Downtown streets will be filled with runners and spectators Sunday morning for the 19th annual Buffalo Marathon.

New this year is the Diaper Dash, a 26.2-foot crawl/walk for some of the race’s tiniest spectators. Sponsored by the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital, the race is strictly for those athletes 2 years of age and younger.

There’s also a new text alert system for weather and traffic updates to keep runners notified of changing conditions on race day. To sign up, text 2019BuffaloMarathon to 33222.

The marathon is a four-day event this year, with yoga at the finish line on Franklin Street at 6 p.m. Friday kicking off the festivities and a Slow Roll at the Buffalo Naval Park on Memorial Day Monday to bring things to a close.

Here’s everything runners, spectators and those who want to avoid the crowds need to know about race weekend:

Runners:

  • Packets for the marathon can be picked up starting at 9 a.m. Saturday inside the convention center.
  • The all-important pre-race pasta dinner ($20) presented by Chef’s is at the convention center from 4-6 p.m. Saturday
  • Participants can begin lining up for the race in the corral at 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning.
  • The race begins and ends near the convention center and will start at 6:30 a.m. sharp.
  • There will be 110 portable toilets spread out through the course of the race.
  • The 26.2-mile race course will remain open until 12:30 p.m.; the half marathon course will close at 10:30 a.m.
  • The post-race party takes place on the second floor of the convention center, from 8:15 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

Spectators:

  • The best place to meet your runner is at the Official Family Reunion Area outside the convention center.
  • Want to watch along the way? Your best bets include:
  1. Spot Coffee at the corner of Chippewa and Delaware — runners will pass here twice as the race starts and ends
  2. Gates Circle or near the intersection of Chapin Parkway and Delavan Street near Forest Lawn Cemetery
  3. Inside Delaware Park near Nottingham Terrace and Meadow Road
  • Remember: Bicycles and pets are not permitted along the race route.

If you want to avoid the race:

  • Roads will start to close early at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, with all roads reopened by 2 p.m. Downtown streets will remain closed the longest; streets near Delaware Park will reopen by 1:30 p.m.
  • Avoid the area near the convention center starting Saturday night.

2019 Buffalo Marathon Map by Matthew Driffill on Scribd