FAQs: Samson Stomp

Online registration is open for all races until noon on January 14, 2026. The 5K race may sell out prior to this date.

Race day registration is available from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sunday, January 18. Those registering on race day may need to pick up their T-shirt at a later date.

Teams require at least 5 runners, with no maximum number of participants. The team captain will create their team upon registration, and additional team members must provide their team code when registering to be added to the team. If the team minimum of 5 participants is not reached, the team captain will be charged the remaining cost. Teams can consist of participants in any of the races; however, to qualify for team awards, there must be 5 participants in the 5K.

No, parking is included with your registration fee.

Race packets can be picked up on Saturday, January 17 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Peck Welcome Center. Registrants will receive an email prior to January 17 with a Saturday admission pass. Race packet pickup will be available on Sunday, January 18 (race day) beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Yes, someone else may pick up your race packet for you. Please make sure they have a copy of your confirmation email to show the race staff.

The 5K run will be chip timed. Results including Name, Division, and Finishing Time will be available for all attendees to view after the race in the Peck Welcome Center and online.

Each child’s admission for the 1-mile race also includes one adult admission for a parent to accompany the child. Parents are welcome to join their child on the route.

Gorilla trophies will be awarded to overall champions and the top three finishers by age group in all divisions in the 5K. Age groups range from 14 and under through 80+, in five-year increments. Overall winners are ineligible for age group awards. The top three teams based on the three fastest finishers will also receive prizes.

Samson was one of the Zoo’s most beloved animals, a silverback gorilla. This magnificent animal arrived at the Zoo’s Washington Park location in 1950 from West Africa. He lived out his life here and became an iconic resident of the Zoo. Samson died of an apparent heart attack in 1981 at the age of 32. The Samson Stomp began in 1981 to commemorate Samson’s life.

Please bring your old handheld electronics — cell phones, tablets and e-readers, smart watches, earbuds, digital cameras, digital music players, wearable fitness trackers, handheld gaming systems, and GPS devices — to the Zoo’s U.S. Bank Gathering Place for recycling.

Recycling handheld electronics reduces the demand for coltan, a mineral extracted from the forests of Congo, home to critically endangered lowland gorillas. The coltan mining business has led to a dramatic reduction of the gorillas’ natural habitat.

In the event’s history (nearly 50 years), the Samson Stomp has never been canceled. If it is, pre-registrants will receive an email, notifying them of the closure. Participants can also look to the Zoo’s website and social media for event updates.

Please email zoo.specialevents@milwaukeecountywi.gov.