Join us in Canterbury for the Mental Elf festive fun run 2026!
Mental Elf Festive Fun Run 2026 is on Sunday 29 November in Canterbury starting at 10am.
The event will be fun for all the family – while raising much needed funds for East Kent Mind.
To find out when discounted Early Elf tickets are available for the 2026 event, you can either follow us on Facebook here and Instagram here.
Or why not sign up for our monthly newsletter and be the first to hear about news and events: eastkentmind.org.uk/newsletters
What is Mental Elf Festive Fun Run?
Mental Elf 2026 is a family friendly 5km fun run and is a ticketed fundraising event hosted by East Kent Mind.
What better way to kick off the festive season than to don an elf costume and raise money for your local mental health charity?
Fancy dress isn’t essential but is encouraged! We will be running several competitions on the day including best dressed pet and best dressed elf. We are giving you plenty of notice to get your costumes ready and can’t wait to see what you come up with.
The day will be full of festive cheer for everyone. The 5km route is perfect for families and is accessible to all. You can run, walk, or hop, skip or jump along the route! The event is open to all abilities/ages (children under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian).
All participants will receive a special 2026 Mental Elf medal!
The Course
The 5km run starts at the Canterbury Umbrella Centre, with the route going through Toddlers Cove alongside the riverside walk within the Hambrook Marshes to Tonford Lake and then returning to finish back at the Canterbury Umbrella Centre.
The route will be well marked by arrows and there will be stewards along the route to encourage the runners.
There will be no parking in the Canterbury Umbrella Centre Car Park. If you do have to drive, please consider car-sharing to reduce our impact on both the environment and other park users.
Wherever possible, please consider walking, jogging, cycling or using public transport when attending the event.
Why take part in Mental Elf Festive Fun Run?
As an independent mental health charity, East Kent Mind is here to promote and nurture everyone’s mental health and wellbeing through the provision of information, activities, advice, and support.
Taking part in Mental Elf Festive Fun Run is a fun and enjoyable way to support both your own and your community’s mental health and wellbeing.
Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our health. Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. With Mental Elf, you can exercise in the fresh air, with friends and family – all while raising vital funds for a great cause.
Please note: this Mental Elf Festive Fun Run is a fundraising event organised by East Kent Mind.
The Mental ElfTM blog is a separate initiative run independently, providing short, evidence-based summaries of new mental health research. You can visit the blog here (LINK) https://www.nationalelfservice.net/mental-health/
