Hoopfest, Bloomsday come together
Teams can compete in both events for a championship title
Bloomsday and Hoopfest are joining forces.
For the first time, teams can compete in both events this year to win the first Bloomsday-Hoopfest Team Championship.
Event organizers announced the partnership Tuesday in a news conference to kick off the 2010 Lilac Bloomsday Run, which takes place May 2.
The idea was to bring together two of Spokane’s most popular activities, basketball and running, said Rick Betts, Hoopfest founder.
Teams will be divided by gender and must consist of four people.
This year’s Bloomsday, the 34th annual, will benefit SNAP, which serves low-income, homeless and other vulnerable people.
“It couldn’t happen at a more appropriate time,” said Ron Hardin, SNAP’s communications director.
SNAP adopted the slogan “Running Poverty Out of Town.”
The organization is planning a “special presence” along the course, Hardin said.
“It’s a secret right now,” he said.
Also new this year is a teen challenge that matches runners from local middle schools and high schools to see which team can finish the race with the fastest time.
Organizers plan to introduce a new tracking tag that fits through shoelaces instead of around the ankle.
Last year’s harsh winter brought out more participants than ever, and organizers are expecting a huge turnout again this year.
“It’s looking like our unusually mild winter is having an even more dramatic impact,” said Jerry O’Neal, Lilac Bloomsday Association president.
More than 7,000 students have been participating in a Bloomsday preparation program at about 70 local schools.
Braiden Coston, a 12-year-old student at Assumption Parish School, designed this year’s winning poster, featuring a runner and the Riverfront Park Clock Tower.