Albany
Move'n'Groove

Yes! The 🎵 live music 🎵 will be there for all to enjoy whether walking, running, skating, strolling, or just hanging out! 

Spectators are welcome in the park and on the sidewalks around the park, school, and Aquatic Center (which will be open for business).  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!

Yes!!! The Move’n’Groove is run on 100% volunteer effort. Volunteers are always greatly needed to make the event happen.

Check the Volunteer section of this page learn more how to sign up to help. 🙏🏼

Kids 10 and under (as of race day) can participate in the kids-only short course race that consists of just one clockwise loop on the streets around Memorial Park and the high school, as shown on the course map. This will be the kickoff event taking place at 9:45AM before the 5K race. Kids will start in a single wave in the street behind the starting line (mass start), with faster/older kids lining up near the front of the pack.

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!

Parents who have a child in the kids race AND who also plan to run the 5K should be able to watch their child start & finish, and still be in time to start the 5K (first wave starts 10:15am), since the kids finish line is just across the street from the 5K starting line.

The 5K course consists of 6 complete laps clockwise around Memorial Park and Albany High, as shown in the event map. Each participant is responsible for keeping track of their own lap count. One trick to help you keep track of your current lap: as you round each corner, say out loud your current lap number — perhaps in a foreign language of your choice!

There will be a wave start with the fastest participants starting in the first wave. Line up beginning at 10AM in the corral area corresponding to your assigned wave (indicated on your race bib) which is based on your expected pace that you specified during online registration. Strollers & para athlete racers: you will start with run/walkers in the wave that best corresponds with your expected pace. 

The first wave starts at 10:15AM with subsequent waves staggered every 2 minutes.

5K Run/Walk/Stroller/Wheelchair wave start times:

• A: 10:15
• B: 10:17
• C: 10:19
• D: 10:21
• E: 10:23
• F: 10:25
• G: 10:27

Registration costs are as follows for the 5K:

• $10 EARLY BIRD thru Feb 28
• $15 REGULAR BIRD Mar 1- Apr 30
• $20 LATE BIRD starting May 1

Kids-only 0.5 mile race:

• $5 EARLY & REGULAR BIRD: thru Apr 30
• $10 LATE BIRD

T-shirts are optional and sold separately during online registration.

Last day to register is Thursday May 28.

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: Sign up online today!

No, there is no same-day registration. Registration is done online only 👉🏼 Sign up to race here!

The last day to register will be on the Thursday before race day. 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!

Registration fee includes the race bib and timing chip and access to the “registrants only” lane in the streets, which offers the best view of the bands. 

T-shirt are optional and require an additional $15 during online registration, where you can select your shirt size or opt out of receiving a shirt. Starting about a month before the event date, shirts will not be available during online registration. A limited number of shirts may be available for purchase at packet pickup or on race day.

For your convenience, you will be able to pick up your race packet Road Runner Sports (1326 10th Street, Berkeley) on Saturday the day before the event from 12-3 PM.

You will also be able to pick up your race packet at the race venue on the morning of the event from 8:45-9:30 AM (at the check-in table “i” on the map), but we highly encourage registrants to pick up the packet the day before. 

• Log into runsignup.com with the same email you used to register for the event
• Click on the profile icon 🙍🏼‍♂️ in the upper right corner of the page (desktop browser)
• Select “My Registrations”
• Under “Upcoming Events” look for Albany Move’n’Groove (this year)
• Select “Manage Registration” under this year’s MnG
• Here you can view different tabs containing registration data, participant info, waiver, and answers to event-specific questions that you provided during online registration. You can update your participant info as well as answers to these questions.

In the (unlikely) event that Move’n’Groove is cancelled or if you withdraw from attending the event, there are no refunds of the registration fee. 

RunSignUp provides optional registration insurance called “RegShield” that you can purchase during the online checkout process that will reimburse registration fees should you be unable to attend the event due to several covered reasons including accident, illness and family emergency. Note that RegShield does not offer reimbursements or refunds if the event is canceled by the organizers. Here is more information about RunSignUp’s registration insurance program.

If the event is rescheduled to a future date, the organizers will provide full credit to participate in the rescheduled event.

Certainly! You are encouraged to hangout near the bands to listen or dance to the live music as much as you want — before, during, and after the 5K. It’s fine to pause your run to soak up the music — just try not to block the flow of runners & walkers around you.

The inside lane of the street adjacent to the sidewalk around the park & high school will have the most foot traffic, so if you stop to enjoy the music, try be on the sidewalk near the band or areas around the band in the park or high school. The streets are fairly wide, so another option is to hang out on the far side of the street across from the band.

Note that the bands often accept tips (cash and/or mobile payment app) and may have CDs for sale on-site. They will appreciate whatever support you can offer!

The 5K is quite flat, with one slight uphill block, two slight downhill blocks, and one flat block. Thousand Oaks eastbound is the uphill block, climbing 15–25 ft over 1000 ft of distance (1-2% uphill grade). See the course map.

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. 

IBX Fitness, an event sponsor, is hosting free training sessions to help you prepare for the 5K, meeting in Memorial Park weekly leading up the event. For details about the schedule and how to sign-up, see our Sponsors section.

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. 

Roller skating and inline skating will be permitted during the 5K as an alternative to running/walking (fully human-powered scooters only!). Bikes and skateboards are not permitted on the course for safety reasons. There will be ample bicycle parking for those able to cycle to the event, which is encouraged!

Skaters & scooters may line up behind the starting line on the street near the sidewalk if desired instead of going through the corrals on the grass. To avoid collisions with runners & walkers, skaters & scooters MUST STAY TO THE LEFT side of the street AND heading into the finish line. See the detailed start/finish area map.

You may also skate/scooter on the course after the 5K. The streets around the course will be closed to traffic until about 12:30pm. Keep your speed under control and stay attentive to others on the streets/sidewalks! 

Bib placement: Skaters & scooters should place their race bib (received during packet pickup), on their left hip or left thigh. Other participants should place the race bib on the front of their shirt. 

Yes, extra bike racks will be available for self-parking at the purple 🚲 on our event map. Additional bike parking is available near the Aquatic Center, in Memorial Park, and around AHS. There will not be a bike valet, so bring a bike lock!

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 if they can!

There will be parking on city streets outside of the 5K course and surrounding ‘feeder’ streets which will be closed to car traffic & parking (see map). You can park on Portland Ave or Thousand Oaks Blvd east of Carmel Ave or west of Key Route, or park on other streets a block or two away from Memorial Park (Washington, San Carlos, Ward, Spokane).

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).

Possible yes, but arrangements with specific food vendors are still pending.

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. 

There are bathrooms located at the park and we will also be providing portapotties on site. See the course map for restroom locations.

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, but the sidewalk is nice along this section of Albany High. If you use the sidewalk,  be attentive to pedestrians, trees, poles, and random debris.

On the day of the event, streets leading into the course will be closed with no parking allowed on the course itself.

There will not be a special gear check area. Keep valuables (phones, wallets, etc.) in your possession or securely stored in your vehicle/bike or with a friend or family member.

The event organizers are not responsible for lost or stolen personal items. If you have lost or found something important (car keys, IDs, cell phone, etc.), please visit the main information desk to drop it off or check for it (blue “i” on the event map). Thanks!

No skate rental will be available. 

The 5K and kids races will take place rain or shine. If there is a ≥50% chance of heavy rain for 10AM on the event day as of 24hrs before the event, the bands and food vendors may have to cancel.

The event may be cancelled if the air quality is predicted to be at or above “unhealthy” levels (AQI >150, red zone).

Registered race participants will be notified by email and/or text message, and the event organizers will post about any weather-related changes to the schedule on our social media channels.