Crescent City Classic

Crescent City Classic
Saturday, Apr 8, 2023 at 8:00am
Downtown New Orleans

Since 1979, the Crescent City Classic 10k has been a New Orleans tradition. The race, which takes place every year on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, is produced locally by the Crescent City Fitness Foundation, a not-for-profit 5013c entity. People of all physical abilities participate, including world-class runners, joggers, walkers, wheelchair athletes, kids in strollers, and even those with rolling beer coolers.

The starting line of the 10-kilometer course (6.2 miles) is Downtown New Orleans in front of the Caesars Superdome. From there, participants (many in costume) run through the French Quarter, all the way up beautiful Esplanade Avenue to New Orleans City Park where they cross the finish line under the cool, shady, ancient live oak trees.

The events surrounding the Crescent City Classic make for a jam-packed Easter weekend. The fun includes a two-day Health & Fitness Expo, free and open to the public. And many runners sign up simply to attend the post-race party hosted by Michelob Ultra, complete with live music from local bands and world-famous New Orleans cuisine!

But there’s a serious side to the Classic as well. Every year, the “Run for It” Program sets out to raise $1 million to support local charity partners. No matter who crosses the finish line first, everyone wins!

Schedule:

5:30 am Buses begin running from City Park (at Beau Bassich Circle) to start area (Champions Square)
7:00 am Pre-race warm up in Champions Square, led by Ochsner Fitness Center
7:30 am Last shuttle bus leaves City Park
7:45 am Final Announcements, Dignitary Welcome and the National Anthem begin at the Start Line
8:00 am The Crescent City Classic Begins!
8:30 am The Michelob Ultra RaceFest begins near the finish at the new Festival Grounds on Friedrichs Ave.
9:30 am Complimentary bus transportation begins taking participants from City Park (at Henry Thomas Dr.) back downtown to Poydras St.
10:15 am Award Ceremony & Costume Contest begin on main stage
10:30 am Distribution of Top 500 posters begins at the Top 500 Tent
11:00 am Festival Bands resume playing
1:00 pm The RaceFest officially ends; Complimentary bus transport back downtown ends

Course:

This fast, point-to-point course is a USAT&F sanctioned and certified 10,000 meters. It starts in front of the Caesars Superdome on Poydras St., proceeds down Poydras, bears left on Convenetion Center Blvd. then left onto Canal St., before continuing onto N Peters St., where it passes historical Jackson Square. Participants run through the French Quarter, past Cafe Du Monde and the French Market, before taking a left on Esplanade Ave. The course continues down beautiful Esplanade Ave. to the front of New Orleans City Park on City Park Ave. The remainder of the course takes place inside the park, passing by Storyland, before finishing on Lelong Ave. just before the New Orleans Museum of Art, exactly 6.2 miles from the start. For your own safety: no bikes, rollerblades, skates or pets (other than service animals) are allowed on the course.

Water stations and port-o-lets will be placed at mile markers 1-5. All water stations will be available on both sides of the street. Port-o-lets will be placed on the right side of the street. Please be sure to hydrate prior to and during the race. Nearly all health issues on Race Day are related to dehydration. New Orleans EMS units will be stationed throughout the course and at the finish line, along with the Ochsner Medical Team & Tent. If you cannot finish the race, we will have a vehicle trailing the race that can transport you to the Finish Line.

Click Here for Registration

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