Speakers
Running Speaker in Paris, our microphone hosting at the Paris Zoo Run
Running in a zoo before it opens to the public, crossing paths with the keepers who join the enclosures, hearing the first animals come out during the warm-up – this is what distinguishes the Paris Zoo Run of all the other races in the capital. In 2026, Public Anim was involved as a micro-announcer at this event organized by the Paris Zoological Park in Vincennes. A look back at a long and busy day, from the park’s opening until the final awards ceremony.
The 2026 edition marks a return. There was no Paris Zoo Run in 2025, the previous edition dating back to 2024. The park took advantage of this break to revise the course of the 5 and 10 km races, which changes things for runners accustomed to previous editions.
For this race, the distances are measured in laps of the park. The 10 km, open to those aged 15 and over, consists of 6 laps, with a meeting at 8 a.m. at the Clairières and a start at 8:30 a.m. The 5 km, open from the age of 9, consists of 3 laps, with the same meeting and start time. This information needs to be repeated over and over again on the microphone, because a runner accustomed to running a kilometer quickly loses their bearings on a loop course.
The 2026 edition offered five ways to participate.
In total, the 2026 edition saw 633 runners take part in the 5 and 10 km races (301 on the 5 km and 332 on the 10 km), 81 children take part in the Crazy Run and Choupi Run, and 45 walkers.
The welcome of the participants begins at 7:45. The park wakes up at the same pace as the runners; the veterinarians join the enclosures and the animals gradually come out, a process that continues until 9:30. Between 8:05 and 8:10, the speaker introduces the speech of the director of the Paris Zoological Park, Pierre-Yves Bureau, before launching the warm-up to music with the park’s teams.
The 10 km race starts first, followed shortly by the 5 km race. From 8:30 to 9:55, the entertainment team moves to the finish line to greet the runners as they return. At 10:00, it’s time for the distribution of snacks and the presentation of awards, which is also broadcasted via the microphone in front of the podium.
While the first runners recover, the families arrive for the Crazy Run and the Choupi Run. At 10:55, the speaker again introduces the director’s speech before the children’s warm-up. The start is given at 11:15, for a race that lasts 30 minutes. It ends at 11:45 with the distribution of snacks and gifts. In both races, there are no losers; each child goes away with goodies.
After a midday break marked by the opening of the Clairière and the Rosie kiosk, the walkers meet at 2pm. The director delivers a final speech at 2pm, then the walk starts at 2pm with its challenges to be overcome throughout the course. It ends at 4:15pm, followed by a snack, the correction of the challenges, and the presentation of awards at 4:30pm.
All registration revenues fund the support program of the Paris Zoological Park. Borana Reserve, in Kenya. For the 2026 edition, this commitment enabled the collection of 20,834 euros. This is a number that the speaker reminds several times during the day, between the start announcements, so that each runner keeps in mind why they are running.
Starting at 2pm, a sponsorship tent set up on the site also allows visitors to discover animal sponsorship, another way to support the park’s conservation programs.
During this race, certain instructions repeat themselves throughout the morning. The course includes areas of slowing down and turns, which are regularly indicated for the safety of the runners. A participant who wishes to change race during the course, from 10 km to 5 km or vice versa, must signal this before the start. The speaker also repeats that times are displayed as they go along and that the bib numbers must be returned to the Clairières tent; these are simple details that are easy to forget after the effort.
Between the reception at 7:45 and the final presentation at 16:30, the day extends well beyond eight hours. The speaker caters to very different audiences depending on the timeslot: established runners in the early morning, families with young children in the late morning, and then walkers in the afternoon. Each time slot requires a different tone, between sporty energy and family entertainment.
For a race that involves several hundred participants in a single day, using a professional microphone animator It allows you to maintain this energy from the first to the last departure.
Public Anim regularly participates in outdoor events, whether they are running races, corporate garden parties, or association sports days. For example, we shared our experience of’microphone hosting for a corporate garden party, a format that requires the same ability to adapt to an outdoor and changing environment. This sporting foundation is also found near our offices in Val d'Oise, where Public Anim sponsors a local sports club.
This type of event confirms an underlying trend that we are observing in the field, that of a event entertainment increasingly participatory, where the audience is no longer content just to watch, but wants to experience a true collective moment.
The Paris Zoo Run 2026 showed what a running event can become when it breaks away from the traditional format, a course in turns rather than kilometers, a day that begins with the awakening of the animals and ends with the presentation of the awards for a walk full of challenges. For a speaker, keeping that energy up for more than nine hours, while adapting to audiences as diverse as experienced runners and three-year-old children, remains a rare experience.
Are you organizing a running race, a sports day, or a solidarity event in Île-de-France? Contact Public Anim for a speaker who knows the discipline and knows how to present your case on the mic.
A sports announcer is a microphone presenter who specializes in running events. They keep the energy high from start to finish—from welcoming the runners to the awards ceremony—and serve as the link between the organizers, the participants, and the audience.
The course follows the paths of the park, a closed circuit rather than a linear route. Counting in turns is therefore more reliable for the organizers, even if it requires a different reference point for the runners.
A charity run brings together volunteers, partners, and several hundred runners in a single day. The event emcee centralizes information, handles unforeseen issues in real time, and highlights the cause supported by the event.
Yes. With the 5 km, the 10 km, the Crazy Run, the Choupi Run, and the Conservation Walk, the Paris Zoo Run offers a format suited for every age, from the youngest child to the experienced runner.
Registration is available on the Official website of the Paris Zoological Park. Some formats, such as the 5K, sell out several weeks before the event.
Yes. Public Anim provides microphone hosting for running races, sports days, and community events throughout the Île-de-France region. If you are organizing a sports event and looking for a microphone host, Discover our services.
