One of East London’s most vibrant running events is set to return on a bigger scale in 2026, as Hackney Quarter brings its high‑energy, night‑time 10k run back to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Thursday 14 May.
Dubbed as the UK’s healthiest night out, the event invites thousands of runners to experience a festival‑style race evening, complete with DJ soundtracks, iconic parkland scenery, and a fully charged after‑party.
The 10k also serves as the perfect warm‑up for the HOKA Hackney Moves Festival, which kicks off that weekend.
Building on the success of its debut edition last year, Hackney Quarter is once again delivered by Friday Night Lights in partnership with HOKA Hackney Moves. Together, they’ve already surpassed last year’s runner total and are looking forward to a bigger and better event this year. More than 1,000 places have already been snapped up, many by participants bundling their race entry with tickets for the 2026 HOKA Hackney Half.
The chip-timed 10k race runs through Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s iconic landmarks before finishing on Hopkins Field, where an event village will host post‑race celebrations before the official after party at Riverside East. The running doesn’t stop there, though, with a 5km ‘party run’ afterwards with glow sticks and speakers taking priority before personal bests and good splits.
The Hackney Quarter event village will be open from 17:30 to 23:00, with the race taking place in the evening at 19:00. Runners can expect free Reign Storm energy drinks, Cano Water, and a well‑earned Prime Time lager waiting for them at the finish.
Charlie Allen, Founder of Friday Night Lights, said: “We started Friday Night Lights because we believed a Friday night could be about more than a pub. Hackney Quarter takes that idea and puts it on the biggest stage we’ve had yet — a closed-road 10K through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, starting at sunset and finishing into a full-scale after-party.
“Whether you’re chasing a PB or running your first ever 10K, this is an event designed to make you feel amazing. That’s always been the point.”
