5K Foam Fest

Vancouver’s 5K Foam Fest is an obstacle course-style race with bubbles and mud that takes place at the Cloverdale Rodeo Fairgrounds in May or June.

With a focus on fun and fitness, the event helps raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation which is a charitable cause that helps fulfill critically-ill children’s wishes.

The next 5K Foam Fest event is on Saturday, June 15th, 2024, which is on the Father’s Day Weekend. Other events happening around the same time include ScotFestBC & the BC Highland Games and the GearUp4CF Bike Ride (which is a non-competitive fundraising event in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada). That same weekend there is also a Queen: It’s a Kinda Magic tribute concert in Richmond. To learn about everything on or around the Father’s Day Long Weekend, see our June Calendar of Events. To learn about 5K Foam Fest, continue reading.

This article contains the following information about the 5K Foam Fest:

5K Foam Fest Obstacle Course Race in 2024

The 5K Foam Fest event is a 5 km race that features over 20 obstacles including pits of mud, a massive inflatable slide and 2.5 million cubic feet of foam.

The event is a “fun run” which means it isn’t timed. You can choose whether to go over or around the obstacles, run, walk or skip through the course. It’s a very positive and energetic environment with lots of foam and upbeat music!

Where and When is 5K Foam Fest

In 2024 the run takes place on Saturday, June 15th. It happens at the Cloverdale Rodeo Fairgrounds at 6050-176th Street in Surrey. The venue is about a 45-minute drive from downtown Vancouver.

The event usually runs from around 8:00 am until about 5:00 pm. People do the course in waves and register for specific start times which begin at 8:00 am and continue about every 15 minutes up until 1:00 pm.

Admission Prices

Registration opens months in advance with early-bird pricing, and rates go up as the race date approaches. As of April 2024, the price for the Vancouver event was about $95. Registering closer to the event date will likely cost around $125.

Children ages 7 and older who run the race are charged the same amount as adults. However, there is a discounted family pass for a minimum of four members of the same family. Members of the military and first responders also get a discount (with valid ID).

Included with the cost of admission is a string bag, finisher’s medal and free photos, along with access to the race course, obstacles, water stations, Kids’ Fun Zone (for children), festival village, 2.5 million cubic feet of bubbles and a fun time.

Parking at the venue usually costs about $10. You can check your gear in at the Gear Check Tent for a minimum $5 donation (with proceeds benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation).

For tickets and full details see the official 5K Foam Fest website.

Other Registration Details

The event is usually capped at 5,000 or so participants per 5K Foam Fest. So register now if you plan to take part and save money before the event is sold out.

Ensure you sign the waiver ahead of time and print off your ticket to bring to the event. You also need to bring your ID in case you lose your ticket. The organizers can look you up in their system but they will need to verify it’s actually you.

This event is for participants ages 7 and up. Children ages 6 and under are welcome to attend, watch the runners and enjoy the Kids’ Fun Zone for free. They can’t run the main obstacle course race. Youth ages 7 to 12, meanwhile, can do the full run. They need to have a registered adult participant with them at all times.

Note: This event takes place no matter the weather so even if it’s raining it will still occur. Cancellation of the event will only happen in very rare and extreme circumstances.

5K Foam Fest Runners

What to Expect

At 5K Foam Fest you can expect to see thousands of people having fun. Some participants are hard-core athletes and run like mad, while others aren’t so serious and take their time. Many people run with teams or groups of friends. Some run on their own or with just a friend or family member.

There is lots of bubbly foam and areas with mud at the event. There is also music in different places and food trucks, merchandise vendors and information booths in the Festival Village near the main starting area.

Obstacle elements you can expect on the course include a starting line with tons of foam, walls to climb over and a mud crawl. Mud pits, a rope climb, tire hopping, a giant inflatable water slide and many more obstacles add to the fun and energy.

5K Foam Fest is like an army boot camp obstacle course, but with bubbles, people laughing and everyone having fun. There is also no pressure and nobody is yelling at you to go faster. You can skip any elements you don’t want to do (even as your friends and cheering family egg you on to do the obstacles).

The event is “funcore” as opposed to “hardcore,” so you can walk instead of run if you want. Almost everyone runs at least a part of the course, and many run most if not all the way. Lots of participants take their time, especially in the second half of the course. On average, expect to take between about 60 and 90 minutes from start to finish.

5K Foam Fest Video

Check out the following video to get an idea of what to expect at the event. We filmed these scenes from the starting area at 5K Foam Fest when it took place at Abbotsford Exhibition Park a few years ago. As you’ll see, there is tons of foam to run through and lots of people having a great time.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation

In addition to being an exceptionally fun thing to do, 5K Foam Fest is also a fundraising event. Both participants and teams are encouraged to raise money. Those who raise the most can earn prizes. Funds collected through pledges, sponsorships and general donations are then given to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the event’s official charity.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation raises money to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening diseases. The idea is that beneficiaries will be able to undergo their treatments more easily after their wishes have been granted as they will have fond memories to look back on. Common types of granted wishes involve travel, trips to theme parks, computer-related purchases and visits with celebrities.

How can you help? After registering for 5K Foam Fest, create a team with your friends and try to be the top fundraisers. In addition to feeling good about helping a good cause, as a bonus, there are prizes for those who raise the most for the foundation. There’s also an opportunity to buy Make-A-Wish merchandise and running items in-person at the event. Donations collected from people using the gear-check services at the run also benefit this most worthwhile cause.

To fundraise for the Make-A-Wish Foundation all you need to do is register for a 5K Foam Fest event, create a personal fundraising page on the event’s website and then start fundraising. Simply ask friends, family, neighbours and coworkers to pitch in, support you in your run and make a donation.

For tickets and full details see the official 5K Foam Fest website.

Tips & Advice

Below are some tips and useful extra information to help you make the most of your Vancouver 5K Foam Fest experience.

Before the Run and What to Take

TIP #1: Things to take with you on the day include sunscreen, a change of clothes, a towel and some cash for things like parking, food and souvenirs. A waterproof camera is also a good idea, if you have one, as is a plastic bag to put your wet clothes in afterwards in case they’re still muddy.

TIP #2: Plan to get there an hour early. This gives you enough time to register and check out all the things going on at the event before your wave of the race begins.

TIP #3: Read the e-mails sent to you as they often have tickets for the following year’s 5K Foam Fest event on sale at a reduced rate after you run.

TIP #4: Invite your friends and/or family to join you on the run and make a day out of the adventure! And the more the merrier!

Other Useful Things to Know

TIP #5: There are showers on-site for participants to wash all the mud and foam off after the race. Try not to take too long though as there will be 4,999 other participants waiting to shower too.

TIP #6: It is recommended that you take your time going over the obstacles as lines can form further down the route if people go too quickly.

TIP #7: If you are a serious runner and want to complete the course in record time, and so going fast is important, register as early as possible so you can run in the first wave of the day. (Only that wave will have no other groups in front that might slow you down.) Also, arrive extra early on the day so you can get a spot near the front of your wave. (This will again help to minimize the number of other participants in front who might slow you down.)

TIP #8: Hang out after the race to enjoy the DJ music, beer garden, Kids’ Fun Zone (if you have children) and food vendors.