Half marathon coming to Windsor's waterfront

Windsor's first half marathon will take place along the waterfront next fall, giving the cities like Detroit and Toronto, a run for their money.

"Our goal is to bring a big city large-scale race to Windsor, something that can compete with the Detroit marathon weekend and the Toronto marathon weekend," said Co-organizer Ryan Allison.

The inaugural Windsor waterfront half marathon is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2025.

"It's a hidden gem for runners," said Allison. “This course is flat. It doesn't get flatter than this so from a runners perspective, if they want to set a personal best, this course will do that and we have the amenities around to support it.

City officials told CTV News the events department is excited to play a role in the exciting new event

"For every runner, you’re talking a family of two, three, four people showing up. So if we have 5,000 runners, you are looking at 15,000 to 20,000 people that weekend in this city when you’re talking hotels, restaurant, and cafes"

The start and finish line will be in front of Caesars Windsor.

Runners will start off on Riverside Drive, travelling to the Hiram Walkers arch.

Then they'll turn around, hustling over to Sandwich Town before returning to the casino.

An estimated 114 streets will be closed off to drivers.

Early bird registration opens July 1, 2024.