With you 100% there! Race entry fees these days are outrageous. (Even if I was wealthy, I don't think I would pay them, just on principle.)
I want to get involved in my local parkrun too. It's not going to happen for me during the winter. ("Local" in my case = 7km away. And I don't have a car. A 7km hike in winter weather, then stripping down to my running gear--and storing my extra clothing where, exactly?--and then a 7km hike home again afterwards, with my sweat from the run cooling on my body and chilling me to the bone? No thank you!--Not to mention I'd arrive home from the event completely done with being outside in the cold for the day, but then still need to walk my dog. Who likes to do ~ 12km a day herself!) I can cycle the distance easily enough in nice weather though. And I definitely want to support events of this nature. And meet other runners in my city. And work on my 5K speed. So it's definitely in my plans to get involved soon.