Grant Park is the finish line for a very sweet morning today, as thousands of runners are expected to take on Chicago's Hot Chocolate Run. The 5K, 10K and 15K races start at 7:30 a.m., while the 2-mile walk starts at approximately 9:15 a.m. Participants head from near the Art Institute south along the lakefront before looping back into the park.
According to ABC7 Chicago, the SKECHERS Hot Chocolate Run is expected to draw thousands of runners to the downtown course. The event's own listing, posted on hotchocolate15k.com, confirms the Nov. 1, 2026 date and identifies Ghirardelli as the 2026 presenting sponsor.
What Runners Get at the Finish
Finishers are set up with a payoff that fits the race's nickname: hot chocolate and other chocolate treats, followed by a full chocolate-themed celebration, per the hotchocolate15k.com event page. That page specifies the Ghirardelli tie-in extends to the rewards themselves, with a warm cup of Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa among the perks waiting at the line. The post-race party in Grant Park is built around that chocolate focus, continuing a format organizers have used in past years.
The race has earned a reputation that goes beyond the medals. It's often referred to as America's sweetest race, a nickname tied directly to the finish-line spread of cocoa and treats rather than just the distance covered. That branding has made the event a fixture on Chicago's fall calendar, with past editions drawing far larger crowds than a typical weekend 5K.
A Downtown Tradition With a Big Turnout History
The scale of the event isn't new. A year earlier, organizers were expecting roughly 40,000 people to take part in the Grant Park run, according to Axios Chicago. That same outlet noted a free expo with chocolate samples and photo ops had been part of the lead-up to race day in past years. Time Out Chicago has also described the event as an annual Grant Park race or walk, with past swag including a race-themed hoodie.
Today's course starts near the Art Institute, with runners heading south along the lakefront before ending at Grant Park, the same basic path ABC7 Chicago described for this year's race. The distances on offer, 5K, 10K and 15K, along with the 2-mile walk, mirror the structure organizers have used in recent editions of the event.
Logistics matter for anyone heading downtown today. The event page notes there is no race-day packet pickup, meaning runners needed to have collected their materials in advance or arranged to have them mailed. Organizers also recommended parking at the Millennium Park and Lakeside Garage, suggesting drivers be parked by 6 a.m. to avoid the rush.
