Stuttgart-Lauf
The Lowdown
Stuttgart-Lauf is Stuttgart, Germany's largest annual running festival, organized by the Württembergischer Leichtathletik-Verband (WLV) and held nearly every year since 1994, typically on a mid-to-late-May weekend at NeckarPark, next to the Cannstatter Wasen fairgrounds. The 2026 edition, the 33rd, drew more than 16,500 registered runners across all distances, and on May 17, 2026 the DLV awarded Stuttgart-Lauf Germany's first "Geschlechterinklusive Laufveranstaltung" (gender-inclusive running event) label, alongside a new TIN* (trans*, intersex*, non-binary) results category for the half marathon, 10K, and FunRun. The flagship Halbmarathon starts and finishes at NeckarPark on Sunday morning, sending runners along the Neckar riverside through Bad Cannstatt before looping past the Schlossplatz and through Stuttgart's historic city center and back to the festival grounds; the course is largely flat and fast, with only modest rolling sections near the river crossings. Alongside the half marathon, the weekend also features a Kaufland-sponsored 10K, a roughly 5K FunRun with walking and Nordic-walking options, a half marathon relay, a handbike half marathon, and a full slate of Saturday children's races (Bambini-Lauf and Mini-Marathon), turning the NeckarPark grounds into a two-day, multi-generational festival with live music, food stalls, showers and changing facilities, and finisher-medal engraving. The half marathon field is capped at 10,000 entrants and sold out ahead of race day in 2026, so early registration is recommended. Stuttgart-Lauf's exact calendar date is not fixed years in advance; based on its established mid-May cadence (May 20-21, 2023; May 24-25, 2025; May 16-17, 2026), the 34th edition is provisionally expected the weekend of May 15-16, 2027, with official dates and entry fees to be confirmed on the organizer's site closer to the event.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Large field
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Excellent spectator turnout
NeckarPark
Cannstatter Wasen fairgrounds
Bad Cannstatt
Neckar riverside
Schlossplatz
Stuttgart historic city center
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
DE
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age 16 for the half marathon (estimate; verify on official site)
Required Documents
- Photo ID for bib pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via stuttgart-lauf.de
- On-site late registration at the pre-race expo, subject to availability
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official terms at stuttgart-lauf.de before registering
First race in Germany awarded the DLV label "Geschlechterinklusive Laufveranstaltung" (gender-inclusive running event), May 17, 2026
New TIN* (trans*, intersex*, non-binary) results category introduced in 2026 for the half marathon, 10K, and FunRun
Organized by the Württembergischer Leichtathletik-Verband (WLV), Fritz-Walter-Weg 19, 70372 Stuttgart
Half marathon field capped at 10,000; sold out ahead of the 2026 race day
Held annually (with occasional distance/format changes, e.g. no half marathon in 2024) since 1994
Community
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