El Campello’s San Silvestre turns into a night race in 2026

Plan your race pace

The 12th San Silvestre Nocturna Villa de El Campello will take place on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2026, with its start and finish at the town hall square. Children’s races begin at 5 p.m., while the adult 5K, Nordic walking event and walk start at 6 p.m., after dark. The event therefore shifts from its usual afternoon schedule and moves its central gathering point to a location close to the sports centre.

The program combines a popular race with a festive atmosphere: it includes children’s and adult categories, a costume contest, prizes and a walking option. In-person registration on the day costs 15 euros for adult events and 6 euros for children’s events, payable in cash only; the reduced online rate closes at 9 a.m. on Dec. 22, although its amount is not listed in the available information.

Date, schedule and start location

The event is scheduled for Dec. 26, 2026, after Christmas and five days before New Year’s Eve. Although San Silvestre races are often associated with the final day of the year, this local event takes place on the preceding Saturday. The evening format is one of the announced changes for the 12th edition.

The start and finish will be at El Campello town hall square, beside the sports centre. Organizers say the move makes restrooms and showers nearby after the finish. The reference information does not include a detailed route, a course map or elevation data, so it is not possible to specify which streets participants will run on or describe the five-kilometer course profile.

The schedule begins at 5 p.m. with the children’s races. At 6 p.m., participants in the 5K, Nordic walking event and walk will set off. The costume contest is scheduled for 15 minutes before the start, while awards and prize drawings will take place after all events have finished. The earlier children’s schedule separates their starts from the adult event, which takes place after nightfall.

A night edition with a festive atmosphere

The most visible change in 2026 is not the main distance but the time of day: runners will start at 6 p.m., when it will already be dark. Organizers are keeping the event’s celebratory character and the costume contest, encouraging participants to wear festive outfits without making athletic results the sole focus. The announced theme is Christmas.

The event brings together people with different aims. Those who want to compete can enter a timed race; those who prefer a different pace can choose the walk, and Nordic walking has its own category. This mix captures the spirit of a popular San Silvestre: part sporting event, part local celebration, with a manageable distance and participation that goes beyond regular runners.

The contest includes awards for individual children, individual adults and groups of at least two people. Trophies and gifts will also be awarded across several sporting categories. Prizes will be handed out during the event: organizers warn that race packs and awards will not be kept or sent afterward, so anyone eligible should stay for the relevant presentation.

Adult distances and event formats

The announced distance for the adult events is 5 kilometers. Participants can cover it as a race, Nordic walking event or walk, three ways to take part in the same event. The race will be timed, while Nordic walking has one overall category and the walk has no category rankings, according to the published information.

The 5K race includes overall and local classifications for men and women, as well as age groups. These include Under 16, ages 14 and 15; Under 18, ages 16 and 17; Under 20, ages 18 and 19; Under 23, ages 20 to 22; and senior, ages 23 to 34. From there, masters categories progress in five-year bands, from Masters A, ages 35 to 39, through Masters I, for participants aged 75 and older.

Nordic walking has one overall category, with prizes for the top three finishers. The walk has no categories, and organizers plan a drawing for five gifts among male and female participants. This distinction matters at registration: the race, Nordic walking event and walk share a distance but not the same ranking system. The available information does not specify pace limits or route conditions.

Children’s races and age groups

The children’s races begin at 5 p.m. and set distances according to age. Children under 3 and those aged 4 or 5 will cover 50 meters; participants aged 6 and 7 have a 100-meter course. Children aged 8 and 9 and those aged 10 and 11 are scheduled to run 600 meters, while the 12- and 13-year-old category will cover 1,200 meters.

Organizers have set boys’ and girls’ categories, with trophies and gifts for the top three in each. Participants will also receive a Santa hat, medal and refreshments. These short, age-based distances allow families and children to take part without overlapping the adult start.

The rules allow children aged 5 and under to be accompanied by a parent on the course, but they must not be dragged. The organizer also requires parental or guardian authorization for minors. Registration is required to participate, and the documents listed for bib pickup include proof of registration and ID, or signed authorization where applicable.

Registration, fees and bib pickup

Online registration offers a reduced rate until 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2026. The information provided does not state the online price, so it should not be assumed to match the cost of registering in person. Organizers also allow registration on event day beside the start area, up to 30 minutes before each event.

The listed in-person price for adult events — race, Nordic walking and walk — is 15 euros. The children’s walk and children’s races cost 6 euros. In-person payment is cash only. These amounts apply to registration at the event; detailed information about possible online service fees is not provided.

Bibs can be collected only on race day at the registration tent at the event location. The deadline is 30 minutes before each event starts, and organizers recommend arriving early. Participants need proof of registration and ID, or signed authorization. Name changes and refunds are not allowed, unless the registration protection service specified by the organizers has been purchased.

Services, awards and participant gifts

Announced services include refreshments, bag storage, restrooms, photography, timing, participant insurance, medical assistance and a café. The sports centre’s location matters to finishers because organizers say showers and restrooms will be close to the finish area. The reference information does not specify what refreshments include, storage capacity or service hours.

Participants in the race, Nordic walking event or walk will receive a Santa hat, a gift bag and refreshments after finishing. Children will receive a hat, medal and refreshments. These participant gifts are separate from the trophies and prizes reserved for podium finishers and costume contest categories. Distribution takes place at the event, rather than through a later process.

Race awards include overall and local classifications, as well as age groups. There is also recognition for the club with the most participants. Nordic walking awards the top three in its overall category, while the walk includes a drawing for five gifts. Prizes will not be mailed or held for collection later, an important detail for anyone planning to leave the venue after finishing.

Charitable support for ASPANION

The event includes a fundraiser whose full proceeds, according to the organizers, will go to ASPANION. People can make a financial donation during online registration, use the donation option without entering an event, or contribute through collection boxes available on the day.

This charitable element adds another dimension to a race that, because of its timing and format, serves as a year-end gathering for the town. People do not need to run the five kilometers to contribute: the information specifically notes that donations can be made without registering for an event. The donation is voluntary and separate from participation fees.

ASPANION’s role should be understood in those specific terms: organizers announce the fundraiser and say all proceeds will be passed on, but the available information does not give a target or figures from previous editions. A donation should not be confused with the bib fee; they are separate, and no charitable contribution is listed as a registration requirement.

Rules and practical details for race day

Bibs must be worn visibly on the chest throughout the event, and registration is required to participate. Participants must follow the organizers’ instructions. Timing complaints will be accepted only until the awards ceremony and must be made at the timing tent beside the finish; complaints will not be considered afterward, according to the published rules.

Access to refreshments is limited to the period between crossing the finish line and the awards ceremony. Prizes are collected at the formal presentation and will not be mailed or kept for another date. The rules also state that violations may result in removal from the venue or disqualification. These provisions affect how the event runs and how gifts are collected, not just the results.

The insurance information distinguishes accidents from other health problems. Under the conditions summarized by the organizers, coverage applies to an accident understood as a sudden, external event beyond the injured person’s control. Fainting, low blood sugar, heart attacks and certain internal or muscular injuries are not considered covered accidents under those terms. In a medical emergency, care is provided through the services arranged for the event and, where appropriate, the public health system. Participants should review the full conditions supplied by the organizers before taking part.

What is known about the course and what remains unconfirmed

The confirmed course detail is the 5-kilometer distance for the adult event, alongside Nordic walking and walking over that distance. The start and finish will be at the town hall square, near the sports centre. The information provided does not include an official map, the direction of the course, the streets it follows or specific traffic restrictions.

For that reason, the route should not be filled in with assumptions. The fact that the event takes place in El Campello does not establish whether the course uses the seafront, inland streets or a combination. There is also no confirmed elevation or precise surface information, although the event is presented as a popular 5K race.

Before race day, participants can check organizer updates about schedules, bib pickup and possible changes. They should also distinguish the reduced online registration deadline, set for 9 a.m. on Dec. 22, from the in-person registration cutoff, which is 30 minutes before each start. These are separate deadlines for different ways of entering.

A local event to round off the year on the run

The 2026 edition brings together an accessible distance, children’s events, Nordic walking and a walk on the same December afternoon. Its evening schedule and the move of the start and finish to the town hall square are the main changes, while the costume contest and Christmas theme preserve the event’s festive character. The date, program and in-person prices provide a clear picture of the day.

For runners and spectators, the practical task will be coordinating arrival with bib collection, which takes place only at the event venue, and remembering that the adult start is at 6 p.m. Families with children should check the age categories and bring the required authorization. A detailed course route is not included in the available information, so that detail requires confirmation from the organizers.

A local San Silvestre does not need a long distance to bring people together at the end of a sporting year. In El Campello, the 2026 format combines competition, recreational participation and charitable fundraising, with prizes and participant gifts handed out after the events. The result is a day designed for different paces and ages, with its defining novelty the prospect of a festive start after dark.