What’s happening?
With just over two weeks to go, the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Running Festival has revealed its 2026 medal designs.
The medals feature the city’s floral emblem, the sweet violet, embossed in gold on a violet background. Historic features are also etched into the design.
Entries are tracking strongly across the revised race schedule. Runners from New Zealand, Malaysia and the United Kingdom are preparing to take part.
They will join participants from across Queensland and Australia in this year’s event.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald encouraged locals to enter one or more of the five races. He also confirmed he would be taking part.
Events Management Queensland Chief Executive Officer Ben Mannion said organisers were excited for this year’s event.
“This will be a fantastic morning of racing, starting early Sunday morning with the ASICS Half Marathon and closely followed by the Visit Toowoomba Region 10km race.
“Later in the morning, we will see the start of family-friendly events, including the Grand Central 5km run and the popular Toowoomba Mile.
“And everyone who finishes will always remember their achievement with the iconic finisher medals that so beautifully showcase the city.”
Why it matters?
The medal reveal adds a strong local story to one of the region’s major sporting events.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said the festival stands out on Queensland’s regional events calendar.
“This Festival showcases the best of the Toowoomba region, bringing people together through fitness and community while drawing thousands of visitors to stay, dine and explore the region.
“We’re expecting around 6,000 visitor nights and more than $1.4million in economic impact, backing local jobs and businesses across the Darling Downs.
“The Crisafulli Government is proud to support events right across regional Queensland, driving visitation and supporting local communities.”
Mr Mannion said the new schedule was designed to reduce the impact on the local community.
He said it would still deliver races for all ages and abilities.
Local Impact
The festival brings more than runners to Toowoomba. It also brings extra activity for local businesses and the wider visitor economy.
Mayor McDonald said the event adds variety to the city’s calendar.
“The Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Running Festival adds diversity to the events in this city with great opportunities to enjoy healthy activity with the whole family and even start an annual family tradition of involvement.
“It also presents a unique occasion for businesses to be involved, get a team together and champion fitness within the workplace.”
The medal design also carries a distinctly local meaning through the sweet violet, also known as the Toowoomba violet.
Mayor McDonald said the flower honours the mothers and women of Toowoomba who sold bunches of violets to fund the Mothers’ Memorial after World War One.
By the numbers
- The festival is expected to generate around 6,000 visitor nights, giving local accommodation and hospitality operators a timely lift.
- More than $1.4 million in economic impact is forecast, showing the event’s value for jobs and businesses across the Darling Downs.
- Around £1800 was raised through violet sales, helping fund the Mothers’ Memorial unveiled in January 1922.
Zoom In
This year’s medal design reaches beyond race day and into Toowoomba’s history.
Mayor McDonald said the sweet violet honours the women of Toowoomba who bundled the flowers and sold them for threepence.
The fundraising helped support the Mothers’ Memorial after World War One.
He said around £1800 was raised, and the memorial was unveiled by the Queensland Governor in January 1922.
That history gives the medal a deeper local connection. It ties each finisher’s reward to a well-known part of the city’s story.
Zoom Out
The festival also sits within a bigger year for Events Management Queensland.
In 2026, the organisation will also deliver the Gold Coast T100 World Triathlon, the annual ASICS Gold Coast Marathon, Bridge to Brisbane and the biennial Pan Pacific Masters Games.
That places the Toowoomba event within a wider calendar of major Queensland sporting events.
Events Management Queensland also acknowledged the Traditional Custodians of the Toowoomba Region.
The organisation paid respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
What To Look For Next?
With entries already building, the final lead-up is likely to bring a stronger picture of how the revised schedule lands across all races.
Race morning will also bring the first chance to see thousands of runners take on the course and collect the new sweet violet medals.
For event information and entry details, visit toowoombamarathon.com.au.