The UK mass participation events industry reportedly delivered 8% growth in 2025, according to a new report, tracking like–for–like events, from event registration platform Eventrac.
The study is based on booking data from consecutive years of events using the Eventrac platform across the UK. In terms of its market share of UK-based events, Eventrac accounts for around one in four – spread across a diverse base of event types and organisation sizes.
In its study, Eventrac reveals that the 25–39 age group is now a primary driver of growth. The 35–39 age bracket alone contributed 15% of all new participants, as tracked by Eventrac, in the 2025 season.
>>> Eventrac Mass Participation Report 2025 download
The event registration firm noted that, while the traditional peak of 40–44 years old is beginning to flatten, every age group under 40 gained market share.
Aaron Bird, CEO and Founder of eventrac, said “The participant base is fundamentally changing. We’re seeing younger people turn up to events in greater numbers, and they have different expectations around digital experience, social connection, and what they’re willing to pay for.”
Gender parity is also accelerating, particularly among younger cohorts. In the 20–24 age group, the gender split has effectively reached parity at 49.7% female and 49.9% male. Across all age groups, Eventrac reports that female participation is growing at a faster rate than male participation.
The report also identifies revenue opportunities beyond standard entry fees. Approximately 14.5% of participants purchased merchandise, with an average spend of £16. For total basket values exceeding £200, 25% of participants chose to use payment plans.
Additional findings from the report include:
- Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay now account for 75% of all transactions.
- Retention remains a challenge, as only 26% of participants who entered an event in 2024 returned to the same organiser in 2025.
- The average participant travels just 24–26 miles to events, suggesting a preference for local races over international destination experiences for those events using the Eventrac platform.
- January remains a peak booking period, capturing over 10% of annual registrations.
- Walking events saw the strongest year on year growth at 13.4%, followed by cycling at +10.6% and running at +10.2%. Within the running category, which represents 80% of all bookings on Eventrac, half marathons led growth with a 25% increase, while marathons grew by 20.2%.
Based in the UK, Eventrac is an event management and marketing platform that provides registration, payment processing, and communication tools for race organisers.
