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The Golden Hour

November 28, 2027
Lakewood Nature Preserve
Greenville, SC 29607 US

Events

The Golden Hour (Sunrise)

Strikethrough Price: $90
Price: $45
Time: 7:16AM EST 8:16AM EST

80 spots left. Registration ends November 28, 2027 at 7:16am EST

The Golden Hour (Sunset)

Strikethrough Price: $90
Price: $45
Time: 4:19PM EST 5:19PM EST

80 spots left. Registration ends November 28, 2027 at 4:19pm EST

The Golden Double (Sunrise & Sunset)

Strikethrough Price: $120
Price: $60
Time: 7:16AM EST 5:19PM EST

80 spots left. Registration ends November 28, 2027 at 7:16am EST

Fair Pass

Price: $25
Time: 7:00AM EST 6:00PM EST
Registration ends November 28, 2027 at 5:00pm EST

Donations Support 30 Local Non Profits through the Giving Series

Event Description

The Golden Hour 2027
Sunrise. Sunset. Everything In Between.
The Golden Hour
An all-day fall running festival featuring two one-hour races on a one-mile loop, connected by food, music, games and fall festivities.
Sunday, November 28, 2027 · Lakewood Nature Preserve · Greenville, SC
About the Race
The Golden Hour logo

There are two Golden Hours. One arrives as the sun rises. The other appears just before it disappears. The Golden Hour celebrates both.

An all-day fall running festival featuring two completely different one-hour races, connected by four hours of food, music, games and fall festivities.

1 Mile Loop × 60 Minutes

Run it. Walk it. Race it. Just make sure you're across the line before the clock hits 1:00:00.

📍 Race Day Details
DateSunday, November 28, 2027
Start TimesMorning Golden Hour 7:16 AM · Evening Golden Hour 4:19 PM
FestivalFair Pass access 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
LocationLakewood Nature Preserve
220 Lakewood Drive, Greenville, SC 29607
🏃 The Events
The Golden Hour (Sunrise) · 7:16 AM
One-hour sunrise race, free post-race pancakes, and the Morning Golden Hour finisher medal.
The Golden Hour (Sunset) · 4:19 PM
One-hour sunset race, free post-race s'mores, and the Evening Golden Hour finisher medal.
The Golden Double (Sunrise & Sunset) · 7:16 AM & 4:19 PM
Race the sunrise, spend the afternoon at the festival, race the sunset. The full Golden Hour experience, and the only way to be eligible for Overall Golden Hour Awards.
Fair Pass · 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
General festival admission for anyone who wants to spend the day without racing: the Family Zone, the Social Scene and the Golden Games, no bib required.

Spots are limited. Current prices are shown when you click Sign Up.

⏰ Race Day Timeline
  • 7:16 AM · Morning Golden Hour. We start as the sun comes up. You have 60 minutes on a one-mile loop: complete as many full laps as you want before the Golden Hour expires.
  • 8:16 AM · Pancakes. When the hour is over, stick around for free pancakes for our morning runners as the festival gets underway.
  • Midday · The Golden Hours Festival. The venue becomes a fall festival for runners, families, kids and anyone who wants to spend a beautiful fall afternoon outside.
  • 4:19 PM · Evening Golden Hour. As the day begins to fade, we line up and do it all over again. One mile. One hour. As many complete laps as your legs will give you.
  • 5:19 PM · S'mores. Race through sunset, then gather around the fire for free s'mores and the final celebration.
  • After · Results and photos. Live results post to the RunSignUp results page as each runner finishes. Free event photos are usually up within 48-72 hours.
🗺️ Course

A one-mile loop at Lakewood Nature Preserve. Complete as many full laps as you can in 60 minutes.

The Rules
  • Only completed laps count. Every lap must be finished before the 60-minute mark; there is no partial-lap credit.
  • Morning and Evening participants each receive their respective finisher medal.
  • Overall awards are reserved exclusively for participants completing both Golden Hours, determined by combined mileage from the two races.
👥 The Golden Hours Festival

The race may stop. The energy doesn't. Run in the morning. Bring the family. Grab some food. Play some games. Hang out with friends. Then get ready to race again.

The Family Zone
  • Pumpkin painting, fall face painting and temporary tattoos
  • Inflatable obstacle course, hay-bale play area and yard games
  • Kids' scavenger hunt and friendship-bracelet station
  • Mini Kids' Dash, Golden Mile Kids Challenge, pumpkin rolling race and family relay
  • Costume contest
  • Cornhole, giant Jenga and Connect Four
  • Local food vendors and a small makers market all afternoon. Jump in, jump out, no rigid schedule required.
The Social Scene (20s & up)
  • Music, trivia and a photo booth
  • Cornhole tournament, Spikeball and pop-up pickleball
  • Food trucks plus local brewery and cider vendors
  • Team relay competitions and a Best Fall Outfit contest
  • College football on the big screen
  • Recovery and stretching area
The Golden Games

A ridiculous mid-festival competition: beer-stein hold, pumpkin carry, partner wheelbarrow race, and the 100-meter costume dash.

Under consideration: an AM-vs-PM festival competition, where morning and evening runners earn points throughout the afternoon. Stay tuned for details.

🎁 What's Included
  • A custom Golden Hour finisher medal for every registrant
  • Free post-race pancakes (morning) and s'mores (evening)
🏆 Race Awards
Overall: Golden Hour Champions

Reserved for Golden Double finishers. The top three men and top three women by combined AM + PM mileage each take home a Golden Hour trophy.

Age Group Awards

Awarded separately for the Morning and Evening races, based on laps completed in that race. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers in each of the 15 age groups earn a Golden Hour age group medal. Golden Double runners are scored for age group medals in both races and remain eligible for Overall honors.

Age Group Categories
0-910-1213-1617-1920-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-6465-6970-7980+
❤️ Supporting Children's Cancer Partners of the Carolinas

Children's Cancer Partners of the Carolinas pays for travel, lodging and meals so Carolina families can get their child to cancer treatment. They host their own race too: Upstate Strut.

❤️ Part of the Upstate Giving Series

This race is part of the Upstate Giving Series, which connects 30 races with 30 nonprofit organizations serving communities across the Upstate. Your registration and any donation you add at checkout go to work close to home: you are not just running a race, you are funding the work of a neighbor.

👥 Groups & Teams

Run it with your crew! Groups of 5 or more registrants receive a $5 discount per person, and early sign-ups get it back automatically as a refund once the group hits 5.

  • Find your club. 50+ Upstate run clubs are preloaded.
  • Join at sign-up. Pick it during registration, or start your own crew.
  • Hit 5 runners. Everyone in the group saves $5.
📸 Race Day Photos

Free event photos are usually up within 48-72 hours after the race.

Let's Stay Connected
Questions? Use the contact form or tap the chat button in the corner.

Contact Form

Event Location

Lakewood Nature Preserve
220 Lakewood Drive
Greenville, SC 29607 US View Location on Map

$30

Raised of $2,500

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