Grandma’s Marathon is one of the largest events held annually on Lake Superior’s North Shore. Held on the third Saturday of June, runners starts in the town of Two Harbors and race along the Scenic Highway to Duluth. With the finish line located in Canal Park, the event brings thousands of visitors to the area each year.
About the Marathon
Grandma’s Marathon welcomes an estimated 18,000 participants for its three-race weekend. The races include the 26.2-mile Grandma’s Marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth’s Canal Park, the 13.1-mile Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon also on Saturday, and the 3.1-mile William A. Irvin 5K, which takes place on Friday.
Because the race ends in the popular Canal Park neighborhood, Duluth makes an entire family-friendly weekend out of the marathon. Enjoying live music and kid-friendly events are all part of the scene during the marathon weekend in Duluth.
History of Grandma’s Marathon
Grandma’s Marathon got its name from the Duluth-based Grandma’s Restaurant. The popular eatery in Canal Park was among the first major sponsors of the race. The first Grandma’s Marathon occurred in 1977. Duluth hosted the marathon annually until 2020 when it was canceled due to the pandemic. The race returned in 2021 and has continued to be a beloved annual tradition since.
And while Grandma’s Marathon is a long-standing tradition on the North Shore, it is far from a locals-only event. The race attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world! In 2018, for example, the race had participants from all 50 states and 49 different countries.
There’s no question it will be a busy weekend on the North Shore. It’s a good idea to book early and check out one of the biggest events of the entire year on the North Shore!
Get In On the Fun, Even If You’re Not Racing!
Grandma’s Marathon always kicks off its weekend with the Essentia Health Fitness Expo at the DECC on the Thursday and Friday before the marathon. The Expo is a must-visit for fitness enthusiasts and a great way to kick off a fun, fitness-centered weekend, even if you aren’t participating in the races themselves. Don’t forget Michelina’s All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner also on Friday night! The dinner has been a Grandma’s Marathon tradition since 1977 and is always a fun time! Buy tickets in advance.
Then, the Grandma’s Marathon website has an excellent guide to Spectator Information. The guide includes popular places to cheer on racers. It also includes what times you can expect both Half Marathon and Marathon racers to pass by that particular location. It also includes why you might want to watch the race from that particular location and what sort of atmosphere you can expect at each location.
On Friday and Saturday swing by the Bayfront Festival Park for live music at the Rock the Bayfront Music Festival. The festival features family-friendly music and performances during the day and then an adults-only (recommended) headlining band on Saturday night.
A Different Way to Experience the Race
Did you know you can even watch the race… from a train!? Get onboard the coaches of the North Shore Scenic Railroad from the Duluth Union Depot and enjoy the journey to Two Harbors. You’ll arrive with plenty of time to see the start of the race. The train will follow the lead racers for a few miles before zipping off to Duluth. Train riders will have the option to depart at the DECC with plenty of time to get down to Canal Park to get to the finish line before the first racer crosses. Passengers who wish to avoid the Canal Park and not see the finish will be brought back to the Duluth Depot.
Train passengers even get to enjoy breakfast, a bloody mary bar, and mimosas on the journey. This is a great way to enjoy the race without having to worry about parking or navigating closed streets and traffic. Book tickets in advance! Check out this video of the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon Viewer Train:
Where to Stay and Prepare for Future Years
Since Grandma’s Marathon is the largest annual event on the North Shore, lodging fills up quick, often a year ahead of time! This is one event where if you snooze, you lose. Lodging in Duluth is especially challenging, so we recommend looking further up the North Shore to find accommodations. Many runners and spectators go as far as Grand Marais and extend their race weekend a few days to provide some time to recovery and explore the area a bit.
We recommend the Beaver Bay and Little Marais areas for accommodations that aren’t too far from the action, but still far enough away to avoid the race rush. Schroeder and Tofte are about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes from the starting line in Two Harbors and are other great options if closer accommodations are booked.
If you missed out on the race this year, place ahead for a future year! Here are the dates for Grandma’s Marathons through 2040:
June 20, 2026 | June 19, 2027 | June 17, 2028 | June 16, 2029 | June 22, 2030 | June 21, 2031 | June 19, 2032 | June 18, 2033 | June 17, 2034 | June 16, 2035 | June 21, 2036 | June 20, 2037 | June 19, 2038 | June 18, 2039| June 16, 2040
We’ll see you then!