Empire State Building hosts Run-Up on 6 October

The New York City tower's 48th annual stair race reached the 86th-floor observatory, while visitors continue to use its observation decks.

The Empire State Building hosted the Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up in New York City on 6 October 2026. The 48th annual stair race connected the landmark's public observatory with a competitive climb through the building.

Run-Up reached the Empire State Building observatory on 6 October

The 2026 Run-Up took place on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, at the Empire State Building Observation Deck. The event page listed an 8pm start and identified the 86th floor as the finish point for the annual race.

The course follows the building's internal stairways rather than its visitor lifts. The organiser describes the challenge as a climb to the 86th floor involving more than 1,500 steps. The event was presented by NYU Langone Health and powered by Merrell, as stated in the 2026 Run-Up event page.

The completed race was also reported by the Agence France-Presse event report, which named the building, the 48th annual edition and the organisers. The event belongs to the landmark itself because the building is both the course and the finish venue.

The 86th floor gives the stair race its destination

The Run-Up ends at the open-air 86th Floor Observation Deck, while the visitor experience also includes an enclosed 102nd Floor Observation Deck. The site presents museum galleries before the viewing areas, covering the building's construction, Art Deco design and place in New York City history.

Construction began on 17 March 1930, and the building's official history says work was completed in one year and 45 days. That rapid construction history gives the October race a direct connection with the structure: competitors climb the same vertical landmark whose speed of construction helped define its early story.

The tower lights provide another visible link between the event and the building. The official October 2026 lights calendar listed purple lighting for 6 October in celebration of the Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up. The calendar also recorded a separate Halloween lighting on 31 October, showing how the tower's exterior programme changes through the month.

Visiting Empire State Building: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up took place on 6 October 2026 at the New York City landmark, with the 86th floor as its stated destination.
• The race has ended, but the observation decks and museum galleries remain the visitor features described by the operator. The Run-Up itself is not a regular sightseeing route.
• The building is in Midtown Manhattan at 20 West 34th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The operator's visitor information identifies subway access and directions as part of the planning information for the site.
• The Run-Up route involves more than 1,500 steps to the 86th floor. Ordinary visitors use the building's observation-deck access rather than the race course.

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Frequently asked questions about Empire State Building

When did the Empire State Building Observation Deck Run-Up take place?

The 48th annual race took place on 6 October 2026 at the Empire State Building in New York City.

What is the Empire State Building?

It is a New York City skyscraper with an 86th Floor Observation Deck, a 102nd Floor Observation Deck and museum galleries.

Where is Empire State Building and how do you get there?

The building is at 20 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The operator provides subway and map directions for visitors.