Flint, MI – Today, July 15, at a press conference held in the Crim Fitness Foundation’s RMI Community Room, the Crim Team and their major sponsors made a number of exciting announcements and updates regarding the 49th Health Alliance Plan Crim Festival of Races.
While Title Sponsor Health Alliance Plan’s Danny Lopaze outlined the impact of the decade-long partnership between the company and Crim, Crim CEO, Lauren Holaly-Zembo, shared her insights on the Foundation’s growth. She said, “In 2025, we hosted more than 400 programs, in addition to the Festival and our Race Series Events, that supported physical, social, and mental wellbeing for more than 21,000 Flint and Genesee County residents.” It was also mentioned that the Crim Training Program grew again in 2026 with over 1,300 participants and that the Crim’s youth running initiative will likely impact 600 local families.
Brandon Morgan, Crim’s Director of External Relations, relayed Race-Week events and logistics including the return of the Crim’s popular Race Week Guide publication. Important updates included the showcasing of each custom, 4-inch finisher medal, the Crim x ASICS Race Shirt, and highlights of the participant experience which include a massive 50-vendor expo – complete with a custom Crim store – live course entertainment, live music on the Festival Lot, family fun zones, selfie stations, food trucks, demonstrations, and popular favorites like finish-line chocolate milk, pizza, soft-drinks, adult beverages, and much more.
Morgan also thanked the more than 50 corporate partners and 1,200 volunteers who have helped the Festival of Races to continue a 7-year growth streak. In 2026, the Festival expects to bring more than 20,000 people to downtown Flint, including 11,000 participants from more than 40 states. Events include the historic Crim 10-mile, the half Crim 5-mile, the, 5K, Michigan Mile, and Teddy Bear Trot.
Throughout the event, several Crim50 teasers were also rolled out as the organization prepares for 2027. These include the launch of the Crim50 website, where visitors can pre-order a commemorative book, and a fully-searchable Crim database with results for every finisher for the last 50 years.
More on the full schedule of events, as well as all registration information, can be obtained at crim.org and crimraces.org.
About the Health Alliance Plan Crim Festival of Races and Summer Event Series
The Health Alliance Plan Crim Festival of Races and related events host upwards of 15,000 participants each year and are followed by tens of thousands more. The HAP Crim Festival of Races is sponsored by more than 50 local, regional, and national corporations which allows for participants to have a world-class race experience at a reasonable cost, furthering the Crim Fitness Foundation’s mission to make health and wellbeing accessible to all.
The Crim Festival of Races supports the work of the Crim Fitness Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, whose goal is to improve the physical, social, and mental wellbeing of 20,000+ Flint and Genesee County residents. The organization provides programs including: Crim Youth Sports and Youth Running Clubs; mental wellbeing, mindfulness and yoga; direct nutrition education and food policy; neighborhood impact, policy advocacy, and built environmental change; and more.
For more information on the Foundation and the Festival please visit crim.org and crimraces.org, respectively.
CRIM FITNESS FOUNDATION
The Crim works to cultivate accessible, vibrant communities in Flint and Genesee County that encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle by integrating physical activity, healthy eating, and mindfulness into their daily lives. We mentor other communities to do the same. The Crim uses events, programs, policy, systems, and environmental change to transform the culture of health in the communities we serve.