10,000 runners line up for the very first Plopsa Run

No fewer than 10,000 runners took part in the very first Plopsa Run at Plopsaland Belgium in De Panne on Saturday evening. Participants not only ran past the attractions but also gained access to behind-the-scenes areas that are normally closed to visitors. Gert and Viktor Verhulst and Manu Van Acker fired the starting signal and set an exuberant mood. The event also raised €51,440 for Make-A-Wish.

Published on 7 November 2026

Behind the scenes at Plopsaland

For the first edition, participants could choose from three distances: the Kids Run, the 5K Run and the 10K Run. The course ran right through Plopsaland Resort, taking runners through the large parade hall, the Plopsaland Theater Hotel and the Studio 100 Theater, among other places. There was also plenty going on along the course. Maya the Bee, Princess Linde from Prinsessia and the Christmas Gnome were among those cheering the runners on, while a fire show and dance performances added to the atmosphere.

€51,440 for Make-A-Wish

The first Plopsa Run was entirely dedicated to Make-A-Wish. After the race, a cheque for €51,440 was presented to the organisation, which grants the heartfelt wishes of children with critical illnesses. The proceeds will help Make-A-Wish make even more special wishes come true.

Caroline De Ruytter, CEO of Make-A-Wish: “What a fantastic first edition! It is heartwarming to see 10,000 people get moving together for our organisation. Thanks to this support, we can once again make special wishes come true and give children and their families a moment in which their worries fade into the background for a while. We are incredibly grateful to Plopsa and to all the participants.”

A DJ set brought the first edition of the Plopsa Run to a festive close. A second edition is already scheduled for 16 October 2027.

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Gunther Tijsmans

pers@plopsa.be

+32 (0)58 42 98 96

+32 (0)473 31 32 13

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About Plopsa

Plopsa, the theme park division of Studio 100, currently has 7 parks in its portfolio. Plopsa parks combine the magic of Studio 100 characters and more with the fun of many top attractions in a unique, themed environment. Together, the parks welcome more than 3.5 million visitors per year. Most of the activities are located in Belgium with 2 outdoor parks; Plopsaland Belgium and Plopsaland Ardennes, the indoor theme park Plopsa Indoor Hasselt and the water theme parks Plopsaqua De Panne and Plopsaqua Hannut-Landen. In addition to the theme parks and water parks, Plopsa also operates a Plopsa Shop in Wijnegem, Plopsaland Theater Hotel with 117 rooms, Plopsaland Village with 55 holiday villas and a camping site and the Studio 100 Theater in De Panne. In addition, Plopsaland Beach on the beach of De Panne is part of the extended resort offering. The Plopsa Group also has an international presence. In 2010, for example, the group opened its first indoor park in the Netherlands, Plopsa Indoor Coevorden, and in Germany it acquired the Holiday Park theme park and rebranded the park to Plopsaland Deutschland. In addition, Plopsa continues to invest year after year. The range of attractions in the existing theme parks will be further expanded in the coming years, as will the number of locations where Plopsa operates.

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