Thousands of Palm Beach County residents are expected to lace up their sneakers this Saturday for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, a free event landing at Florida Atlantic University’s John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. The event begins at 9 a.m.; a ceremony follows at 10 a.m., and the walk itself steps off at 10:30 a.m., with activities continuing until noon.
The event, which requires registration and a signed waiver but carries no entry fee, offers two route options so participants can choose their pace: a 2.4-mile long route or a 1.2-mile short route, according to act.alz.org. Those who raise at least $100 will receive an official Walk to End Alzheimer’s T-shirt mailed through USPS, and all proceeds go toward the Alzheimer’s Association’s care, support and research programs. Organizers describe it as a rain-or-shine event, though severe weather could force a cancellation.
WPBF reported that the WPBF is happening in Palm Beach this weekend, noting the event's status as the world's largest fundraiser of its kind for Alzheimer's awareness and research, a description that also appears on the Alzheimer's Association's own site. The organization says the Walk to End Alzheimer's is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, according to FAU's event calendar.
Why the Cause Hits Close to Home in Florida
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and over 11 million family members and friends provide unpaid care for them, per the FAU listing. Locally, the stakes are especially high: Palm Beach County ranks No. 10 in the country for the number of residents living with Alzheimer's, with more than 50,000 affected, according to the Boca Raton Tribune.
Florida as a whole ranks second nationally for the number of residents with the disease, per a report from WFTV. The same report notes that new FDA-approved treatments are now offering hope by slowing the disease's progression, giving added weight to fundraising events like Saturday's walk in Jupiter.
Fundraising Teams Already Stacking Up
Ahead of Saturday's walk, local teams have already been raising money through the Alzheimer's Association's Palm Beach Walk page. American Seniors Housing Association leads the pack with $11,635 raised, followed by Florida Atlantic University at $8,007.21 and Palm Beach Memory Care at $7,825.05, according to figures posted at alz.org's Palm Beach Walk page. The Cresswind Palm Beach Mini Walk for Alzheimer's has brought in $16,680.70 on its own. Organizers are also seeking volunteers for the event, including individuals, families, students, community groups and company teams, per the same alz.org listing.
How Palm Beach Compares to Other Florida and East Coast Walks
Palm Beach's turnout will join a string of similar events that have drawn large crowds and significant donations across the state and beyond. The 2025 Boca Raton Walk to End Alzheimer's packed Sunset Cove Amphitheater at Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park with thousands of participants, who went on to raise more than $620,000 for care, support, research, advocacy and awareness initiatives, the Boca Raton Tribune reported.
Elsewhere in Florida, thousands of walkers gathered in Orlando and Leesburg and raised more than $500,000, per WFTV, while an estimated 2,000 walkers, caregivers, families, volunteers and community supporters turned out for Orlando's event at Lake Eola Park, according to ClickOrlando. Further up the East Coast, about 2,000 people registered for Baltimore's 2026 walk at The Maryland Zoo, where organizers raised more than $727,000, per WBAL-TV.
With no registration fee and two route lengths to choose from, organizers are hoping Saturday's gathering in Jupiter adds to that momentum. Participants can register for the event; the ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m., and the walk begins at 10:30 a.m. at FAU's John D. MacArthur Campus.
