October 3-4, 2025

The 37th Annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival will take place October 3rd & 4th, 2025. The festival was created to bring together three Northwest Arkansas cross-country races under a single event and is now one of the premier running events in America.

Typical years, over 80 college teams and 120 high school teams battle for prestige and unique Chile Pepper awards. Additionally, 500 individuals participate in the open events including the Tom Lewis 1 Mile Pepper Dash on Friday night or the Godpepper 4K and 8K community races on Saturday. The Chile Pepper now hosts approximately 6,500 runners and over 7,000 spectators each year and is one of the largest cross country festivals in the nation.

The Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival is held on the University of Arkansas cross country course in Fayetteville. The course is a combination of grass, cinder and uneven terrain.

Proceeds from the race are given to public high school cross country programs in Northwest Arkansas, with over $1,000,000 donated to date. The festival's mission is to inspire and support Northwest Arkansas youth cross country teams, promoting the benefit of exercise, healthy lifestyle, teamwork and lifelong sport. 

For more information, visit chilepepperfestival.org.