The 2025 River Rock Run!

Date: September 19th 2025

Time: 6:00 PM (Starting gun at 6:30)

Location: Riverside Park (Hotaling Dr. Parking Area)

Please join us for the 4th Annual River Rock Run 5K being brought to you by the BRRAlliance (Black Rock Riverside Alliance)! We are excited to announce that we are hosting our race on Friday September 19, 2025. We will once again be using our USATF certified course and will provide professional RFID timing and finish line services with the help of Race Management Solutions!

Like in 2024, this year’s River Rock Run is a sunset run with a start time set to take advantage of the spectacular autumn sunsets over the Niagara River. Come join us at the 5K with the best waterfront view in the City of Buffalo!

Proceeds from the event will be used to fund the operations and environmental and economic development initiatives of the BRRAlliance and their mission of improved quality of life and community enrichment for those that live and work in the North District of Buffalo.

This year’s River Rock Run now has a virtual 5K option! For those who can’t make the run on the day of but would still like to participate, doing so is as easy as downloading the It’s Your Race app on your phone (you can find it at your Google or Apple store) and using it to measure and time a 5K run anywhere you want!

Visit our It’s Your Race Landing Page for more information and to register, or scan the QR code below!

The 2024 River Rock Run was held in Riverside Park on September 13.  The day was beautiful and sunny with a high temperature of around 80 degrees and barely a cloud in the sky.  BRRAlliance staff and volunteers arrived at the park at 3:30 PM to begin setting up for the run, and Paul Beatty arrived with his Race Management Solutions team at 4:00 to set up the start and finish line for the run and begin playing music for our participants.

Runners began arriving at 5:00 PM, and were all gathered for the start of the run at 6:00 PM.  The runners traversed our course, traveling through Riverside Park and across the pedestrian bridge to the Shoreline Trail, and then down to Tow Path Park, where they looped around and returned along the Shoreline Trail and back to Riverside Park, where they traveled around St. Francis Xavier cemetery and returned to the finish line.

Afterward, participants were awarded medals and trophies, and hung around to enjoy the afterparty.

Run participants praised the waterfront course for its spectacular sunset view and cool breezes.  One run participant commented on how they had never visited that section of the Shoreline Trail before and called it “terrific.”  They also commented on the day’s beautiful sunset, calling it “a great ending to a great event.”   They gave shout-outs to Race Management Solutions and our run volunteers, along with the run afterparty.

When surveyed after the run, 83% of participating respondents said that they would like to participate again.

We’d like to give a huge congratulations to our 2024 River Rock Run participants!  You’re all amazing!

A short video of the run created by the Alliance’s own Mary Ann Kedron!

“Here Comes the Sun” written by George Harrison, Copyright Wixen Music Publishing Inc. o/b/o Harrisongs Ltd.  Used here for Nonprofit purposes.