The Bangor Marathon Is Back — and This Sunday, It’s Your Turn
Over 300 runners are heading to the Bangor Waterfront this Sunday morning for the return of a full marathon to the Queen City — and the whole region is invited to watch.
The Bangor Marathon — presented by Maine Endurance Sports Alliance — runs Sunday, June 7, 2026, with four distances for runners of every ability: Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K. The horn goes off at 7:00 AM at the corner of Main Street and Dutton Street in downtown Bangor. The finish line is at Bangor Waterfront Park, just south of Geaghan’s, where a vendor area and beverage garden will be waiting for finishers and their families.
The full marathon course takes runners out Valley Avenue to Broadway, with a turnaround in the town of Kenduskeag before heading back to the waterfront — roads that run through the heart of this region.
The half marathon follows the same course with a turnaround on outer Broadway past Pushaw Road. Total elevation difference on the full course is just 170 feet, making this one of the more runnable marathon profiles in New England.
Every distance is USATF sanctioned. The full marathon and half marathon are both Boston certified — qualifying times count. There is no time limit. MESA wants every runner to cross that finish line.
Packet pickup is Saturday, June 6 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at The Maine Experience on the Bangor Waterfront — the day before the race, right in the heart of downtown.
MESA is a Maine 501(c)3 nonprofit, and this race is part of a bigger vision for endurance sports in the state. Finishers who also complete the Lincoln Marathon earn a special “Run the Highlands” medal. Those who complete three of MESA’s four 2026 races earn the Vacationland Triple Crown.
Whether you’re running Sunday, cheering from the course, or heading down to the waterfront to see what a marathon start looks like — this is worth your morning. Registration and full course details at mesa-maine.org.