Florida State University Panama City will hold its 37th Annual Torch Run 5K race and fun run on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning and ending at the Holley Academic Center located at 4750 Collegiate Drive.
The Torch Run has been an FSU Panama City tradition since 1989. The course is a timed 5K that passes through Carl Gray Park as well as the campuses of FSU Panama City and Gulf Coast State College.
The event is open to students, alumni, community members, and visitors of all ages. Participants are welcome to run or walk, and strollers and pets are permitted. Awards will be given to first-, second-, and third-place finishers in various categories and age groups. All participants will receive medals for completing the race. Packet pickup is scheduled for race day from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. at the Holley Academic Center.
“Traditions mean a lot for an institution, and this annual Torch Run does just that, but it’s also an opportunity for us to raise money for scholarships, and that’s critically important,” said FSU Associate Dean Irvin Clark.
Registration costs $25 in advance or $30 on the day before or day of the event. Each registration includes a Torch Run T-shirt. All proceeds go toward the FSU PC Promise Scholarship Fund. Registration is free for all FSU Panama City and Gulf Coast State College students. More information about registration can be found at https://fsupctorchrun.itsyourrace.com/.
The FSU Panama City Promise Scholarship aims to make earning a four-year degree more affordable by providing free tuition and fees to eligible students from Northwest Florida whose family income falls below certain thresholds or who qualify for Pell Grants.
Last year’s event saw nearly 200 local runners participate despite cold weather conditions; Mason Brain of Panama City finished first with a time of 20:05.
