Some events are about more than crossing a finish line. The St. Jude Walk Miami is one of those events. On Saturday, September 26, 2026, thousands of participants will lace up their shoes and gather at the Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center to take steps toward ending childhood cancer. Every mile walked, every dollar raised, and every team formed brings St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital one step closer to its mission: Finding cures. Saving children.
Whether you are a longtime supporter, a first-time participant, or simply someone curious about getting involved, this guide covers everything you need to know before the day arrives.
Event Overview at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Event Name | St. Jude Walk Miami 2026 |
| Date | Saturday, September 26, 2026 |
| Venue | Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center |
| Address | 10901 SW 24th Street, Miami, FL 33165 |
| Event Opens | 6:30 AM |
| Opening Ceremony | 7:30 AM |
| Walk Starts | 8:00 AM |
| Fundraising Goal | $650,000 |
| Registration | stjude.org/walkmiami |
| Walk Staff Contact | Maria Ruiz de Luque, 786.422.4774 |
| Event Type | In-person and virtual |
| Participation Options | Individual, Team, or Virtual |
Why September 26 Matters
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. President Obama first proclaimed this designation in 2012 to bring national attention to pediatric cancer, which remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 14.
The Miami walk takes place on September 26, right at the heart of this awareness month. It is one of dozens of St. Jude Walk events held across the country, all focused on the same mission. By choosing this date, St. Jude brings communities together at a moment when the conversation around childhood cancer is loudest, and when the impact of collective action is most visible.
Additionally, the timing allows corporate sponsors, community organizations, schools, and faith-based groups to rally around a shared cause during a month already dedicated to the issue. Therefore, participation on September 26 is not just a personal commitment. It is a community statement.
The Venue: Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center
The event takes place at the Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center, located at 10901 SW 24th Street in Miami, FL 33165. This is a large, well-known venue in South Florida with ample parking and easy access from major roads throughout the Miami metropolitan area.
The grounds offer enough space for the full event setup, including the registration area, the opening ceremony stage, the walk route, sponsor booths, entertainment zones, and the post-walk celebration area. Participants should plan to enter the venue early, especially if they want to settle in before the 7:30 AM opening ceremony.
The venue is accessible for participants of all mobility levels. Whether you walk, jog, use a stroller, or push a wheelchair, the event welcomes you to participate at your own pace and in your own way.
Day-of Schedule
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 AM | Venue opens — registration, check-in, team meetups begin |
| 7:30 AM | Opening ceremony begins |
| 8:00 AM | Walk officially starts |
| Post-walk | Celebration activities, sponsor booths, family entertainment |
Arriving at 6:30 AM gives participants the best experience. You have time to check in, collect your materials, meet your team, and find a good spot for the opening ceremony before the walk begins.
The opening ceremony is an emotional and energizing moment. It often features stories from St. Jude patient families, remarks from local community leaders, and a unified countdown before thousands of participants set off together. If you can only choose one part of the morning to arrive on time for, this is it.
The Walk Route
The walk at the Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center follows a 5K route on the fairgrounds. The route has been used in previous editions and is designed to accommodate large groups walking together at a relaxed, community pace.
Participants walk, skip, hop, or stroll. There is no competitive element and no minimum pace required. Families with strollers, groups with children, and participants of all fitness levels complete the route comfortably. Water stations and volunteers are positioned along the route to support participants throughout.
The route is not publicly mapped in advance in precise detail, but it stays within the fairgrounds complex. Participants receive specific route information on the day itself through event signage, the St. Jude Walk mobile app, and guidance from event volunteers stationed along the course.
How to Register
Registration for the Miami walk opens through the official St. Jude website at stjude.org/walkmiami. The process is straightforward and takes just a few minutes to complete. There are several ways to participate.
Participants can register as an individual, form a new team and invite friends and family to join, or find an existing team and add themselves to it. Each option is available through the registration portal.
The event also offers a virtual participation option for those who cannot attend in person. Virtual participants complete a 5K on their own terms, on their own timeline, anywhere they choose. They still fundraise, still earn St. Jude gear rewards, and still count toward the Miami event’s overall fundraising total.
After registering, participants gain access to a personal fundraising page. Updating this page with a personal message or photo significantly improves fundraising outcomes. According to St. Jude, participants who personalize their fundraising page raise seven times more on average than those who leave it blank. Sharing the page with friends and family through text, email, and social media is the simplest and most effective way to build your total.
Fundraising Goal and Current Progress
The Miami walk has set a 2026 fundraising goal of $650,000. This is a significant target that reflects the scale and ambition of the local St. Jude community in South Florida.
As of the time of writing, the campaign has already raised over $139,000, with several high-performing teams contributing strongly to the early totals.
| Top Teams (Early Standings) | Amount Raised |
| NSA Miami | $16,200 |
| Miami Supreme / Supreme Twins Foundation | $10,505 |
| S.H.E. Gives Back | $10,020 |
| Maria’s Angels | $4,485 |
| RxfortheSoul | $2,816 |
| Region 9 DXL | $2,016 |
These teams show the range of participants who take part in the Miami walk. Corporate groups, community organizations, faith-based teams, and individual supporters all contribute to the collective goal. Additionally, companies can form workplace teams and pool their fundraising efforts across departments, creating a meaningful team-building experience alongside the charitable mission.
Earning St. Jude Gear Through Fundraising
One of the most motivating aspects of the St. Jude Walk is the fundraising reward system. As participants raise money, they earn exclusive St. Jude branded gear. Items include shirts, hats, bags, and other merchandise tied to specific fundraising milestones.
This system gives participants a tangible incentive to keep fundraising beyond their initial goal. It also creates a visible sense of community on walk day, when many participants arrive in their earned gear, creating a sea of St. Jude red and gold across the fairgrounds.
Gear rewards are tracked and distributed through the official fundraising platform. Participants can monitor their progress toward each milestone directly through their personal fundraising page or via the St. Jude Walk mobile app.
The St. Jude Walk Mobile App
The St. Jude Walk mobile app is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. It serves as a central tool for managing your walk experience before, during, and after the event.
Through the app, participants can:
- Track their personal fundraising total in real time
- Share their fundraising page directly from the app
- Connect with their team and monitor team totals
- Access event updates and walk day information
- Follow their progress toward gear reward milestones
For virtual participants, the app also provides an immersive digital experience that keeps remote walkers connected to the broader community of supporters taking part across the country on September 26.
The Impact Behind Every Step
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1962. At that time, childhood cancer was considered largely incurable. The overall childhood cancer survival rate in the United States sat at around 20 percent.
Today, that survival rate has risen to more than 80 percent. That progress is the result of decades of research, treatment innovation, and shared medical knowledge. St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with doctors and scientists around the world. Every child saved at St. Jude means thousands more children can benefit from the same breakthroughs in clinics and hospitals far beyond Memphis.
Additionally, no family at St. Jude ever receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food. This promise exists because of the generosity of donors and the fundraising efforts of events like the Miami walk. When a Miami family faces a childhood cancer diagnosis, they can focus on their child rather than financial fear because people across South Florida decided to walk, fundraise, and show up.
Therefore, every dollar raised at the Miami walk on September 26 has a direct, measurable impact on the families who need it most.
How Companies Can Get Involved
The St. Jude Walk offers a meaningful corporate participation option for South Florida businesses. Companies can create a company team, inviting employees from across departments or even multiple locations to join together under one banner.
This creates a genuine team-building experience tied to a purpose beyond the workplace. Employees who fundraise together, walk together, and celebrate together often report stronger team cohesion and a sense of pride in their organization’s community involvement.
Additionally, businesses can approach the walk through sponsorship. Sponsoring the event gives companies visibility at the venue, recognition in event communications, and the opportunity to deepen their reputation as community-focused organizations. For more details on corporate involvement and sponsorship, the walk staff partner Maria Ruiz de Luque can be reached at 786.422.4774 or by email at maria.ruizdeluque@alsac.stjude.org.
Tips for First-Time Participants
If September 26 is your first time attending the Miami walk, a little preparation goes a long way.
- Register early at stjude.org/walkmiami to secure your spot and start building your fundraising page ahead of the event.
- Personalize your fundraising page as soon as you register. Add a message, upload a photo, and share it with everyone you know.
- Download the St. Jude Walk app before the day so you can use it to track donations and connect with your team on walk morning.
- Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing. Miami in late September is warm and humid, so breathable athletic wear is a smart choice.
- Plan to arrive by 6:30 AM when the venue opens. This gives you time to check in and find your team before the 7:30 AM opening ceremony.
- Bring a reusable water bottle. Although water is available along the route, having your own keeps you hydrated during the walk and at the venue beforehand.
- If you are forming a team, set a group fundraising goal before the event. Teams with a defined shared target tend to raise more and stay more motivated during the weeks leading up to walk day.
Conclusion
The St. Jude Walk Miami 2026 takes place on Saturday, September 26, at the Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center, with the venue opening at 6:30 AM, the opening ceremony at 7:30 AM, and the walk beginning at 8:00 AM. The event’s fundraising goal of $650,000 reflects the ambition of the South Florida community and the scale of what collective action can achieve during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Participants can register as individuals, form teams, or join virtually through stjude.org/walkmiami, with every fundraising dollar directly supporting St. Jude’s mission to treat and cure childhood cancer without ever billing a family for care. The 5K route through the fairgrounds welcomes walkers of all ages and abilities, and the St. Jude Walk app makes managing your fundraising and staying connected to your team simple throughout the process. Whether you walk to honor someone you love, to support a cause you believe in, or simply to be part of something bigger than yourself, September 26 in Miami is a day worth showing up for.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where does the St. Jude Walk Miami 2026 take place?
The event takes place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Miami Dade County Fair and Expo Center, 10901 SW 24th Street, Miami, FL 33165. The venue opens at 6:30 AM, the opening ceremony begins at 7:30 AM, and the walk starts at 8:00 AM.
How do I register for the Miami walk?
Registration is available through the official St. Jude website at stjude.org/walkmiami. You can register as an individual, start a new team, join an existing team, or sign up for the virtual participation option. Registration is free, and all participants are encouraged to set up and personalize a fundraising page immediately after signing up.
Is the walk open to people of all ages and fitness levels?
Yes. The walk is a family-friendly, community event open to participants of all ages and abilities. There is no minimum pace or competitive element. Families with strollers, wheelchair users, children, and seniors all participate comfortably. The route is designed for a relaxed, celebratory community walk rather than a timed race.
What is the fundraising goal, and where does the money go?
The 2026 Miami walk has a fundraising goal of $650,000. All funds raised directly support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases without ever billing families for treatment, travel, housing, or food. St. Jude also freely shares its medical discoveries, helping doctors and scientists worldwide save more children with the same breakthroughs.
Can I still participate if I cannot attend in person?
Yes. The virtual participation option allows you to complete your 5K anywhere, on your own schedule, on September 26. Virtual participants fundraise through their personal page, earn the same St. Jude gear rewards, and count toward the Miami event’s overall fundraising total. The St. Jude Walk mobile app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, supports both in-person and virtual participants throughout the experience.
