Passers-by and tourists in Budapest were treated to a stunning sight on Sunday: a flowing crowd of 4,500 red-clad, white-bearded runners created a magical Christmas atmosphere on Fővám Square and the Danube bank. The jubilee, 10th PENNY Santa Run, the most cheerful sporting event of the year, attracted more participants than ever before, who completed the distances in artificial snowfall and a festive atmosphere, while filling the SOS Children's Villages with presents.
One of the most spectacular winter events in Budapest is the PENNY Santa Claus Run, which has now become a true tradition and is inseparable from the Advent season. The record-breaking red flood starting from Fővám Square provided an unforgettable experience not only for the participants, but also for the fans and spectators. Tourists walking along the Danube Promenade also stopped at every step to capture the endless line of Santas in running shoes.
Families and communities on the field
The 10th anniversary event was a real family event, with young children running alongside their parents and grandparents, with the proportion of children under 10 reaching 15 percent. The activity of the international community also contributed to the cheerful atmosphere: foreigners living here – including large Japanese and Korean teams – added to the red excitement.
A special trend can also be observed, as the Santa Run is of course not just for men, women are also happy to dress up in red costumes, and this year, with a 59 percent registration rate, women took over.
– When 4,500 identical, red-clad runners move at the same time in the snowfall, it is an energy that fills the entire city. The 10th PENNY Santa Run today showed that sport does not stop in winter, and in fact: the community experience and charity are even stronger at this time. We are proud that we broke the attendance record and the event has now become one of the winter symbols of Budapest – he said Arpad Kocsis, managing director of the Budapest Sports Office.
Thousands of gifts under the tree
Besides the view, the most important experience of the day was helping. The runners did not arrive empty-handed: the huge basket set up in the auditorium of the Lónyay Street Reformed High School was filled to the brim with gifts for those in need. Several weeks' worth of non-perishable food and diapers, as well as toys, sweets and school supplies were collected, which SOS Children's Villages will deliver to the children in their care for Christmas.
The Budapest Sports Office closed the year 2025 with this cheerful, community celebration and wishes all runners a Merry Christmas and a New Year full of kilometers!
