Tielt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The expected second edition of the charity event entitled “Run or Walk in ‘t Park,” set for Sunday, August 23, has been officially cancelled. The organizers stated that the new park located at the back of the Tielt train station, which is expected to again be the beautiful setting of the community run, will not be hosting the run this year. This effectively puts an abrupt halt to the plans to have the run take place on Sunday, depriving charities and participants from the fundraiser event.
Although the reason for the sudden cancellation of the run was not stated at first, the venue itself will be very much active on the coming weekend. There is confirmation of another event involving cars happening at the same venue a day before the planned run.
What Event Will Replace the Run in the Park?
Despite the clearing up of Sunday’s schedule, there is going to be plenty of action at the park situated behind the station, because this location will be used for hosting the starting point of the Thielt Classic Rally race on Saturday, August 22. In other words, instead of the usual number of people attending a charity run, one can expect the sound of classic cars’ engines, because classic car fans are going to get together for the Thielt Classic Rally. It is evident that the change in the program means a considerable shift in the atmosphere of the weekend activities. While before a 5K race was planned, now a motorsport event is expected to take place in the station area.
How Does This Impact Tielt’s Event Calendar?
It breaks the consistency of the ‘Run or Walk in ‘t Park‘ series, an event that was successful in holding its first ever edition in 2025. With the first edition establishing the event as a possible fixture for charities and fitness buffs from the locality, cancelling the second edition has caused some interruption in the process started the previous year, not to mention the charities that would benefit from the money raised by the event. The cancellation is also a reflection of the schedule conflicts faced within the city. The fact that the Thielt Classic Rally has been set for the Saturday morning means that the park will be used for this event, hence causing an interruption in the scheduled Sunday run because of several factors like setup time and noise considerations.
What Is the History of the ‘Run in ‘t Park’ Event?
‘Run or Walk in ‘t Park’ became another event added to the Tielt community’s schedule in 2025. The very first run took place in the new park behind the station promoting health, fitness, and fundraising. This event was supposed to be inclusive since one could participate by running or walking. However, the cancellation of the 2026 run makes one wonder whether this event has any future at all. Without any explanation of the reasons why this particular event has been cancelled and whether this is just one cancellation because of the rally problem or there are some other issues which have to be solved, the fate of the 2027 event seems to be doubtful. At least this weekend, the park behind the station will be associated with the noise of classic car engines instead of runners’ feet.
