Georgetown Race Kicks Off Celebration

Wilton area runners are champing at the bit in anticipation of the sixth annual Georgetown Gallop 5K Road Race on Sunday, June 12.

The race, sponsored by the Wilton Chamber of Commerce and Wilton Family YMCA, will kick off the 11th annual Georgetown Day celebration. It is held along Main Street in Redding, at the four-town crossing known as Georgetown that includes parts of Wilton, Redding, Weston and Ridgefield.

The race steps off at 11 a.m. Check in begins at 10 a.m. at Mini Vinny’s Delicatessen, at Routes 57 and 107. The self-timed and mostly flat 3.1-mile road race is expected to draw about 75 runners. The Gallop is followed by the Pony Express, a fun run for kids.

The course goes along “picturesque” Old Mill Road and ends on Main Street, organizers said. “The Wilton Y and Chamber of Commerce have partnered on this event for five years, as both have member in the Georgetown area,” said Karen Strickland, development director at the Wilton Y and a member of the chamber’s Board of Directors.

“We hold the race in conjunction with the Georgetown Day Street Festival, which has booths and entertainment,” Strickland said. “It’s a beautiful running course down Old Mill Road, and ties in with the Y’s emphasis on healthy living.”

Strickland said the event is not a fundraiser but “a way to be part of the community. Our goal is just to break even.”

Registration before June 10 costs $15. On the day of the race it costs $20. The Fun Run for kids costs $5. Trophies will be presented to the men's and women's winners, and participation medals are given to kids. Online registration can be made in advance at www.active.com.

Sponsored by the Georgetown Village Restoration Association, the celebration features a street festival with live music, international cuisine, a competitive chili cook-off, beer tent, hot dog-eating competition, dunk booth, kids’ activities, and artisans and vendors selling arts, crafts, clothing and jewelry. Children can also have their faces painted, be entertained by clowns and jump in the bounce house.

Have you attended past Georgetown Day events or taken part in the 5K road race? Leave a comment below.

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