Color Dash 5K is on the move

The 2016 Color Dash 5K will have a new location — downtown Philipsburg.

The June 25 walk and run will largely go past storefronts, a change of pace compared to last year’s inaugural Color Dash at the Mid-State Regional Airport.

Moshannon Valley YMCA Branch Director Mel Curtis hopes the 5K, which will begin at 11 a.m., showcases the town.

“We are hoping that the business owners will hold activities on their own,” Curtis said.

Proceeds will go to the YMCA’s backpack program, which benefits 700 participants, and the free summer lunch program, which has served about 170,000 lunches since 2004, according to Curtis.

“The Color Dash enables the YMCA to purchase food for all of the food programs, and in a time that grant money is getting tighter ,this fundraiser keeps these programs on track so we may sustain the programs and continue feeding children,” Curtis said. “Come out to a great family-oriented event that will make the runners look like Skittles by the end of the race. Hunger has no boundaries and this is an opportunity to help others.”

About 300 people registered for last year’s race, which took place in a downpour.

“We love it,” Poppy and Co. owner Jennifer Foreman said. “We’re game for everything we can do downtown. We have the Wine Walk and Heritage Days coming up in a few months, too. These things really pull the community together.”

Philipsburg Revitalization Corp. Executive Director Dana Shoemaker applauded the Moshannon Valley YMCA for choosing downtown Philipsburg for its Color Dash location.

“Events that are rooted in the community need to be held in the downtown as often as possible in order to continue to drive foot traffic and economic impact in the local businesses,” Shoemaker said. “This event is one more way the PRC, the borough of Philipsburg and our YMCA partner to do just that.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Color Dash 5K is on the move."