Historic Drawbridge Running Festival

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!!!