If your weekend plans involve cruising through downtown Nashville, you might want a backup route. The 26th annual St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series is about to sweep through the city center, bringing a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, and family races that snake through downtown neighborhoods before wrapping up at Nissan Stadium. Drivers, transit riders and downtown businesses should plan for early-morning closures and rolling reopenings along big chunks of the course.
Race schedule and packet pickup
Most of the distance races hit the streets on Saturday, with the marathon and half-marathon set to start at 7:20 a.m., and the 5K and 10K kicking off earlier that same morning. Runners pick up their packets at the Health & Fitness Expo at Music City Center in the days leading up to the races. The full weekend program and exact expo hours are laid out on the event schedule from Run Rock 'n' Roll.
Road closures - when to avoid downtown
Organizers and local outlets are flagging a long list of street closures and detours, with most Saturday restrictions stretching roughly from 5:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and a few closures starting as early as Friday. Streets reopen on a rolling basis once the final participant passes through. Drivers are urged not to cut across the course until police or race officials clear intersections, according to NewsChannel 5.
Neighborhood access maps and tips
The course footprint winds through downtown and out into neighborhoods, including 12 South-Belmont, The Gulch, Music Row, East Nashville, Salemtown, Metrocenter, and the 400 Davidson area. If you live, work, or have appointments in any of those spots, organizers recommend checking the published neighborhood access maps and adjusting deliveries or plans where you can, per coverage from WSMV.
Expo, finish line and transit
The Health & Fitness Expo runs Thursday and Friday at Music City Center (201 Rep. John Lewis Way S.), while all race distances finish outside Nissan Stadium on Victory Way. The expo location, course highlights, and general weekend details are listed by Visit Music City, which also notes that downtown garages are the suggested parking option for spectators. Some Metro Transit routes will be detoured on race morning, so regular riders should double-check service if their usual bus or route cuts across the course.
Tips for drivers and spectators
Anyone who needs to drive on Saturday is urged to arrive and park well before the first start waves, since streets near the start and finish lines are expected to stay closed into the afternoon. Organizers also outline gear-check locations, live runner tracking through the Rock 'n' Roll app, and enforced course cutoff times. To avoid surprises on race day, allow extra travel time and review the final event details from Run Rock 'n' Roll.
