Overview The Santa Barbara Half Marathon runs the waterfront along Cabrillo Boulevard, climbs toward the Mesa, then comes back through downtown on State Street to a finish in the Funk Zone, where runners' bibs double as drink tickets at partner breweries, wineries and bars in the neighborhood. The race bills itself as Santa Barbara's only waterfront half. Run Local started it in 2021 and runs a UCLA Health 5K and a HOKA Kids Fun Run the same weekend; HOKA was named presenting partner of the 2026 half. Run Local puts at least 5% of revenue toward community partners, and the race has backed the Santa Barbara Running Association's youth running programs. On site Race weekend opens Friday afternoon and Saturday morning with the Palm Park Festival on the Great Meadow at Chase Palm Park: packet pickup, live music, a drink garden, face painting, a cheer-card table for kids and, on Saturday, a shakeout run and yoga, all free to the public. The half starts at 7 on Sunday morning on Cabrillo near State Street, heads west past the harbor and City College with about 150 feet of climbing, turns past mile 2.5, and runs flat out and back through Chase Palm Park and East Beach from mile 5 to 10 before the State Street finish. In 2025 the Funk Zone festival on Yanonali Street poured Figueroa Mountain, Rincon, Topa Topa and Validation Ale beer, Paradise Springs and Fox Wine Co. wine and Test Pilot cocktails, with a recovery zone of massage and Mr. Softee ice cream. Audience Most of the field travels: Run Local's figure is 57% of runners from outside Santa Barbara County, and the race site carries travel and neighborhood guides for them. Local run clubs fill the week before, when HOKA's Santa Barbara Running Week puts on group runs around town, and in 2025 registered HOKA run clubs gathered at a Club House at Validation Ale on race morning. Runners must be 13 or older for the half, and the finish closes three and a half hours after the gun. Track record The first race ran in 2021, and 2025 was the fifth. By the race's count it has given more than $190,000 to local organizations since it started. Run Local's deck put the 2025 weekend at more than 7,500 participants. Brand presence Almost every piece of the weekend carries a partner's name: HOKA on the half, the kids run and Running Week, UCLA Health on the 5K and the Santa Barbara Independent on the Palm Park Festival, with Zenni Optical, Google Quantum AI, Ergomotion, Voli Wellness, PLEZi and GU among the 2026 official partners. Local breweries, wineries and restaurants take part through the drink tickets and the Funk Zone festival. Run Local also sells sampling and on-site activation, offers pushed through its Wednesday newsletter and social channels, and its own photo and video production.