Santas on the Run Eden Project 2026
Fun runs
Santas on the Run Eden Project 2026
Kindly sponsored by
Kick off your Christmas celebrations at the Eden Project
Don your festive fancy dress and walk, jog or run our sponsored 2k, with 4 Christmassy stops along the way. Make special memories this Christmas while raising vital funds for families supported by Children’s Hospice South West, including at Little Harbour.
We ask each participant to commit to raise £35 as an individual or £93 as a family.
- Free entry into the Eden Project for the day
- Santas on the Run isn’t a timed race, it’s for everyone to complete at their own pace
- Christmassy stops include the snow station, a selfie with the elf, sweets and treats and festive songs
- Finishers' medal
- Competitions and prizes for the best fancy dress; dig out your favourite festive outfit or pyjamas, dress as your favourite Christmas character or even create your own costume
There are just 400 places available per wave. Unfortunately, spectators and dogs are NOT permitted within the event village or during the race. Join our Santas on the Run Eden Project Facebook event to keep up to date with all the latest event news and updates.
Sign up today and save 30%
-30% Super Santa Saver
- On sale until midday on Thursday 8 October
- Adult (16+) £9.80, Child (3-15years) £4.90, Child (2 and under) Free
-20% Elfie Early-bird
- On sale until midday on Thursday 5 November
- Adult (16+) £11.20, Child (3-15years) £5.60, Child (2 and under) Free
Last chance to buy
- On sale until midday on Wednesday 2 December
- Adult (16+) £14, Child (3-15years) £7, Child (2 and under) Free
What's included
- Finishers medal
- Festive treats, festive entertainment and stalls.
- FREE entry to The Eden Project for the whole day (Eden’s festive experiences can be booked directly through their website)
- Unlimited Christmas cheer
Your fundraising makes a difference...
- £35 could help fund our 24-hour phone line so that even at Christmas, every call is answered
- £93 could help fund 1 hour of care for a family at Christmas
- £125 could help provide a parent with an uninterrupted night's sleep, to give them the strength to face tomorrow
Raise over £100 and collect your free reusable hot drinks cup on the day
We're here to help
If you'd like to find out more about Santas on the Run at the Eden Project just click the 'ask a question' button to send Kiley, one of Santa's elves, an email or give her a call.
Festive fundraising for our families
We ask each participant to commit to raise £35 as an individual or £93 as a family.
- 🎅 £35 could help fund our 24-hour phone line so that even at Christmas, every call is answered
- 🎅 £93 could help fund 1 hour of care for a family at Christmas
- 🎅 £125 could help provide a parent with an uninterrupted night's sleep, to give them the strength to face tomorrow
How to fundraise
We will be sending a postal fundraising pack with your runner number and with all printable downloads to you, however kick start your fundraising early by:
- Set up a JustGiving and share with friends and family on social media
- Join the Facebook event for festive fundraising ideas
- Hold your own festive themed event like a cake sale, Christmas quiz or raffle
- Collect spare change and add to your festive coin collection card.
Your fundraising truly makes a difference to the more than 500 families we are currently supporting this Christmas - every penny counts.
Fundraising tools
Set up your online fundraising page
Save yourself the hassle of collecting your sponsorship money. It's quick, easy, secure and the donations will come straight to us.Text to donate
- To donate £35 text EDEN 35 to 70450
- To donate £93 text EDEN 93 to 70450
Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message.
What is Santas on the Run?
Santas on the Run is an untimed 2k circular course around the Eden Project where participants of any age can walk, jog or run dressed in their favourite Christmas-themed costume. Come as a family, a group of friends, as a team from work, or take part as an individual!
On the course there will be 4 Christmas-themed stations to stop at and enjoy – these are the selfie station, snow station, song station and sweet station. Your registration also allows free entry into the Eden Project for the day.
Festive fancy dress ideas
To reduce the impact of single-use Santa suits on the environment, we no longer provide these for free as part of your registration.
Instead, we’re asking you to get creative with a Christmas costume! There are prizes on the day for the best fancy dress. We cannot wait to see what costumes you come in. Here are some of our favourite ideas:
- Grab your green face paint and come as The Grinch
- Wear your ‘ugliest’ Christmas jumper, accessorise with a tinsel scarf or fairy lights
- Wear your matching Christmas pyjamas as a family
- Decorate a large box with Christmas paper, add arms holes and come as a present or a cracker
- Add tinsel and baubles to a princess outfit to become a Christmas fairy or add to a green outfit and become a Christmas tree!
- A brown outfit easily becomes a reindeer or Rudolph costume with a little face paint and some horns!
Fancy dress ideas from past Santas on the Run events
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On the day
We are so excited to be welcoming you to Santas on the Run at the Eden Project and a truly memorable way to kick start December with your friends and family. Bring your coin collection cards with you to registration to receive a festive treat!
We are not accepting on the day registration for this event, so please sign up online before midday, 2 December. Last year we sold out so sign up early to avoid disappointment.
- Spectators are not permitted free entry into the Eden Project on the day. They must book in advance via the Eden Project website. They will not be permitted into the event village but can watch on the route.
- Dogs are not permitted inside the event village or to take part in the race. Please leave your 4-legged friends at home if you do not have paying spectators attending with you.
- The Christmas Light Experience in the Biomes will be chargeable this year and runs from 4pm. Please book your tickets in advance, along with any other experiences such as meeting Father Christmas or ice skating.
Venue
The Eden Project, Boelva, St Austell, Cornwall, PL24 2SG
11.00am wave
- 9.30am to 10.30am: Registration in The Gallery, hand in your sponsorship, coin collection cards and gingerbread houses and take a chance to look around our Christmas themed stalls
- 10.35am: Best festive costume competitions - morning wave only
- 10.45am: Festive warm up and sing-along
- 11.00am: Morning wave begins in staggered starts
- 11.00am to 11.45am: Complete the 2k circular route as fast or slow as you wish enjoying the snow, selfie, song and sweet stations as you go along! As you cross the finish line you will collect your medal and festive treat
- 12 noon onwards: Enjoy the rest of The Eden Project’s festive activities and why not even pre-book their Biome light experience, Santa experience, ice skating or zipwire to make it a full festive day out to remember!
2.30pm wave
- 10am to 1pm: Free entry to explore Eden prior to your wave - please come to The Gallery to gain free entry
- 1pm to 2pm: Please make your way back to the event village in The Gallery to sign in for the afternoon wave and enjoy the event village and festive stalls
- 2.05pm: Best festive costume competitions – afternoon wave only
- 2.15pm: Festive warm up and sing-along
- 2.30pm: Afternoon wave begins in staggered starts
- 2.30pm to 3.15pm: Complete the 2k circular route as fast or slow as you wish enjoying the snow, selfie, song and sweet stations as you go along! As you cross the finish line you will collect your medal and festive treat
- 3.30pm onwards: Enjoy the rest of The Eden Project’s festive activities and why not even pre-book their Biome light experience, Santa experience, ice skating or zipwire to make it a full festive day out to remember!
When you get home
- Add your photos from the day to the Facebook event
- Watch our special pre-recorded story “Santa is coming to Cornwall”
On the day competitions
- Best festive fancy dress adult
- Best festive fancy dress child
- Best festive fancy dress group
- Best festive buggy
- Highest fundraiser
Important information
Terms and Conditions and Participant Safety Brief | FAQs