Nicky Quinby
Special to Colorado Community Media
There is no shortage of local events to enjoy in Elizabeth. The town organizes annual events like Wine in the Pines, the Mayor’s Tree Lighting and the Friday Night Market. Even so, there aren’t many that encourage people to get up and move.
The Town of Elizabeth recognized this need and partnered with Amanda Love, the owner of Old Windmill Events, and the Main Street Board to create the Historic Elizabeth Main Street 5K & Family Color Run on Sept. 23 starting at 9 a.m. The 5K will begin and end on Elizabeth’s Main Street while the Family Color Run will take place in Running Creek Park.
Overall, the organizers want people to “enjoy the space that is Main Street.”
Love remarked: “Events like this bring the community together” and lamented that many people in and around Elizabeth aren’t aware of the boutiques, food and history on their own Main Street. She went on to say that part of the goal of the Main Street 5K is to “support small business here.”
Linda Bulmer, the Main Street Board Vice President, and the Town of Elizabeth Community Development Director & Main Street Manager Zach Higgins hope the unique event will drive traffic to Main Street.
The event is also a great way for the community to get involved and support the town. The Elizabeth High School poms team will be “throwing color” for the Color Run and the American Legion is providing the pancake breakfast. The Elizabeth Brewing Company provided a drink ticket for runners and the brewpub’s new outdoor patio will be open to enjoy.
General admission to the event includes a medal, T-shirt, pancake breakfast and the drink ticket. Cash awards will be given to the top three males and females of the 5K race.
At the end of the race, there will be a DJ, face painting, Kona Ice, a rubber duck scavenger hunt and cornhole. Serious contenders can play to prepare for the cutthroat cornhole competitions later that day at Pints in the Park. Those not participating are still welcome to come out to Main Street for the after-event celebrations and retail therapy.
Pints in the Park/Arts & Crafts Fair, organized by the Elizabeth Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place later the same day in Casey Jones Park from noon until 10 p.m. This year Pints in the Park runs concurrently with the Elizabeth Stampede Community Rodeo, which begins the night of Sept. 22.