NYC Marathon Opening Ceremony Marks 50 Years of the Five-Borough Course

The New York Road Runners kicked off the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon race weekend with its annual Opening Ceremony on Friday, October 30, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. at the marathon's finish line in Central Park. This year's ceremony carried special significance as it marked the 50th anniversary of the race's five-borough course, first run in 1976 when the marathon expanded beyond Central Park to traverse all five boroughs of New York City. The ceremony featured tributes to the race's history, performances, and a celebration of the estimated 60,000 runners registered for Sunday's race. The event was streamed live on ABC7 NY and attended by runners, officials, and supporters. The Opening Ceremony also spotlighted the marathon's blue course line, freshly painted across the entire 26.2-mile route. Organisers celebrated the race's evolution from a small park event into one of the world's most prestigious marathons, drawing elite athletes and recreational runners from across the globe to race through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan.