The 5K Foam Fest is the biggest event of its kind in the country, and it is not really a race. It calls itself a "FUNCORE run": a 5-kilometre course with 25 obstacles, about 2.5 million cubic feet of foam, mud pits, slip-and-slides and a giant inflatable waterslide, run in waves with a festival at the finish. Nothing is timed. Most people walk and jog it in a group, stop for photos, and come out the other end soaked and grinning.
This guide covers the whole 2026-27 Australian season - every location and date, what the day actually involves, the age rules, what to wear, and the one thing that matters most if you are trying to keep the cost down.
Every Australian location and date, 2026-27
Seven events between late November and early February. Each links to the full details and entry page for that city. (Disclosure: if you enter via a Register Now link on those pages, MyRaceHub may earn a small referral fee - you pay the same price.)
| Location | Date | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne (Yarra Valley) | Sat 28 November 2026 | Wandin Park Estate, Wandin North | Details & entry → |
| Sydney | Sat 5 December 2026 | Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park | Details & entry → |
| Wodonga | Sat 12 December 2026 | Gateway Lakes, Gateway Island | Details & entry → |
| Perth | Sat 9 January 2027 | State Equestrian Centre, Brigadoon | Details & entry → |
| West Melbourne | Sat 23 January 2027 | 64 Garrards Lane, Myrniong | Details & entry → |
| Central Coast | Sat 30 January 2027 | Glenworth Valley Wilderness Adventures | Details & entry → |
| Brisbane | Sat 6 February 2027 | Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton | Details & entry → |
What the day is actually like
You register for a start wave - they go every 20 minutes or so through the morning. When your wave is called you set off through a foam arch and spend the next 45 minutes to an hour working through the course. The 25 obstacles are spaced out along a 5km loop: foam zones, a Chamber of Foam, slip-and-slides, mud crawls, cargo and rope climbs, walls, a spider-web forest, and the big inflatable waterslide near the end. Every obstacle is optional and every one has a bypass, so you decide how wet, muddy and airborne you want to get.
There is no clock and no finish-line ranking. What you get at the end is a medal, a foam-covered finish photo, and a festival area with music, food trucks and somewhere to hose off.
It is genuinely all-ages. The course is built for families - the obstacles are challenges, not filters. If you can walk 5km you can do the 5K Foam Fest.
See it in action
Prices, and how to pay half
The full entry price is A$139.99. Almost nobody pays that. Early-bird entry is discounted to roughly A$69.99 to A$79.99 depending on the location - about half price - and it steps back up in stages as each event fills and the date approaches.
There is no last-minute deal and it never gets cheaper closer to the day. If you are going, the move is to book as soon as you have decided. Family passes (discounted rates for groups) and military / first-responder pricing are offered at checkout.
Age and entry rules
- 7 and over to take part in the run.
- 6 and under go free in the Kids FUN Zone - a smaller obstacle area - but must be registered and with a paying adult.
- Everyone signs a waiver at registration.
What to wear and bring
- Old clothes and closed-in shoes you are happy to throw out. No thongs. No metal spikes or cleats - they puncture the inflatables and you will not be allowed on.
- A full change of clothes and a towel. You finish wet through.
- A plastic bag or two for your soaked gear.
- Sunscreen, a hat for the festival area, and water.
- Cash for parking - most venues charge, and not all take card.
- Photo ID for race-pack pickup.
Leave the phone in the car or in a sealed waterproof pouch - the course is not kind to electronics. Event photos are taken on course and matched to you automatically.
Common questions
Is the 5K Foam Fest a timed race?
No. There is no timing chip, no results and no winners. Waves set off in groups every 20 minutes or so and you move through the 5km course at whatever pace you like - most people walk and jog it. It is billed as a 'fun run', and that is accurate.
What is the minimum age?
You need to be 7 or older to take part in the run. Children 6 and under go free in the Kids FUN Zone, which has its own mini obstacles, but they must be registered and accompanied by a paying adult.
Do I have to do every obstacle?
No. All 25 obstacles are optional and each one has a way around it. If heights, water or mud are not your thing you can skip an obstacle and rejoin the course.
What should I wear and bring?
Old clothes and closed-in shoes you do not mind ruining - you will finish soaked, foamy and muddy. No thongs, and no metal spikes or cleats (they damage the inflatables). Bring a full change of clothes, a towel, a plastic bag for your wet gear, sunscreen, ID, and cash for parking.
Why is the price so different depending on when I book?
The full price is A$139.99. Early-bird entry is discounted to around A$69.99-79.99 - roughly half - and the price steps back up as each event fills and the date gets closer. If you know you are going, book early; the saving is real and it never gets cheaper.
Can family and friends come to watch?
Yes. The festival area with music, food and the finish line is open to spectators. Check your specific venue for spectator entry and parking - some charge for parking.
Does it go ahead in bad weather?
Yes. The event runs rain or shine. You are getting wet either way.
Can I get a refund?
Refunds are limited, but you can usually transfer your entry to another person or, at some events, another date. The exact policy is shown at checkout on Race Roster.
Pick your city from the table above to see the exact venue, start-wave times and current price, and to enter through Race Roster.