Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K
The Lowdown
The Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K is an 8-kilometer (8K) road race, Chicago's biggest St. Patrick's Day running tradition, organized by the same Chicago Event Management team behind the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Founded in 1980, the Shuffle has grown from about 1,000 runners into one of the largest 8K races in the United States, with entries capped near 32,500. The flat, fast course starts and finishes in Grant Park and winds through the Loop past downtown Chicago landmarks. In 2026, Emma Grace Hurley broke Deena Kastor's 21-year-old American women's 8K record, finishing in 24:29, while the men's course record of 22:35 has stood since 1998. Every finisher receives a bib, timing device, and a Nike commemorative shirt, and the race runs a charity fundraising program for nonprofit partners.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
World-class event
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
Grant Park
Buckingham Fountain
The Loop
Michigan Avenue
Willis Tower
Chicago, IL, United States
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Participants must be 8 years of age or older on event day
- Minors require parental/guardian consent
Required Documents
- Event bib number and timing device (picked up in advance)
- Photo ID for packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online general registration until capacity is reached
- Charity fundraising team entries
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Race entries and ancillary purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable under any and all circumstances
45th running took place March 2026 with more than 26,000 finishers in Grant Park
Bank of America has been title sponsor since 2008; prior sponsors were Sportmart (1993-1996) and LaSalle Bank (1997-2007)
The event is part of the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series
Same event weekend also offers a non-competitive 1 Mile run and a 2-Mile Walk, both starting/finishing in Grant Park
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