5/15 Farm Run

The 5/15 Farm Run is a distinctive midsummer evening running event held at Ottawa’s historic Central Experimental Farm, combining road racing with one of the capital’s most unusual pre-race traditions. Organized by ⁠Run Ottawa, the event offers 15K and 5K races plus a 1K Kids Fun Run, making it accessible to competitive runners, recreational participants and families. Run Ottawa lists the Farm Run among the annual events it organizes in Canada’s National Capital Region.

The event takes its name from a longstanding daily ritual at the neighbouring Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. On weekday evenings at approximately 5:15 p.m., the museum’s cows are moved from the barn out to pasture. On race evening, participants are encouraged to arrive early enough to watch the cows make their journey before preparing for their own start. It gives the race a playful agricultural identity that is quite different from a conventional downtown road race.