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Red Dress Run
Thousands of red-dressed participants take over downtown for a charity run and citywide celebration.
A New Orleans tradition
Why the city turns red
Red Dress Run is part charity fundraiser, part costume spectacle, and part rolling downtown celebration. Runners and walkers of every pace put on red dresses, gather at Armstrong Park, and carry a sea of red into the French Quarter.
What happens at Red Dress Run?
The 2026 run begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 8. Participants gather at Armstrong Park before the route moves into the French Quarter. It is less about setting a race time than joining the crowd: many people walk, show off elaborate outfits, and stay for the food, live music, and festivities after the run.
Why does everyone wear red?
The tradition traces back to 1987, when Donna Rhinehart unexpectedly joined a Hash House Harriers run in Southern California while still wearing the red dress and heels she had traveled in. A formal Red Dress Run followed in 1988, and Rhinehart encouraged organizers to use the idea to raise money for charity. Red dresses have been the signature ever since.
Why the event matters
The New Orleans Hash House Harriers brought the tradition to the city in the mid-1990s. Registration helps fund grants and donations for local nonprofit organizations, turning one of the city's most recognizable summer street scenes into an annual fundraiser with a distinctly New Orleans sense of humor.
Sources: New Orleans & Company 2026 event guide · New Orleans Hash House Harriers · Hash House Harriers history
Event details
Back to all eventsCrowds become dense quickly; the start area offers the strongest wide photographs.
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