The City of Great Falls announced on April 15 that registration is still open for the 46th Annual Ice Breaker Road Race, which will take place on Sunday, April 26. Participants can choose from a 5-mile, 3-mile, or 1-mile race—or run all three—and all runners will receive a long sleeve t-shirt, finisher’s medal, refreshments provided by Pepsi, and a chance to win door prizes. Top finishers in each age category are eligible for cash prizes or gift cards donated by Scheels of Great Falls.
The annual event is an important tradition in the community and highlights local engagement through running and volunteering. Organizers say volunteers are needed to help with packet pickup, street closures, post-race awards, and other tasks. Volunteers will receive a race t-shirt and goody bag.
Early Bird Pricing for registration is available in person at Scheels (1200 10th Ave. S) on Saturday, April 18 from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Regular registration can be completed online or in person at several locations including the Great Falls Park and Recreation office (1700 River Dr. N), Scheels Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center (900 29th St. S), or on race day itself at the Civic Center starting at 9:00am.
On race day—April 26—several intersections and roads along the route will be closed to ensure safety for participants and spectators. The city encourages residents to check the list of scheduled street closures ahead of time.
Great Falls has been home to notable figures such as Western artist Charles M. Russell and country music star Charley Pride according to the official website. The city honors its heritage through initiatives that celebrate its history with Lewis and Clark as well as early Native American tribes as detailed on its official website. Infrastructure like hydroelectric dams along the Missouri River—including those at the city’s waterfalls—are part of what distinguishes Great Falls according to city records.
The city operates under a City Commission form of government that appoints a City Manager for daily operations according to its official website, aiming for transparent governance through collaborative decision-making as stated online. The waterfalls themselves drop over five hundred feet—the only visible falls in the Missouri-Mississippi system without a dam according to city history.
