Amigos De Bolsa Chica, in conjunction with Bolsa Chica State Beach is hosting a run/walk/beach cleanup for Earth Day! 

Run and walk along the beach on a flat, fast, and paved course.

You can register to run/walk a Plover Dash 5K, Brown Pelican 10K, 1k fun run (for the kiddos), 5K Plogging (picking up litter while jogging), 10K Plogging, or a Beach Clean Up with State Beach!

The event is at Bolsa Chica State Beach, Saturday April 25, 2026 -- all races start at 8:00 AM, but be there beforehand for FREE BEACH PARKING! 

Every participant in the Plover Dash 5K, Brown Pelican 10K, Fuzzy Feathers Kids Run, and Plogging events will recieve:

🏅 Custom Commemorative Medal – designed exclusively for this event.
👕 Limited-Edition Race Shirt – created by a local artist, featuring a different Bolsa Chica bird each year (a collectible piece of art you’ll want to wear proudly).
🎁 Virtual Race Day Goodie Bag – filled with sponsor items & coupons.
📸 Free Race Day Photos – downloadable and shareable, NO hidden costs.
🏆 Overall & Age Group Awards – recognition for top finishers in multiple categories.
⏱️ New & Professional Chip Timing – results automatically synced to Athlinks.
🎪 Finish Line Festival – with vendors, product samples, music, and HB community vibes.

Check in begins at 7am in lot 25 at Bolsa Chica State Beach.  5K and 10K begin at 8am.  Kids fun run starts at 9am.  

✨ Bonus Highlights

• Scenic, USATF-Certified Course – fast, flat, and beautiful along the beach.
• Environmental Impact – proceeds go to educational programs for children, schools, & the public; optional plogging categories combine running with cleanup.
• Community Connection – a welcoming event for runners, walkers, families, and volunteers!

Proceeds help the Amigos de Bolsa Chica's (a 501c3 non-profit established in 1976) efforts to offer environmental leadership roles to all by providing community-based education programs centered on the Bolsa Chica that create greater awareness of coastal California's threatened biodiversity. 

There is a family friendly expo before and after the race, showing what the Amigos de Bolsa Chica is all about.  Look at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve water samples through microscopes, learn about the wetlands and the birds that visit there, and explore what we can do to protect the environment and the wildlife of the wetlands.