
Historic Drawbridge Running Festival
Historic Drawbridge Running Festival offers a flat, fast course through Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Race Date
Oct 31, 2026
Location
St Michaels, MD
Quick facts
- Date
- Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Location
- St Michaels, Maryland
- Distance
- Half marathon (13.1 mi) + 26.2 Miles, 3.1 Miles
- Course
- Point to Point
- Terrain
- Road
- USATF certified
- Yes
- Finishers on record
- 1,734
Highlights
Good For
Atmosphere
Course
The Experience
The Historic Drawbridge Running Festival, first run in 2019 and now in its seventh edition, offers a remarkably flat course through Maryland's scenic Eastern Shore. This event, which typically sees around 532 finishers and attracts participants from about 22 states, is designed for speed. The half marathon, in particular, is a 13.1-mile stretch with minimal elevation changes and few turns, making it a prime candidate for setting personal bests.
The course takes runners from Tilghman Island up Route 33 towards St. Michaels, with a brief deviation into the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. This point-to-point route is USATF certified and designed for optimal performance. While the field size is modest, with a median of approximately 416 finishers, the growing trend suggests increasing popularity.
Runners can expect a well-organized event that includes a hooded sweatshirt as part of their race swag. The festival also offers marathon and 5k distances, providing options for various running goals. The commitment to a fast, certified course, combined with the charming setting, makes the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival a noteworthy event for those chasing a PR.
Race-provided description
We can't wait to show off one of Maryland's FLATTEST courses, with our Marathon, Half Marathon and 5k events, we welcome you to beautiful Talbot County! Our marathon and half marathon share the first 10.5 miles of the half marathon course) and a 5k (out and back from the finish line). Be sure to check out all of the options available. ALL COURSES ARE USATF CERTIFIED COURSES!!! Have trouble with course maps? Afraid of missing turns? Looking to set your PR with an all-out effort? Have we got the race for you!!! The Historic Drawbridge Running Festival will take place on Saturday, October 31st, 2026.. The half will navigate from Tilghman Island, straight up Route 33, and to St Michaels, making one of the only true turns of the race in to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum!! That's a 13.1 mile STRAIGHT RUN with little to no elevation or turns!!! The Full marathon will follow the same course, but turn right on Bozman-Neavitt Rd (MD Route 579) and travel through tiny Bozman, and turn around right before Neavitt, before you turn around and return to St Michaels, rejoining the marathon course around mile 24. Our 5k event, starting at 830am, will start and finish from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum!!! The course will be 1.55 out and back on the same course as the Full and Half. RUNNERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE MAT WITHIN THE FIRST 5 MINUTES (8:00:00 TO 8:05:00) TO PROPERLY DISTANCE THEMSELVES. ALL RUNNERS MUST BE ON SITE AT THE START BY 7:45am. We encourage participants to take advantage of the buses that will be available at the Maritime Museum on race morning to transport you to the start line at the on Tilghman Island, which is where the race starts. This way your vehicle is available for you upon your finish at the entrance to the Maritime Museum. From the start at Tilghman, we will begin as a group, with traffic briefly shut down on the Island, until we can get everyone safely over the FIRST OF TWO DRAWBRIDGES and on to the shoulder of MD Route 33. Aide stations will be located along the course for your hydration and nutrition needs. A eight (8) hour cutoff, for the marathon and half marathon, will let you move as fast as you like, all the way to an 18 min 30 second pace. Perfect for those recovering from a long season, or just pushing their limits at the end of the year. Our friends at the marathon distance will get a whopping 8 hours to complete the event!!!
Logistics
Race Day
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Start Time
8:00 AM
Giveaway
Hooded Sweatshirt (Unisex Size)
Start Location
213 NORTH TALBOT STREET, St Michaels, MD, 21663
Course Info
USATF CertifiedCourse Type
Point to Point
Terrain
road
Scenery
Rural
Surface
Paved
Difficulty
Ultra-Flat
Net Drop/km
0 m (Flat)
Separation
62.4%
Also Offers
USATF Certified Course
MD24004NP · Historic Drawbridge Half
Relatively flat with minimal net elevation change. Point-to-point course layout.
Quality Score
Standout657 years running
~416 finishers a year
growing or steady
14% returning runners
USATF certified · 5 timing sources
runners from 22 states
winner 1:22:00
typical high 0°F
Race Day Weather
5-year historical avgStart (Low)
0°
Afternoon (High)
0°
Cool conditions — dress in layers, perfect for fast times
0.0"
Precipitation
0 mph
Wind
0%
Humidity
Historical Finish Times
How 1,734 finishers actually crossed the line across 7 years.
Most recent
2025
Total finishers
1,734
Median time
2:13:17
Latest turnout
270
States
34
Turnout by year
2019–2025
Hover the histogram to inspect specific finish times.
Race Photos
Frequently asked
When is the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival?
The Historic Drawbridge Running Festival is held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, starting at 8:00 AM.
Where does the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival take place?
It takes place in St Michaels, Maryland.
What distances does the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival offer?
The half marathon (13.1 miles), plus 26.2 Miles, 3.1 Miles.
Is the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival course flat and good for a PR?
The Historic Drawbridge Running Festival is a ultra-flat, point to point course. The course is USATF-certified, so finish times can be used for qualifying.
How many people run the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival?
HalfRuns has finish records for 1,734 runners who have completed the Historic Drawbridge Running Festival.
HalfRuns editorial — independent, no paid placement.
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