounted rates for Bloomsday participants, but availability is limited—book early.

• For additional options, check popular travel websites or local accommodations in Spokane, WA

As of 2025 70 people had done every Bloomsday. We call them the Perennials, and they're listed under Results, Perennials.

Founder Don Kardong chose the name, which is a joining of Spokane's favorite flower to the word James Joyce scholars use to describe the day events in the novel Ulysses take place. Confused? Intrigued? Read on...

According to Kardong, a road race is an odyssey, not unlike the one Ulysses endured in his return to Ithaca after the Trojan War, a journey described in great detail by the Greek poet Homer. In 1917 James Joyce wrote "Ulysses" about one day in the life of a man (Leopold Bloom) in Dublin, Ireland. Bloom spends the day wandering through the streets of Dublin in a rough parallel of his Greek counterpart Ulysses, and that day (June 16) has become known to Joyce scholars and aficionados as "Bloomsday."

The 7-1/2-mile odyssey through the streets of Spokane was dubbed The Lilac Bloomsday Run, combining Spokane's moniker "The Lilac City" with the premise of Joyce's novel, which is that ordinary people are involved in unassuming and yet heroic journeys every day of their lives. A citizen who travels 7-1/2 miles on the first Sunday of May encounters trials, hazards and monsters during his or her odyssey through the Lilac City before ending up back home.

The Lilac Bloomsday Run is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Net proceeds are invested in future Bloomsday Runs. Bloomsday also supports a designated charity every year.

The Lilac Bloomsday Run is not affiliated with the Lilac Festival. Their website is www.spokanelilacfestival.org. You can also reach festival organizers at (509) 535-4554.

Yes! Bloomsday welcomes anyone capable of completing the 12K (7.46-mile) course, including children. Thousands of kids run, jog, or walk the course safely every year. Parents and guardians should decide if a child is mature, trained, and ready for the challenge.

Safety and enjoyment first:

• Bloomsday discourages participants age 12 and under from competing for fast times or placing. Large crowds and competition can increase risk, and preteens are more susceptible to heat-related issues.

• The focus for younger participants should be on enjoyment, completing the distance, and building confidence, not racing.

Seeding and results:

• Runners under 13 are not seeded at the front of the pack.

• Comparative placing is not published for divisions below age 13.

Every child who runs, jogs, walks, or wheels the 7.46 miles is a winner. Bloomsday encourages parents to emphasize fun, accomplishment, and participation over competition.

If your Bloomsday questions have not been answered here (or in the rest of this website) you can email your questions directly to the Bloomsday Office.

Q: Why did Bloomsday switch to Race Roster?

A: Race Roster provides new registration management tools and greater flexibility for participants.

Q: Will my old Bloomsday login still work?

A: No. Previous Bloomsday logins do not transfer to Race Roster. You'll need to create a new Race Roster login or register with out an account.

Q: Do I have to create a Race Roster account to register?

A: No. You may register as a guest. However, creating an account is recommended for easier access and updates.

Q: What are the benefits of creating a Race Roster login?

A: A login allows you to:

• Manage your registration details
• Make eligible color group or seeding changes
• Update emergency contact information
• View your registration history and results

Q: I've already registered, can I still make changes?

A: Yes, If you created a Race Roster login, you can manage eligible changes directly through your account.

Q: Is my personal information safe?

A: Yes. Race Roster uses secure, encrypted systems and industry-standard privacy practices to protect your information.

Yes! Bloomsday super fans are welcome to register for both editions of the race. In fact, the finisher shirt for the virtual race will have a slightly different look than the in-person 12k finisher shirt!

To register for both, participants will need to complete the registration process twice

Yes! There are a few ways to adjust your color group:

Before April 15:

• Reply to one of your Bloomsday Run e-mails with the request.

• No color change is needed if you simply want to move back to a later-starting group.

• Do not move forward to an earlier group than assigned—doing so may result in disqualification and no official finish time.

After April 15 / On Race Day:

• Pick up your race bib at Check-In (Friday or Saturday).

• Visit the “Color Changes” table to adjust your color group.

• Again, moving back is allowed; moving forward is not permitted.

Using your Race Roster account is the fastest and easiest way to manage color group changes before race weekend.

You can sign up for Bloomsday beginning January 1. Registration for Bloomsday is exclusively available online and more details can be found at our registration page.

Your E-Gift Certificate came with a unique promo code on it. To receive the full promotional value of your E-Gift Certificate you must register for Bloomsday by April 20th.

IMPORTANT: You must redeem your E-Gift Certificate's unique promo code no later than April 20, in order to receive the full promotional value of the certificate. Beginning April 20, the E-Gift Certificate's unique promo code will only apply the face value towards the cost of entry and you will be required to pay any balance remaining to complete your registration.

The simplest way to keep a group of runners together in the same start color group is for everyone to enter online at the same time (or for the same person to do all the registrations for the group) During online registration, once you click the green Checkout button, look for the "RUN AS A GROUP" option and check the box to have everyone being registered start in the same color group. By selecting this option, your group will all be seeded to the color group of the person in your group with the slowest qualifying time.

For those who don't register together with the "Run As Group" option: If you pick up your number at Check-In and you find that you’re not in the same group with people you want to participate with, keep in mind that you’re allowed to move BACK to a color group that starts later than yours. You can’t move forward to a faster color group, but it’s fine to move back. So if members of your group don’t have the same color, you don’t need to do anything other than move back on race morning to the color group of the member of your group who starts latest.

If moving back isn’t an acceptable solution for some reason, please ask volunteers at the Solutions desk at Check-In for assistance.

No, as of 2020, Bloomsday registration is completely online. Simply click here and you can register today!

You may register for the in-person Bloomsday race on race weekend (Friday or Saturday). The entry fee is $50.00 and you may register online or in-person at the Spokane Convention Center.

There is no registration on Sunday.

Yes, just reply to the email receipt you received to let us know what information needs to change. If you don't have your email receipt, use the Contact Us form.

Note: T-shirt selections do not need to be corrected (we use the information to place the order, but you can select any size you want at T-shirt distribution after you finish).

Yes, online registration for the Marmot March opens on February 2. Marmot March is limited to 300 participants, and details are available by clicking the Marmot March button on the Blooomsday website.

Yes, as long as you have all the information requested, and you have authorization from the person you're signing up to e-sign the waiver.

Absolutely! Well over half of Bloomsday participants are walkers.

They're welcome! For safety reasons, operators and occupants of strollers, Baby Joggers, and non-competitive wheelchairs MUST line up in the Red section and MUST WALK the entire course. In addition, anyone with a Red number, even if not pushing a stroller or chair, must walk the entire course. Any operator or occupant of a stroller or wheelchair, and anyone wearing a red number, whose net finish time is faster than 1:40 will not be timed and may be disqualified.

Also, both operators and occupants must be officially entered by paying the entry fee. That way everyone's time will be recorded, and everyone will receive a finisher's T-shirt. Your infant or toddler may not be able to wear that shirt now, but he or she will thank you for it later!

Yes, all participants, whether running, walking or being pushed MUST register for Bloomsday. We have youth size shirts for young registrants. Our youngest Bloomies may not be able to wear that shirt now, but he or she will thank you for it some day!

The processing fee includes expenses related to online registration management, payment processing services, and administrative costs incurred by our registration platform to facilitate a smooth and secure registration process for participants.

The 50-cent fee is specifically introduced to help offset the escalating costs imposed by the City of Spokane. This helps cover the costs associated with Fire and Police services as well as other City operations ensuring the continued success, safety, and sustainability of the Bloomsday run.

For any other questions please reach out to support@bloomsdayrun.org

Corporate Cup registration opens at 9:00 a.m. on February 9th

The deadline to register your team is Friday, April 3, 2026 or when the number of paid teams reaches 300, whichever comes first. Traditionally, Corporate Cup fills up quickly, so please enter early to make sure your team is included!

You can read the Corporate Cup Entry Rules by clicking here.

Yes, registration will close early if the number of paid teams reaches 300 before the registration deadline. Be sure to register early!

No. Mail-in entries are not permitted. All registrations must be completed online.

The team registration fee for 2026 is $600.

You must pay your team registration fee online. You can pay with the following debit or credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. Note: Check payments are not accepted.

The last day for team captains to make changes to their Corporate Cup team(s) for no fee is Monday, April 20. After this, there will be a $25.00 fee for team captains to make changes to their team(s). To make a change after the deadline, please contact Sarah Stanson.

Around Mid-April, your Corporate Cup team packet with your tech tees for your team members will be mailed to your team captain. To make your tech tee distribution streamlined, team captains can login into the Corporate Cup registration site to view the names of team members and their chosen tech tee size. Please try on your tech tees before personalization. We encourage each team member to wear the tech tee; however, wearing this is not required to gain entrance into the Corporate Cup start area. Rather, each member must wear his or her runner bib on the front of their tee (bibs are distributed on race weekend). Anyone not wearing a PINK corporate cup number will not be allowed to enter the Corporate Cup starting area. Please note if one of your team members registered after the registration deadline, he or she may not have his or her chosen tech tee size. However, we do our best to facilitate exchanges if possible.

Feel free to personalize your tee with your company name, individual name, or team name or motto on your tech tee. Please first make sure the tee fits the person it is intended for. We cannot accept exchanges for tees that have been personalized.

If you need to exchange your tech tee, and it has not been personalized, you may exchange it at the Corporate Cup check in on race weekend. If you need it earlier than race weekend, you may contact the Bloomsday office. Available sizes for exchange are subject to availability.

Corporate Cup team members or someone else on his or her behalf (i.e. team captain, teammate, friend, relative, etc) must pick up their bib numbers at the Corporate Cup check-in located at Spokane Convention Center. All Corporate Cup team members will receive a PINK number. Each timing chip is affixed to the runner number. If you wear a number of any other color you will not be permitted to start in the Corporate Cup start area, and your results will not be counted in the Corporate Cup competition. Bibs are organized by company name, so please be prepared to give that information to the check-in volunteer.

Corporate Cup check-in will be open the same hours as the regular Bloomsday check-in: Friday, May 1, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday, May 2, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. For out of town entrants only, check in is offered on Sunday, May 3, 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

If any team member registered for Bloomsday individually prior to joining your team, make sure he or she picks up their PINK Corporate Cup number at check-in. No other runner number can be used. Without the PINK Corporate Cup number and corresponding timing chip, your team member will NOT be able to enter the Corporate Cup start area and will NOT be included in the Corporate Cup results. Make certain team members do not apply for Elite Seeding because runners who wear an "Elite" number are also deleted from Corporate Cup results. Please note: Registration fees are non-refundable.

If a team member is injured or otherwise unable to participate, you may find a replacement for him or her. There will be a $25.00 charge for each replacement and this must be presented with the injured runner’s identification information and a completed Bloomsday registration form for the substitute runner, or runner identification if already registered (see ‘I registered individually before joining a Corporate Cup Team. What now?’) Substitutions can be performed via email to Sarah Stanson through April 20th. After this, substitutions can only be done at the check-in desk on Friday and Saturday of race weekend. The exiting participant should provide their tech tee to their substitute. Tech tee exchanges may be made at the time of check-in (see ‘Can I exchange my tech tee for another size?’), Please remember, personalized tees cannot be exchanged.

All Corporate Cup runners may start on Post and Riverside which is accessed via Post Street from either the north or the south. Please refer to the race map. You may warm up on Post Street to the north and south of the Corporate Cup start area prior to the prompt 9:00 a.m. start. Remember, your team members must wear their Corporate Cup PINK bibs (runner numbers) to gain access to the exclusive “front of the pack” Corporate Cup starting area. This start is for runners. If a Corporate Cup participant is determined to have walked within the first mile, his or her team may be subject to disqualification. Remember, this is for the safety of all Bloomsday participants.

Thanks to our Corporate Cup sponsor, Providence, and the Lilac Bloomsday Association, each team member will receive a sturdy and reusable athletic bag at check-in to be used on race day. Just pack all the items you will need after the race inside the zippered portion of the bag, mark the bag with your race number, and hand it to the volunteers at one of the two gear bag trucks located to the North and South of the start line. Your team members’ bags will be waiting for them at the Post-Race Party.

You may purchase additional guest tickets to the party for $30.00 per person. If your team captain purchased additional guest tickets during registration, they'll be enclosed in your Corporate Cup Team Packet mailed in mid-April. If you did not pre-order any tickets and would like to purchase additional guest tickets, you may purchase them at Corporate Cup Check-In during Bloomsday weekend, at the Bloomsday Office located at 1414 N Belt St, Spokane, WA 99201, or by calling (509) 838-1579.

Teams who have registered with creative team names are included in the list of names to be considered for this contest. Impartial judges meet before Bloomsday and the winners are decided. Click here to see if your team is among the finalists for this year's team name contest. The top three will be announced in the Inlander's Bloomsday Results section.

Trophies will be presented to the top three overall teams, division champions, and team name contest winners at the fun-filled Corporate Cup Awards Luncheon. Details will be provided to those teams on Monday, May 4, 2026.

Corporate Cup is limited in number, and every year we turn away several teams who did not get registered. In order to maintain the integrity of the Corporate Cup competition, it is vital that your team complies with the eligibility rules. To remind yourself of the rules, please refer to the Corporate Cup Information Page. Bloomsday officials will disqualify any team that has an ineligible member.

If you have any questions about registering for Corporate Cup, please contact our registration partner using this form.

If you have any general questions about Corporate Cup, please contact Sarah Stanson, Corporate Cup Lead Volunteer, at sstanson@bloomsdayrun.org.

To purchase post-race party guest tickets, purchase them online, or call the Bloomsday Office at (509) 838-1579 or visit in person at 1414 N Belt St, Spokane, WA 99201.