Events

2025 Fun Run Series - Registration Is Now Open

Registration for Our 2027 Fun Run Series is coming this Spring!

Another great summer of running, family fun, and community is here! Registration opens this spring for the 2027 Miles 4 Mentors Fun Run Series, and we can’t wait to welcome kids and families back for another season. Follow us on Facebook and stay tuned for more information as our next great season approaches.

Registration for our 2025 Fun Run Series is open! Click the button to register early for all our fun run events using our online registration form. It’s going to be a great season; we can’t wait to see you there!

Miles 4 Mentors Fun Run Events

The Miles 4 Mentors Fun Run Series brings kids and families together for a summer of running, activity, and community fun throughout the Willmar area. Each event gives kids the chance to get moving, spend time with friends and family, and experience the encouragement and excitement that make our Fun Runs so special. And there’s always more happening than just the run! Our events are held alongside some of the area’s favorite community activities, giving families even more to enjoy before and after crossing the finish line. Children ages 4–11 who register by May 24 will receive a free Miles 4 Mentors T-shirt. Children must be accompanied by an adult during each event. Bring the family, lace up your shoes, and come make some great summer memories with us!

The 2026 Miles 4 Mentors Fun Run Series invites children to run with friends and family on our pre-set courses throughout the city. There is more to our Fun Runs than just running. Each event also offers fun activities, mentoring opportunities, and camaraderie.

Runners in grades K-5 who register by May 24th will receive a free Miles 4 Mentors t-shirt. Only children aged 4-11 years old will receive t-shirts. And, children must be accompanied by an adult during the event. Bring the entire family for a great time that gives the lasting gift of running and fitness to your children

Please consider giving a gift to an underserved child to participate by being a sponsor. Go to our Give page. for more information.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Fun Run Event

Willmar Cardinals Football

Miles 4 Mentors is excited to announce the Willmar Cardinals Football Fun Run Event. Originally planned for the 2023 series but canceled due to weather, it will be brought back at the Cardinals game on August 30th. Let’s celebrate the season and thank our supporters while the kids can run a lap around the track at halftime.

At this no-registration event, the first 75 participants wearing a Miles 4 Mentors shirt, hat, sweatband, or medal will receive an authentic Willmar Cardinals football jersey.

Attention Parents:

Please note that all tickets for Cardinal events must be purchased through the GoFan app or website prior to the event. No cash will be accepted at the gate. Children wearing a Miles 4 Mentors shirt, hat, sweatband, or medal receive free admission with a paid adult.

Check-in begins at 6:30 at the North Entrance. We will hand out jerseys and wristbands at our trailer and tent next to the fence outside the gate. See the map to the right for more details. Wristbands allow parents and children to get into the game for free. Our seating section will be on the far north side of the home team stands. No registration is required; just show up for the fun!

Special thanks to the Cardinals and the Jaworski Family Empowerment Fund for making this event possible!

Willmar Stingers Invitational & Mental Health Night

May 30, 2026

Our Fun Run Series kicks off each season with the Willmar Stingers, our home team in the Northwoods League. The evening is also Miles 4 Mentors Mental Health Night in collaboration with Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services, bringing together baseball, physical activity, mental wellness, and plenty of family fun.

Kids get the special experience of taking the field with Stingers players and mascot Barry, while local high school track and cross-country athletes join in the fun as well. The event also helps support the Miles 4 Mentors mission through fundraising and provides an opportunity to put new athletic shoes into the hands—and onto the feet—of local children who need them.

IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION

Miles 4 Mentors Night Agenda

6:00 PM – Arrive at Bill Taunton Stadium and check in at the ticket booth located inside the main entrance. Kids get in free (5-11) with a paying adult.

6:30 PM – Participate in the Fun Run on the field with Stingers players and mascot. Runners will enter the stadium at the 1st base dugout gate.

7:05 PM – Stingers game starts. All participants will receive tickets in the grandstand to enjoy the Stingers Baseball game and post-game fireworks show.

Kids registered through our website get in free with a paid adult. Kid’s tickets may be picked up at the ticket sales booth before the event. Upon entering, please find a seat in section 201.

Kids selected for the shoe scholarship program should arrive at the entrance gate no later than 5:45 PM. Parents and children should head to the tables at right near the fence. Shoes will be distributed at that location.

Kids registered through our website get in free with a paid adult. Kid’s tickets may be picked up at the ticket sales booth before the event. Upon entering, please find a seat in section 201.

Kids must be lined up at the staging area on the side of the visitor’s field entrance no later than 5:55 PM. After a lap around the field, they will return to their parents/guardians in section 201.

This mini-event and fundraiser kick off our Fun Run Series with the Willmar Stingers, our home team in the Northwoods League. Enjoy a night of baseball with us, meet Barry, and run the bases at Baker Field. At this event, we give away tennis shoes to several local children in need. The event is also a fundraiser for Miles 4 Mentors. Fellow fans will be able to make financial donations that will be matched by local businesses. High school track and cross-country team members also join in on the fun and will be running a relay race to see if they can finish their race before the last out. Our Stinger’s event is also a chance to celebrate Global Running Day, held on June 1st each year.

Willmar Fests Block Party

June 25, 2026

One of Willmar’s favorite summer celebrations is even more fun when you start it with a run! The Willmar Fests Downtown Block Party. The Fun Run brings kids and families together in the heart of downtown for an evening filled with activity, entertainment, and community spirit.

After crossing the finish line, families can stick around and enjoy everything Willmar Fests has to offer, including the kiddie parade, food, entertainment, activities, and plenty of reasons to explore downtown. It’s a great opportunity for kids to get moving while being part of a celebration that brings the whole community together.

It’s a great time to party at the Willmar Fests Downtown Block Party. The event features live entertainment, a kiddie parade, activities, food vendors, and more. Bring the whole family, celebrate our community, get healthy, and have some healthy fun.

Check-in begins at 4:45 PM at Royal Cutz Barber Shop at 227 Litchfield Ave SW. The run begins at 5:30 PM.

Willmar Rotary Rockin' Robbins

July 21, 2026

This fun event combines running, live music, food, friends, and a summer evening at Robbins Island, making Willmar Rotary Rockin’ Robbins one of our favorite Fun Run stops. Kids get to start the evening with Miles 4 Mentors before families settle in to enjoy one of Willmar’s most popular summer traditions. Hosted by the Willmar Rotary, Rockin’ Robbins fills Robbins Island with music, food vendors, activities, and community fun. It’s a relaxed and welcoming setting for kids to be active, enjoy the outdoors, and experience all the excitement of crossing another Miles 4 Mentors finish line.

Sponsored by Willmar Rotary this community event supports the mission of Willmar’s Vision 2040 movement. After the run, head over to the concert, visit the food vendors, and participate in fun activities. We are so grateful to be a part of this amazing community event that benefits 3000-5000 people per show.

Check-in begins at 4:30 PM at the Guri Endresen Shelter at Robbins Island. The runs begin at 5:30 PM. Parking is limited, and a free shuttle is available. For more information about the shuttle visit rockinrobbins.com/parking.

Rockin' Robbins #2

August 5, 2025

Our second Rock’n Robbins event, sponsored by Willmar Rotary is another opportunity for kids to run for fun at beautiful Robbins Island. The community event is fun for the whole family and has something for everyone. After the run, enjoy the concert, have some tasty treats, and participate in fun activities.

Our second Rock’n Robbins event, sponsored by Willmar Rotary is another opportunity for kids to at beautiful Robbins Island. Runners who register by May 25th in grades K-5 are given a free water bottle for participating in our first August event. After the run, head over to the concert, visit the food trucks, and participate in fun activities.

Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center 1 Mile Trail Run

August 15, 2026

Our trail run event at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center takes the Miles 4 Mentors Fun Run off the pavement and onto the trails! Surrounded by woods and prairie, kids have the opportunity to experience running in a completely different setting while enjoying one of West Central Minnesota’s most beautiful outdoor spaces. This family-friendly trail run is all about getting outside, exploring nature, and discovering that staying active can be an adventure. It’s a fun change of pace for our runners and a great opportunity for families to spend time together in the outdoors.

Hosted by Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center, this new event is an opportunity to bring the whole family out for an incredible trail run through the beauty of West Central Minnesota’s natural resources.

Check-in begins at 10:00 AM at the Red Rustic Barn at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center. The event address is 12718 10^th St NE, Spicer. The run begins at 11:00 AM.

Willmar Cardinals Football

August 30th - Kennedy School

Miles 4 Mentors celebrate the Willmar High School Cardinals Football with a great Fun Run Event. It is a great opportunity to close out and celebrate the season and thank our supporters. Kids can run a lap around the track at halftime. Stay tuned for more details about next year’s Fun Run Series.

Miles 4 Mentors is excited to announce the Willmar Cardinals Football Fun Run Event. Originally planned for the 2023 series but canceled due to weather, we are bringing it back at the Cardinals game on August 30th. Let’s celebrate the season and thank our supporters, while the kids can run a lap around the track at halftime.

At this no-registration event, the first 75 participants wearing a Miles 4 Mentors shirt, hat, sweatband, or medal will receive an authentic Willmar Cardinals football jersey.

Attention Parents:

Check-in begins at 6:30 at the North Entrance. We will hand out jerseys and wristbands at our trailer and tent next to the fence outside the gate. See the map to the right for more details. Wristbands allow parents and children to get into the game for free. Our seating section will be on the far north side of the home team stands. No registration is required; just show up for the fun!

Special thanks to the Cardinals and the Jaworski Family Empowerment Fund for making this event possible!