
From the Organizer
🌺 Welcome to SO CAL's BIGGEST & BEST POLYNESIAN PARTY RACE! 🌺
Since 2014, Tiki Beach 5K/10K has been a vibrant tradition on the beach, a chance to run, celebrate, and enjoy island-inspired music, food, and community. It's your end of the summer BEACH PARTY RUN!
🏖️ Experience the energy of the beach with live Polynesian drummers and dancers, bringing authentic rhythm and movement to your run. This isn’t just a race, t’s a festive send-off to summer! Coconuts, palm trees, grass skirts, and the TAPUA PRODUCTION drummers and dancers make this the BEST BEACH BASH, healthy RUNNER's Party!
🎽 Every participant receives a custom Polynesian-style race shirt and one of our signature Tiki finisher medals, a collectible highlight for your race journey. Have enough shirts? Choose a custom beach towel while supplies last, or add to your collection by getting BOTH for only an additional $20.
🍍 Post-Race Fun: Enjoy coconut and Island inspired pancakes offered by IVC Circle K and Kiwanis of Irvine, specialty coffee, tasty street tacos , Bar b que sandwiches, fresh baked cookies, Hawaiian shaved ice, and Nekter Juice (available for purchase. You make pay with cash, credit card, or pre buy food vouchers) while you explore the expo area and capture those perfect beachside selfies. It's a FOOD FEAST while watching authentic Polynesian drummers and dancers. Support the causes. KID'S READ will be giving out free books for those that purchase Kiwanis pancakes. BIG J's So Cal Bar B Que will be offering mini sliders, or full bar b que lunches to eat, take home, or remain at the beach for a picnic!
Course:
Flat, scenic, out-and-back along the paved beach path with ocean views. Run fast or take it easy, the waves will be your soundtrack.
Timing: RFID Chip Timing by Itz About Time
Awards:
Top 3 male & female overall (5K & 10K)
Age group awards in 5-year divisions (up to 80+)
Special recognition for those completing 3+ Caren Ware Events this year
Schedule
6:30 AM – Vendor & Volunteer Check-in
7:00–8:30 AM – Registration & Packet Pick-Up (race-day available)
7:30 -8:30 Am LIVE POLYNESIAN dancers and drummers/ Tupua Productions/ An active EXPO
8:15 AM – Kid’s Dash & 1-Mile Fun Run
8:30 AM – 10K & 5K Start
9:20 AM – 5K Awards Ceremony
9:40 AM – 10K Awards Ceremony
6:30–10:00 AM – Polynesian-Inspired Expo Open
Early Packet Pick-Up
Saturday, Sept. 26 10am to 1PM (Note: Earlier so we have afternoon time to set up the race)
Sports Basement, 10800 Kalama River Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(You may also pick up race morning at the start line.)
Parking
Bolsa Chica State Beach, Lot 25 — $15 State Park fee (bring exact cash for faster processing)
Public parking available in Sunset Beach (walking required into park)
Restrooms
Restrooms are open and located on each end of lot 25.
Strollers
Strollers are welcome! Please stay to the right and use at your own risk. Only registered participants with a bib will receive a finisher medal. Be sure your bib is worn on the front and visible to finish line staff.
Pets:
Friendly Pets are allowed and must be leashed at all times and accompanied by a Run /Walk participant. Please use a leash of 5 ft or less, for the safety of all pets and runners. Line up towards the back of the pack at the start and keep to the side of the race field on the course.
Weather
Rain or shine, the event will go on
🌊 Whether you’re racing for a PR or jogging with friends, Tiki Beach is your lively, healthy way to wrap up the summer. Come for the run, stay for the rhythm, community, and celebration.
💙 A portion of proceeds supports Caren Ware Events’ global outreach projects, including families in the Himalayas and local community programs.
Events
Weather
It's too far out for a forecast, so here's what weather on this date is normally like in the area. A race day forecast will replace this as race week approaches.
Typical High
79°
Typical Low
63°
Chance of Rain
5%
Based on US Climate Normals data from Santa Ana John Wayne Ap, 8 mi from the venue.
Host City
Population
196,010
as of 2023
Elevation
43 ft
Nearest Airport
SNA
John Wayne Orange County International Airport · 8 mi
Time Zone
Pacific Time
From Endurance Grid
A mid-size host city. Enough lodging and amenities to keep race weekend easy, without big-city sprawl.
Race Location
Your Next Start Line
Every finish line starts with a single decision. Claim your spot at SoCal's Tiki Beach 5K & 10K Run/Walk, put it on the calendar, and turn “someday” into a start date.
111
Days to train
Coming Up
SURF CITY RUN
Less than a mile away
Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk - Huntington Beach, CA
Less than a mile away
Witches Wave - Halloween Run 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon by Califlow Runs
Less than a mile away
SoCal's Sunset Trick or Trot 5k/10K - Halloween Race
Less than a mile away
From Endurance Grid
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
The 10K is the distance where running stops feeling like a starting point and starts feeling like a sport. Long enough to require a real training block. Short enough that race day is fully manageable for a first-timer who's put in the work.
Race day energy at a 10K is community at its best — strangers cheering you by name, people moving toward the same goal, an atmosphere that solo training can't replicate. It's fast enough that you'll spend the whole race pushing rather than managing your effort.
This is also the distance that builds the base for everything else. Most athletes who go on to run half marathons, do triathlons, or compete in HYROX started here. What you need: running shoes fitted to your stride, a training plan, and the race on your calendar. The registration is what makes the deadline real.
How long to train: 4–8 weeks for most fitness levels.
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
SoCal's Tiki Beach 5K & 10K Run/Walk
Sep 27, 2026