From Celsius to Maybelline, more brands are showing up for the New York City Marathon’s 50th anniversary

Experiential Marketing // October 29, 2026 From Celsius to Maybelline, more brands are showing up for the New York City Marathon’s 50th anniversary By Gabriela Barkho Vuori This year’s New York City Marathon, which marks the 50th anniversary of the modern five-borough race and is expected to break participant records, is attracting brands to the world-famous race.

It’s no surprise that footwear brands like Nike, New Balance and Hoka are hosting their own pop-ups during the New York City Marathon weekend.

But the brands showing up at the annual race represent a more diverse cross-section of retail than ever before, from beauty brands like Salt & Stone to restaurants around the city capitalizing on runners looking to carb-load.

As the official and first-ever beauty sponsor of the marathon, Maybelline is also hosting a series of activations around the city, starting with a pre-race shakeout run in collaboration with running sunglasses brand Rendezvous Sports, featuring product giveaways and snacks. As major sports events, like the U. S.

Open and the Olympics, increasingly dominate consumer attention, more brands are finding ways to capitalize on sports moments. The New York City Marathon, specifically, also overlaps with running culture that has grown through run clubs.

By leveraging strategic pop-ups, community events and targeted sponsorships, these companies are tapping into sports marketing opportunities to drive engagement and align themselves with the active lifestyles of today’s consumers.

Ahead of the New York City Marathon, energy drink brand Celsius is opening a Club Celsius pop-up in Brooklyn, a dedicated hub for a series of activations throughout the weekend. According to the company, the pop-up is meant to bring together runners, athletes and the New York public for the marathon.

Located along the marathon route in Brooklyn, Club Celsius will host experiences ranging from pre-race prep to race-day cheering to post-race celebrations, and will be live from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. Attendees will get to customize race-day gear and sample Celsius drinks on site.

The weekend kicks off Friday with a sunset group run led by DJ duo Sidequest and “Love Island” alum Corbin Mims, along with other fitness influencers. The pop-up also builds on Celsius’ marketing efforts during last year’s New York City Marathon.

In 2025, the company popped up with a similar concept called Energy House, where it hosted a dinner and panel discussion for athletes, and offered morning stretches, yoga and a recovery zone.

Kyle Watson, chief brand officer at Celsius, said the brand’s origin as a better-for-you energy drink for fitness enthusiasts makes the famous marathon a natural fit to sponsor. “The brand was founded in fitness, and it remains an integral part of our DNA,” Watson said.

He added that the Club Celsius space “was created for the entire running community, and our programming reflects that,” from a shakeout run led by brand partners to a post-run live dating show and Medal Monday recovery session. Watson said running continues to evolve beyond a fitness-only activity into a social gathering.

“We wanted our activation to reflect the modernity of running culture and truly serve as a social destination for the weekend,” he said. Mattress brand Saatva is hosting its first-ever New York City Marathon pop-up this year, as part of its ongoing effort to tap into sports marketing moments.

This week, Saatva hosted a wellness event at its Flatiron store, which included a panel on training and recovery featuring five-time NYC Marathon winner Tatyana McFadden and Frank Reneau, founder of A Mile. A Minute.

Ron Rudzin, founder and CEO of Saatva, told Modern Retail that the New York City Marathon’s growing global brand “reflects how much running has evolved beyond race day into a year-round culture centered on wellness, community and performance.”

As part of its marketing efforts around running, Saatva also has sponsorships as the official mattress and restorative sleep partner of USA Track & Field and Team USA at the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Rudzin pointed to the Saatva marathon-week store event as the latest piece in this strategy to help put sleep and recovery at the center of the performance conversation. This year also marks Vuori’s first-ever New York City Marathon activation.

The company is hosting weekend-long events at its Flatiron Manhattan store, including pre- and post-marathon live DJs, snacks and limited-edition items. On race day, the brand is hosting a pop-up along the marathon route in Williamsburg with a branded newsstand and cheer signs.

Ashley Kechter, global president of Vuori, said the company decided to celebrate the event by leaning into the city’s busy atmosphere throughout the weekend. “There’s a lot that makes the NYC Marathon special, but the energy and sense of connection around it a