Kingston Parkrun celebrated its 16th birthday on Saturday (21 March) with its 756th run.

The towpath in Kingston was bursting with colour, energy, and a healthy dose of silliness on Saturday as runners and walkers embraced the occasion in true parkrun style—tutus, fancy dress, and big smiles everywhere you looked. 

"From superheroes to sparkles, it really did feel like one big birthday party from start to finish," says a Kingston Parkrun spokesperson.

A brilliant 433 participants joined Saturday's run, including 78 first timers. 

The spokesperson added: "A huge welcome to you all. 

"We hope your first Kingston parkrun was a memorable one. An impressive 59 personal bests were recorded too, proving that even with costumes and celebrations, plenty of you were still flying round the course."

At the sharp end, Tom Curtis led the field home in a fantastic time of 17:33 minutes, also achieving the highest age grade of the day (82.72%). 

Maddie Garner was first female finisher in an excellent 19:07 minutes, while Ruby Rock not only ran brilliantly but also celebrated her milestone and achieved the highest female age grade.

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Other milestones made during Saturday's run include:

• Ruby Rock reached her 10th parkrun
• Several runners hit 25 parkruns, including Simon Rowbotham and Tom Taylor-Colls
• Alastair Hazell and Handong Yang joined the 100 club
• Longer-term achievements, including 200, 400 and 450 parkruns—truly inspiring dedication

The spokesperson added: "A huge thank you goes to our 27 amazing hi-vis heroes who made the event possible. 

"Special mentions this week go to Natalie, our Run Director, who did a fantastic job keeping everything running smoothly—and looked absolutely brilliant doing it in her tutu! 

"Andrew also deserves a shoutout for his excellent early-morning setup (tutu and all), while Suzanne stole the show on the timers in her unforgettable cat onesie. 

"Kerry, tail walking in style, sashayed her way round in a very cool tutu, bringing smiles all along the course. And a big well done to John, who did a splendid job in his very first time as timer—welcome to the volunteer crew."

After the finish, the birthday celebrations continued with plenty of chatting, laughter, and that warm community spirit that makes Kingston parkrun so special. 

The spokesperson added: "16 years on, it's still about people coming together—whether you're chasing a PB, volunteering, or simply enjoying a walk in great company.

"Here's to many more years of parkrun magic."