On Your Mark

Lace up for the most fun Dallas-Fort Worth 5Ks in May

Run for the medals and more.

Run for the Rosé 5K/Facebook

May is that golden month in North Texas, where the weather is warm but not yet scorching. Dare we call it ... spring?

That alone makes it an excellent month to get outside, especially if your goal is to run (or walk) a 5K, 10K, or even a marathon.

Here are but a few of the races and fun runs you can participate in during May:

Run for the Rosé 5K , McKinney, May 6
What makes everyone run faster? A glass of sparkling rosé waiting at the finish line. There will also be brunch bites, grape-stomping competitions, a photobooth, and local vendors after you run through Towne Lake Park, all presented by Mayweather Boxing + Fitness McKinney and benefiting The Treasured Vessels Foundation.

Grand Prairie Cinco de Mayo 5K, May 6
There's a distance for everyone, with 1 mile, 5K, and 10K, and it's your last chance to get moving through scenic Mike Lewis Park before the Texas summer heat. Creative costumes are encouraged, as are pom poms, horns, instruments, and signs (for spectators).

Bagel Run, Dallas, May 14
Join JCC Dallas for "the mother of all runs," now in its 37th year. Run or walk through a scenic neighborhood course in a timed 10K, 5K, or Kids K run. Winners in each category receive the coveted bagel trophy while everyone gets to enjoy the real thing post-race.

Fiesta de Mayo Half Marathon, Irving, May 20
Held at Toyota Music Factory and downtown Las Colinas, this USATF-certified race (which also include 5K and 10K), benefits the Irving Schools Foundation. Race day perks include cash prizes, free professional race photos, and trophies for fastest 5K team, fastest 10K team, and best-dressed team. The post-race party on Texas Lottery Plaza includes free beer, tacos, live entertainment, and much more.

Honor Connor 5K & Smile Mile, North Richland Hills, May 20
Nicknamed "the happiest race in Texas," this high-energy event celebrates the life of Connor Kelly Gage and benefits The LV Project. Connor was a runner who enjoyed the scenic trails around his home, so the course follows that route and welcomes everyone to run, walk, or even crawl. Besides medals, winner can score a happy face spatula, pancake skillet, or flag, among other prizes.

22nd Annual Polkafest, Ennis, May 28
Name a better hype instrument than tubas — we'll wait. Polkafest Run benefits the children's reading program at the Ennis Plublic Library, and you can choose from 5K, 10K, or a fun run/walk, all starting in front of the Lonestar Fitness Center. There is food, drinks, and entertainment post-race.

Memorial Day 5K, Fort Worth, May 29
Head to Trinity Park to join others who are running or walking, some in memory of, to servicemen and servicewomen who have given their lives to protect our freedom. Awards will be given out for overall male and female, Masters male and female, and top three for each 5-year age group.

Camp Sweeney's 11th Annual Play for the Day 5K & Festival, Lake Highlands, May 29
Bring the whole family to this 5K and 1K fun run, which also features a live band, dancing, Memorial Day celebrations, and Kid Zone rides and games. The day raises awareness for childhood diabetes and T1D, as well as scholarship funds for children to attend Camp Sweeney.

health fitness holidays races promoted

let loose dallas

Dallas earns a slot on new list of America's most fun cities

Photo by Mark Patterson on Unsplash

Dallas is a fun place to be, the study says.

Dallas' fun entertainment and nightlife scenes have helped the city improve in WalletHub's just-released ranking of the most fun American cities in 2025. Dallas now stands tall as the 26th most fun U.S. city this year.

WalletHub's "Most Fun Cities in America (2025)" study compared 182 U.S. cities across 65 metrics — spanning from the number of sports venues, music venues, and shopping centers per capita to the average cost for a restaurant meal — to determine how "fun" each city is. The metrics were split among three main categories: entertainment and recreation, nightlife and parties, and cost.

Las Vegas, Nevada continued its multi-year streak as the No. 1 most fun American city.

Across the three key dimensions, Dallas scored the highest for its nightlife and parties rank (No. 23), but its entertainment and recreation ranks (No. 35) and costs (No. 99) still have room for improvement. But overall, Dallas' level of "fun" is far higher than most U.S. cities.

Dallas' current "fun" status is five places higher than its 2024 rank as the No. 31 most fun American city.

Elsewhere in North Texas, Fort Worth ranked as the 60th most fun American city, while Arlington (No. 71) and Plano (No. 78) lagged farther behind.

Texas' most fun cities
Houston overtook Austin as the 6th most fun city in America and the No. 1 most fun Texas city for 2025. Austin, which ranked No. 6 last year, dropped two spots and now ranks No. 8 on the list.

Three more Texas cities that appeared in the top 100 include: San Antonio (No. 23), El Paso (No. 62), and Corpus Christi (No. 94).

"The decision of where to live could save or cost you a lot of money and fun, so it’s fair to wonder what makes a fun city," the report's author wrote. "In a city with enough variety, you won’t have to compromise with your friends, family, or even yourself about the next fun activity to do alone or together."

Surprisingly, both Chicago and New York City dropped out of the top 10 most fun American cities. Chicago now ranks as No. 11, and New York City ranks 14th on the list.

WalletHub's top 10 most fun U.S. cities in 2025 are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Miami, Florida
No. 4 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 6 – Houston, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Austin, Texas
No. 9 – Portland, Oregon
No. 10 – Cincinnati, Ohio

rankings wallethub dallas