Event overview
2026 date to be confirmed.
One of the highlights of London's running calendar where culture and movement collide! This festival weekend, featuring the popular Hackney Half Marathon, returns to the Marshes in springtime.
Expect pure vibrancy as the borough comes alive for three days of celebrating the best of East London culture with crowds cheering you on at every turn!
In fact, spectators and supporters line the streets in their thousands to cheer on runners. Combined with entertainment on the course, this creates a rapturous, motivational atmosphere to help push you to the finish line!
Highlights
Festival atmosphere
The weekend festival takes over Hackney with the air pulsing to live music, the sun shining and bars spilling out onto the streets. It's as fun for spectators as it is for runners!
Dynamic route
Hackney is an exciting borough with vibrant street art and this closed-road route is designed to showcase its culture! Full of twists and turns, local landmarks and the Olympic Park.
Post-race Village
Spectators and runners will be entertained with yoga classes, stretching workshops, exhibitor demonstrations, food stands, bars, live music and more. Runners will hang around for hours afterwards, decked out in new medals and race t-shirts!
Event photos
Event video
Charity places
Please select your distance to find a charity and join their team.
- All fitness levels
- Event expo
- Event village
- Families
- Fancy dress
- Free venue entry
- Newcomers
- Spectators
- Teams
- Traders at event
- Wheelchair users
Saturday
Sunday
Hackney Moves Festival
With fitness classes, food spots, free activities and live music, discover the Hackney Moves Festival.
Join an amazing weekend of free, diverse and inclusive fitness, wellbeing, culture and entertainment activities for all the family.
The main stage will host fitness sessions and entertainment from East London's finest group exercise gurus, bands, DJ’s and entertainment acts.
Hackney's House of Fitness tent will be home to a wide variety of fitness activities, offering something for everyone.
There is so much going on in the festival village that you will want to stay all day. From family sports and cultural activations from local clubs and community groups to a wide variety of street food and beverages on offer for some post-activity refuelling. Keep the little ones entertained at the amazing Hackney Playbus, have a family race on the sprint track or simply sit back and soak up the incredible atmosphere at Hackney Moves.
- Bag storage
- Bar
- Cafe
- Changing facilities
- Entertainment
- Music
- Park
- Toilets
- Urban
Event HQ
Hackney Marshes
London
Greater London
E9 5PY
UK
The venue
The Hackney Festival village is located on Hackney Marshes, E9 5PF.
- Considered the spiritual home of Sunday League football, Hackney Marshes are inextricably linked with exercise and movement.
- Easily accessible by public transport, Hackney Marshes are serviced by both overground and Tube links.
Parking
Westfield Stratford City (E20 1EJ): 25-minute walk.
Getting there
London Overground
- Clapton Station | 30-minute walk
- Hackney Wick Station | 20-minute walk
- Homerton Station | 20-minute walk
Train
- Stratford Station | 25-minute walk
- Leyton Station | 20-minute walk
Bus
Local bus services will be running on diversions on event morning. Please check the TFL website for detail.
Cycling
There will be numerous bike parking facilities within the Festival Village. Don’t forget to bring an appropriate cable or chain lock!
Sustainability
- Carbon offset
- Public transport links
- Sustainability policy
This was my first Hackney Half. Really enjoyed it, it was a great atmosphere and experience all round. And most importantly running for TeamMonk - raising funds for my good friend Michael Monks cancer treatment. Sarah W
This was the first time I ran Hackney Half. It certainly didn't disappoint in terms of crowd support and music around the course, very on par with my experience of running the London Marathon. Plenty of aid stations providing water in cups, which helped cut down on the plastic waste, and designated rubbish points for them nearby once emptied. There were pacers available if you needed support on the day. Carmen
This is a brilliantly organised, very, very cool race. The support is wonderful from local people and Marshall’s. it’s heavily staffed from start to finish, despite some 22k people competing I felt I hardly spent any time in a queue. Highly recommend it. Alistair
Brilliant atmosphere, with bands dotted along the short course, and lots of friendly encouraging stewards, volunteers and supporters. My first ever organised run, it was a great experience and I intend to do more! Rebecca
Amazing event. The festival feel they create makes this one really special. The route is one of the best supported I have ran in. Not much elevation. A couple of short sharp hills but nothing terrible. Lots of aid stations and the paramedics were amazing as the heat put a few people out. The atmosphere at the finish line was the best. The medal and t shirt are in my top 3 faves of all my races. If you get the chance, I highly recommend this half. Angela S
