6 things you need to know about this year’s Dempsey Challenge in Lewiston
Patrick Dempsey to Appear at 2026 Dempsey Challenge, New Gravel Routes Add Variety
LEWISTON – The 2026 Dempsey Challenge, a week‑long run, walk and cycling event that supports Maine’s Dempsey Center for cancer patients, is set to take place this week. Actor‑founder Patrick Dempsey will attend the opening “Night of Love and Light” on Friday night and will join a Saturday bike route in Lewiston, the organizers confirmed on Friday.
“Yes!” said Katelynn Hartt, the Dempsey Center’s communications director. “He will be in attendance at our Friday ‘Night of Love and Light’ event and will be joining us on a route on Saturday.” The Friday gathering will be held at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Saturday start at 7 a.m. on Oxford Street, Lewiston.
The challenge, which began in 2009, has grown from a 5‑mile run to a full‑day festival that now includes a 25‑, 50‑ and 65‑mile bike ride, a 30‑ and 55‑mile gravel ride and a 5‑k walk/run. This year the course layout has changed. “For folks who have been taking on the challenge for a while, they will notice that routes are — for the most part — moving in the opposite direction,” Hartt said. The new gravel rides are on hard‑packed gravel, and a second, longer gravel route has been added to the program.
The organizers are keeping the event family‑friendly. “We have events for all ages,” Hartt added. In addition to the main run, walk, and bike events, the day will feature a Kids Fun Run on Oxford Street at 11 a.m., a Bike Rodeo hosted by the Bike Coalition of Maine in the Maine MILL parking lot on Beech Street from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and an Honor Walk past the photo wall at 2 p.m. The festival concludes at 2:15 p.m.
The Dempsey Center, founded by Patrick Dempsey in 2008, offers free counseling, support groups and nutrition and fitness classes to cancer patients and their families. The Challenge’s fundraising goal for 2026 is $1.9 million, and Hartt reported that 86 % of the target had been reached by mid‑week.
The star of the event has been busy filming in Toronto for his new TV crime drama “Memory of a Killer,” which premiered on Fox earlier this year. While his character is a contract killer, Dempsey is using his platform to promote early detection and care for cancer patients. He is the face of a multimillion‑dollar national advertising campaign from Guardant Health, urging Americans to get screened for colorectal cancer and highlighting the FDA‑approved Shield blood test.
“We’re excited to bring new challenges and keep the spirit of the event alive,” Hartt said. “The community’s support has been incredible, and we’re looking forward to another great year of fundraising and family fun.”
The 2026 Dempsey Challenge is open to participants of all ages and abilities. Registrants can choose from the short walk/run, the medium‑distance rides or the longer gravel challenges. The festival will also offer free health screenings, a vendor marketplace and a kids’ activity zone.
For more information or to register, visit the Dempsey Challenge website or call the Dempsey Center at (207) XXX‑XXXX. The event is free to attend, but donations are encouraged to help keep cancer‑support services available at no cost to patients.
