New Haven organizers prepare a new course designed to preserve a 35-year tradition while making the event more accessible to people affected by sickle cell disease.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A New Haven tradition that has spent more than three decades bringing the community together in support of people living with sickle cell disease is entering a new chapter.
The 35th annual Michelle’s House Walk, Run & Bike is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., but participants will notice one major change this year.
The event is moving from its longtime home at East Rock Park to Edgewood Park, with Coogan Pavilion serving as a central meeting point as organizers prepare for runners, walkers, cyclists, families and supporters.
Weeks before anyone crosses the starting line, organizers Michael Fletcher and Jim Barber were already walking through Edgewood Park with Zach from the City of New Haven Parks Department, examining the course and working through the logistics of bringing one of New Haven’s longest-running community events to a new location.
“The race hasn’t even started yet, but for organizers Michael Fletcher and Jim Barber, the work is already underway,” The Vibe’s Jose Candelario reported while joining the group at Edgewood Park.
A New Home for a New Haven Tradition
Moving an established event after decades at one location involves much more than choosing another park.
Organizers are examining where participants will gather and register, how the starting and finishing areas will operate, how runners, walkers and cyclists will move through the park and how the overall layout can safely accommodate the expected crowd.
One important difference is that much of the event can now be contained within Edgewood Park rather than relying as heavily on surrounding city streets.
“It’s going to be self-enclosed by being in the park,” Fletcher said during the course walkthrough, contrasting the new setup with previous years when the event traveled through streets surrounding East Rock.
That could create a different experience for participants while providing organizers with greater control over the course and event footprint.
The move also keeps the event within the New Haven community and near major transportation routes.
“It allows us to still be a part of the community, to be easily accessible,” Fletcher said, describing Edgewood Park as a strong location for the event.
A Course Designed With Sickle Cell Participants in Mind
For organizers, however, choosing a new course isn’t only about logistics.
It’s also about the people the event exists to serve.
One of the most significant considerations during the walkthrough was elevation.
Years ago, participants faced a route at East Rock that included a much more demanding climb. Organizers eventually changed that course because they did not want people living with sickle cell disease to be physically overextended while participating in an event created to support them.
“The incline years ago used to go all the way up East Rock Park,” Fletcher explained. “We changed that because one of the things that we wanted to do was be sure that individuals who had sickle cell were not physically stretched.”
The Edgewood Park route still has some elevation, but Fletcher described it as a gradual incline followed by a descent.
“I think we’re going to be fine,” he said. “We’ve got a gradual incline up and then down.”
That distinction matters.
For the walkers and families directly affected by sickle cell disease, completing the course can be about much more than reaching a finish line. It can be an opportunity to participate alongside the larger community in an event created around their experiences.
The new course is intended to preserve that opportunity without making the physical challenge the focus of the day.
Run, Walk or Ride
The Sept. 26 event will include several ways for supporters to participate.
The James Barber 5K Run, one-mile walk and bike ride are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., with event activities continuing until 1 p.m.
The different options allow competitive runners, recreational walkers, cyclists, families and supporters of the sickle cell community to participate in a way that works for them.
Current registration information lists adult participation beginning at $25 before online registration fees for the walk and run. Children 12 and younger can participate in the walk or run free with registration, while discounted pricing is available for teenagers.
Bike participants must be at least 19 years old.
But the event’s importance extends far beyond the race itself.
35 Years of Raising Awareness
The 2026 event marks the 35th anniversary of a gathering that has become a significant part of New Haven’s community calendar.
For three and a half decades, the Walk, Run & Bike has helped raise awareness of sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait while supporting the work of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Connecticut and Michelle’s House.
The organization provides education, advocacy, support services and programs intended to improve the quality of life for Connecticut individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease.
That mission gives the annual event a different meaning for many of the people who participate.
Some come to exercise.
Others come to support relatives or friends.
Some participate because sickle cell disease is part of their own story.
And others come simply because they want to stand with a community that has spent decades working to increase awareness and improve the lives of families affected by the disease.
The result is an event where fundraising, health, community and advocacy meet.
New Haven Parks Prepares Edgewood Park
The move also requires coordination with the City of New Haven Parks Department.
During the site walkthrough, Zach explained some of the work that goes into preparing a city park for an event of this size.
“For a site like this inside Edgewood Park, we would be assigning caretakers to try to make sure the space is clean, is ready for use, bathrooms are stocked, stuff like that,” he said.
The work doesn’t end when the last participant leaves.
Parks personnel also help ensure the site is cleaned and returned to normal so residents can continue using the park afterward.
Those details may happen behind the scenes, but they are essential to turning a public park into a safe and functional location for hundreds of people.
For Fletcher and Barber, the walkthrough was an opportunity to look at those details before race day — studying the paths, pavilion, potential start and finish areas and the way participants will move through Edgewood Park.
Same Mission, New Course
Moving from East Rock to Edgewood Park represents a significant change for an event with 35 years of history.
But organizers say the goal isn’t to reinvent the Michelle’s House Walk, Run & Bike.
It’s to preserve the tradition while improving the experience.
The new location offers an opportunity to keep more of the event inside the park, remain connected to the New Haven community and create a course with a more manageable incline for participants who may face additional physical challenges.
And after 35 years, that combination of tradition and adaptation may be exactly what keeps the event moving forward.
The location may be changing.
The mission is not.
EVENT DETAILS
What: 35th Annual Michelle’s House Walk, Run & Bike
When: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Edgewood Park, New Haven, Connecticut
Meeting area: Coogan Pavilion
Events: James Barber 5K Run, one-mile walk and bike ride
Adult walk/run registration: Starting at $25 before online fees
Children 12 and younger: Free walk/run registration
Teen participants: Discounted registration available
Bike participants: Must be at least 19 years old
Purpose: Raise awareness and support programs serving Connecticut individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait.
Registration and additional event information are available through the official Michelle’s House Walk, Run & Bike registration page on BikeSignup.
Jose Candelario reported from Edgewood Park in New Haven as organizers surveyed the new location and prepared for the 35th annual event.
