Albany
Move'n'Groove
Live Music & Fitness around the Park
Sunday April 23, 2023
10 AM to 2:30 PM
Albany High School and Memorial Park,
Albany, California

Results and photo album for 2023 now available!
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About the Event
The Albany Move’n’Groove combines live music, fitness, and community spirit in Albany, California. Walk, run, roller skate, wheelchair, push a stroller, or just hang out & enjoy the multiple live bands stationed around the high school & park. Participants of all ages and fitness levels are welcome to join the fun!
Registration is only required for participants in the 5K or the kids race. The live music is free for all attendees!
This event is produced and organized by Albany community member volunteers, Eugenie Hsu (Albany COVIDchella producer) and Steve Trutane (Albany Community Triathlon organizer).Â
*NEW* for 2023: Race T-shirts, food trucks (cappuccinos and waffles, birria tacos, and soft serve ice cream, YUM!), a kids-only race on a 0.5 mile short course, post-race DJ, a team costume contest with cash prizes, free massages, and pre-event training sessions. See the FAQ below for details.
The Albany Community Foundation (ACF) is the fiscal sponsor for the event. The ACF’s goal is to encourage and develop local philanthropy and to serve as a resource through which charitable funds may be directed to meet the needs of local organizations and emerging community needs. Support the ACF with a donation! Thank you!Â

Funding for the Move’n’Groove live bands is provided by the City of Albany’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax.
Supporting the City of Albany’s Climate Action Plan and the Carbon-Free Albany Challenge, the Move’n’Groove encourages attendees to minimize their carbon footprint and get to the event on foot or bike. Ample bike parking will be available (see the purple 🚲 on our event map below). Also, use the recycling and compost bins to cut back on waste. Thanks!
Schedule and Map
Schedule: Music around the park starts at 10AM and will conclude at 2:30PM. There will be a break in the live music at Noon when announcements, a DJ, and a costume contest will take place on the Memorial park stage. The final band takes the stage starting at 1PM. Coffee and food will be available starting at 9 AM, located on Portand Ave near Ramona.
Four bands in total will entertain Move’n’Groove participants. Registration is not required to enjoy the music! Three bands will be located around the 5K course to entertain participants and spectators starting at 10 AM and ending at 11:45 AM. The fourth band will entertain everyone after the team costume contest from 1-2:30 PM on the Memorial Park stage. See the numbered “groove symbols” on the map for the location of each band described on the bands page.
5K course: The flat, square, 5K course loops six times around the four streets encircling Albany High and Memorial Park: Thousand Oaks, Carmel, Portland and (Northbound) Key Route. Here’s a Strava segment showing the start & finish and elevation profile. The route will be closed to all vehicle traffic and parking. For safety, the inside lane is designated for race participants only, which will offer the best view of the bands. Detailed course map is provided below.
Participants in the 5K line up 15 minutes before the start of their event in the alley way next to the AHS gym, and in accordance to their estimated pace, with the fastest participants (wave A) closest to the exit onto Thousand Oaks. Subsequent waves will leave on the minute. Strollers and wheelchair participants will start with the walk/run wave according to their pace. A detailed schedule is listed below the map.

9:00 - 9:45 AM
Event day packet pick up
Info tables (blue diamond)
9:45 AM
Kids 10 yo and under line up at starting line
(GREEN arrow)
10:00 AM
Kids race starts: 1 loop course
(YELLOW arrows)
Skaters line up at starting line
(GREEN arrow)
10:15 AM
Skaters start 5K course, 6 loops (YELLOW arrows)
Runners, walkers, strollers line up at starting line (GREEN arrow)
10:30 AM
Runners, walkers, strollers begin 5K
(YELLOW arrows)
11:45 AM
Bands on 5K course stop playing
12:00 PM
Costume contest, DJ, announcements on Memorial park stage (#4)
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Live music on Memorial park stage from band #4🎵

1-2:30 PM
After the 5K, gather near the Memorial Park stage for the DJ, announcements, and the COSTUME CONTEST with cash prizes, and purchase food from food trucks on Portland Ave near Ramona. Continue moving & grooving to the Sacred Fire Band that will play on the Memorial Park stage (#4 on map) starting at 1pm
Thank You Sponsors!

IBX Fitness will be hosting free training sessions open to the public to get you ready for the 5K! Meet in Memorial Park for 50-minute sessions on the 4 Sunday mornings leading up the event. Click here for more details and sign up link!
IBX Fitness is located in Albany at 727 San Pablo Avenue Suite 102-CD. Learn about their services here.
Your Name Here!
Interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2023 Move’n’Groove? Get in touch with us for more information about sponsorship opportunities at albanymovengroove@gmail.com.
FAQ
If you have a question that is not answered below in this FAQ, please email us at albanymovengroove@gmail.com.
Yes! The 🎵 live music 🎵 will be there for all to enjoy whether walking, running, skating, strolling, or just hanging out!Â
There will be space that is designated for spectators. For safety reasons, the inside lane on the streets will be designated for registered 5K or kids run participants only (those wearing the race bibs).
Spectators and other “groovers” should be on the lookout for the “movers” racing on the streets, who should themselves be heads-up for non-racers coming & going around the park and high school!
Registration costs are as follows (which includes a race t-shirt):
- $25- EARLY BIRD: thru March 1
- $35- STANDARD: March 2- April 1
- $40- LATE BIRD: April 2-April 19
PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE NO SIGN-UPS ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT. A limited number of slots may be available at packet pickup on Sat before the race.
Best idea:Â Sign up online today!
No, there is no same-day registration. Registration is done online only and the last day to register will be on Wednesday April 19, 2023. A limited number of registrations may be available at packet pickup the day before the event.
Please note that we are capping participants at 400 registrants, first come, first serve. Sign up online today to secure your spot!
- 1st place team: $200
- 2nd place team: $150
- 3rd place team: $100
Kids 10 and under (as of race day) can be registered for the kids-only short course race that consists of just one loop on the street around Memorial Park and the high school. This will be the kickoff event taking place at 10AM before the 5K races.
Kids should be encouraged to be on the course by themselves for the event, but if a little one requires a chaperone, you are welcome to accompany them — just don’t beat them to the finish!
IBX Fitness, an event sponsor, is hosting free training sessions to help you prepare for the 5K, meeting in Memorial Park for 50-minute sessions on the four Sunday mornings leading up the event.Â
Pre-registration is required. Click here for more details and sign up link!
Yes — volunteers are needed to make the event happen. Check the Volunteer section of this page learn more how to sign up to help.Â
Yes. For each race division (kids, skaters, runners/walkers/strollers/wheelchairs), the fastest participants will be in the leading wave. You will start with your chosen wave according to your expected pace that you specify on the registration form. Strollers & wheelchair racers: you will also enter the run/walk wave that best corresponds with your expected pace.Â
The start times for the three main events (kids, skate, then run/walk/wheelchair/stroller) are separated by 15 minutes starting at 10:00, 10:15, 10:30 (AM), respectively. The first wave of each event starts at those times with subsequent waves staggered every 1 minute.
Skate wave start times:
- A: 10:15
- B: 10:16
- C: 10:17
Run/Walk/Stroller/Wheelchair wave start times:
- A: 10:30
- B: 10:31
- C: 10:32
- D: 10:33
- E: 10:34
The 5K event will occur rain or shine but the dance band on the stage at Memorial Park may be relocated to play on the course instead of the stage. The event may be cancelled if the air quality is unhealthy for outdoor exercise.
In the (unlikely) event that Move’n’Groove is cancelled or if you withdraw from attending the event for any reason, there are no refunds for the registration fee unless you purchase cancellation insurance at the time of registration to receive a refund. Please see the registration site for more information.
However, if the event is rescheduled to a future date, you will receive full credit to participate in the rescheduled event.
Registration fee includes the race bib and timing chip and access to the “registrants only” lane which offers the best view of the bands.Â
T-shirt are included in the registration fee this year. If you choose to opt out of the T-shirt during registration, $15 of your registration fee will be directed to the Albany Community Foundation to support future events.
Yes, accurate results will be provided by chip timing for each heat by age and gender.
Preliminary results will be posted onsite after the completion of all divisions of the 5K event. Official results will be posted on this website once they have been finalized.Â
No, the event does not permit bicycles, skateboarders, scooters or other wheeled vehicles EXCEPT for roller skates/inline skates, strollers, and wheelchairs.
There will be parking on city streets but the 5K course streets and the streets leading into the course (see map) will be closed to all motor vehicles and parking.
Local participants are encouraged to walk or bike to the event to reduce vehicle congestion in the area. Bike racks are available for self-parking near the Aquatic Center, in the park, at AHS (see map for bike parking).
There will be birria taco truck, a soft serve ice cream truck, and potentially a gourmet coffee truck providing free cappuccinos and selling mini waffles starting at 9 AM.
There is water available at Memorial Park and there will be water cisterns on location at the event. We highly encourage you to bring your own (non-disposable) water bottles to the event.
No, the Albany Aquatic Center has asked that we do not use their facilities so that they may conduct business as usual with minimal disruption to pool patrons.Â
There are bathrooms located at the park and we will also be providing portapotties on site. See the course map for restroom locations.
For your convenience, you will be able to pick up your race packet Road Runner Sports (1326 10th Street, Berkeley) on Saturday April 22 from 12-3 PM.
You will also be able to pick up your race packet the morning of the event from 9:00-9:45 AM but we highly encourage registrants to pick up the packet the day before (April 22).
The quality of the roads is good — all four streets of the loop course are devoid of potholes and have fairly smooth pavement. The pavement on Key Route is more rough than the other streets, so you can skate on the sidewalk along this section of Albany High rather than on the street, if you wish.
On the day of the event, the course will be cleared of debris and streets leading into the course will be closed with no parking allowed on the course itself.
Yes, we will have volunteers help store shoes, skates, and extra clothing at a gear check area located near the main info/check-in table. We will not be storing valuables (phones, wallets, etc.)
No skate rental will be available. Participants in the skating event are expected to provide their own roller or inline skates, and ensure they are in good working order.
The 5K is quite flat, with one slight uphill block, two slight downhill blocks, and one flat block. Thousand Oaks East-bound is the uphill block, climbing 15-25 ft over about 1000 ft of distance (1-2% uphill grade).Â
The maximum elevation occurs as you turn from Thousand Oaks onto Carmel Ave. which has a slight downhill slope that continues downhill along Portland Ave (-1-2% downhill grade).
The course bottoms out as you turn from Portland onto Key Route, and stays flat as you pass in front of Albany High heading towards Thousand Oaks to repeat the loop.
Here’s a Strava segment for the whole 5K course, showing a graph of the elevation profile.Â
Volunteer
Want to volunteer? We could definitely use your help! We will need people on the day of the event (and in the days leading up to the event) to help in a variety of tasks and functions including:
Putting up flyers, making and placing signage, putting up street blockades and cones, handing out registration packets, 5K pacing, safety monitoring, helping out at an information booth, gear check-in table, providing first aid, refilling water cisterns, assisting bands, etc.Â
If you are interested in being a volunteer, please fill out this form and you’ll be contacted to sign up for specific tasks. Volunteers who sign up before end of day on April 1 will receive a complimentary t-shirt!
Contact Us
Questions? Please check the FAQ for answers to common questions. To get in touch with event organizers, send an email to albanymovengroove@gmail.com. We will do our best to answer your questions. Thank you for your patience!