The Park City Fourth of July 5K, operated by Park City Ski & Snowboard club, is returning Saturday for the 42nd time.
Up to 1,000 runners will depart from and return to the base at Park City Mountain, running a large portion of the race along Three Kings Drive toward Hotel Thaynes.
As the race was when it was founded by Gary Cole and Phil Thompson, it still serves as a fundraiser for the ski club. The club has 10 teams who sometimes need additional funding, like during last season when many had to travel for training with low snowfall in Park City and Utah.
Registration for the race is still open on their RunnerCard page. It costs runners over 12 years of age $50 and those under $30.
“It’s really nice that we have a tradition that’s been in town for so long that supports our club,” said Park City Ski & Snowboard club Development Director Heidi Voelker. “We like for the town to participate, get to know us and start their days out on the Fourth of July with a typical 5K.”
While not as much of a Fourth of July staple as fireworks, which are banned through July 5 in Utah because of high wildfire risks, Voelker said a Fourth of July 5K is typical in U.S. cities. The club also hosts a kids trail running series in the summers named Moose on the Loose, and Voelker said running competitions fit naturally with the athletics club.
“As a town, we exercise a lot,” Voelker said. “So what a great way to start our Fourth of July by getting our exercise in before we go celebrate the rest of the day. … It’s a win-win. You get exercise and are supporting future athletes.”
The club will hand out T-shirts to all runners.
Voelker said her favorite part of the race is always seeing the loving atmosphere with everyone cheering each other on. She encourages runners to sign up before the deadline at 6 p.m. on Friday, even if they’d prefer to walk the 3 miles or skip it.
“It’s a great celebration for our country and our town,” Voelker said. “It’s a great way to be part of the community and feel like you’re giving back in not a very expensive way. … We all know it was a really bad winter, so it’s going to help alleviate some of the emergency expenses we had last year and have the kids continue their normal calendar this winter.”
For additional information on the club, see their website.