Oklahoma City's Walk to End Alzheimer's is set to return to Scissortail Park on October 24, with organizers planning an 8:30 a.m. party followed by a 10 a.m. ceremony and the walk itself. The event will unfold at the park's Great Lawn in the Love's Stage area, and registration is free for anyone who wants to take part.
According to News 9, which is serving as media partner for the 2026 event, the walk is designed to raise awareness and fight Alzheimer's disease, a condition the outlet notes impacts many families across the metro. News 9 also reports that Robin Marsh will join this year's walk. Organizers with act.alz.org list the address as 300 SW 7th St. in Oklahoma City, and detail two route options: a 2-mile regular route and a shorter 0.6-mile path for those who need it.
Signing up does not require paying anything upfront. Per the event listing, every participant must register and sign a standard waiver, but there is no registration fee to walk. Those who raise at least $100 will receive an official Walk to End Alzheimer's T-shirt mailed through USPS, and every registered walker also gets a Promise Garden flower, a longstanding symbol at these fundraising walks nationwide.
Where the Money Goes
All funds raised through the walk go toward the Alzheimer's Association's care, support and research efforts, according to the same event listing. Organizers are also seeking volunteers to help with setup, cleanup, registration, water stops and Promise Garden activities on walk day.
The event is billed as rain or shine, though organizers say they will cancel only in the case of severe weather. Anyone looking to volunteer or learn more about logistics can find details through the same act.alz.org listing.
A Record-Setting Year in 2025
Last year's OKC walk drew roughly 6,000 people to Scissortail Park and raised a total of $501,165, according to ucentralmedia.com. More than 350 teams registered for that walk, a record for the city, and the 2025 event also featured the same 0.6-mile and 2-mile route options now offered again this year.
OKC Walk Director Carey Lee told the outlet that three-quarters of the money raised goes toward providing Alzheimer's Association services in Oklahoma. That figure underscores why organizers keep pushing participation and fundraising even in a year without a registration fee attached.
A Growing Public Health Concern
The push for awareness comes as Alzheimer's disease is described as a growing public health crisis in Oklahoma, with its impact projected to rise, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The Oklahoma State Department of Health released an Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias State Plan covering 2023 through 2027, and the Oklahoma Healthy Brain Initiative Coalition now includes more than 50 organizations and individuals working on the issue statewide.
By December 2024, all Oklahoma State Department of Health county health departments had completed dementia training and were recognized as Dementia Friendly Oklahoma partners. In total, 106 organizations across all 77 Oklahoma counties have earned that same designation, reflecting a statewide effort that runs alongside local fundraising walks like the one returning to Scissortail Park.
