Down Syndrome Festival & 5k 2026

Description

The DSACO Festival & 5K will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City, OK. Join us and help celebrate the extra 21st chromosome by creating a team, walking or running for acceptance and inclusion.

The event is free and open to the public. The 5k and 1-Mile Fun Run begins at 8 a.m at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, start line is on Sheridan Avenue. The Awareness Walk will line up at the start line on Sheridan Avenue at 9:45 a.m. Immediately following the awareness walk, join us on the Great Lawn at the Myriad Botanical Gardens for festival activities, which include raffles, inflatables, face painters, carnival games, music, talent shows, cotton candy, food trucks, and much more. There will also be resource vendors available to answer any questions or provide additional information. Complimentary parking is available in the lots directly south of the Myriad Botanical Gardens, accessed on Reno Avenue. We encourage everyone to arrive early to get a good parking spot!

Event Schedule 7:00-8:00 am: Registration/Check-in, Sheridan Lawn, Myriad Botanical Gardens 8:00 am: 1-Mile Fun Run and 5K, Start Line on Sheridan Avenue 9:45 am: Awareness Walk at the Start Line on Sheridan Avenue 10:00 am: Festival Begins, Great Lawn, Myriad Botanical Gardens 11:30 am: Raffle Drawings at Band Shell

Start Your Team Today! Family members, friends, and co-workers are forming teams to walk, raise money and celebrate people with Down syndrome. Select a team name and start raising money by conducting a social media or e-mail campaign, asking for donations online, and recruiting as many awareness walkers and runners as possible. Many teams bring team posters or wear team t-shirts for the walk. Register to run or register under the Team Captain section. Once registered, you can start collecting donations online, by cash, check, or credit card. Please contact DSACO at 405-600-9981 or info@dsaco.org with any questions.

Who do the proceeds benefit? Each year, this event gives the association and our families the chance to raise awareness about Down syndrome and is the largest fundraising event for DSACO. All money raised will stay in the central Oklahoma area to fund the many programs, activities, and services. Our mission is "to raise awareness and provide resources, as well as promote acceptance and inclusion for people with Down syndrome."

We accomplish these goals through a number of programs including:

Enrichment Lab and free tutoring services for individuals with Down syndrome Microwave-based cooking classes for teens and adult New parent packets and quarterly new parent breakfasts Parent-to-parent support meetings Workshops for parents, self-advocates, and educators Scholarships for families to attend national conventions Education and medical outreach initiatives Family and teen/adult events and programs As always, we will continue to further our mission of promoting acceptance and inclusion!

For additional information, please visit the FAQ page or email info@dsaco.org

THANK YOU for supporting DSACO's mission to "raise awareness and provide resources, as well as promote acceptance and inclusion for people with Down syndrome."