Runners and walkers will converge on Mill Creek Saturday, July 12 for the city’s 18th annual Run of the Mill race and festival.
The popular 5.5K (3.4 mile) race, sponsored by the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce, starts at 9 a.m. at the Mill Creek Swim Club.
The USATF-sanctioned course runs through the scenic area adjacent to the Mill Creek Country Club to the finish line near Bank of America. Check in and day-of-race registration start at 7:30 a.m. at Bank of America, located at 911 161st St SE. The cost for runners is $25 for day-of-race registrants.
The awards ceremony will be held in the QFC parking lot, located at 926 164th St. SE. Medals will be awarded for first-, second- and third-place finishes in each age category for male and female runners, as well as for the top male and female finishers.
All participants will receive a Run of the Mill 2003 T-shirt. Refreshments will also be served.
At the conclusion of the race, the annual Mill Creek Festival gets underway at several locations along the city’s stretch of the Bothell-Everett Highway. From 1 to 4 p.m., the festival, sponsored by the Mill Creek Business Association, offers free food, music, entertainment and special giveaways provided by local merchants.
At Mill Creek Plaza (164th St. &Bothell-Everett Hwy.) there will be a watermelon eating contest every hour by Albertsons; a performance by the Seattle Cossacks Motorcycle Stunt &Drill Team at 1 and 3 p.m.; live music with Big Al &The Blues Blasters; and more entertainment from the Starbucks Man &Kodak Man.
Cross the street to Mill Creek Square and visitors will find a pie eating contest every hour by QFC, a “Bouncy House” for children and T. Tater the clown with balloons. The Army Reserves will display an authentic HumVee and there will be more live music, raffles and food displays.
At Maple Leaf Square (Mill Creek Blvd. &Bothell-Everett Hwy.), enjoy a “Big Bounce House” for children and adults; the “Rain Gutter Regatta,” an art table for children; and live stage performances by Express Yourself Studios.
Travel to the north end of Mill Creek to the Gateway Center at 132nd St. and Bothell-Everett Hwy., and find a hot dog eating contest every hour by Safeway; fast pitch and hay find games; a live auto extrication with Fire District 7; a petting zoo and a “big bouncer” for children; a dunk tank; free 10-minute hairdos; along with face painting, food samples, a race videos and raffles.
In between the festivities, there will be a health fair at Merrill Gardens (149th St. &Bothell-Everett Hwy.) and the Jackson High School cheerleaders will be hosting a car wash fund-raiser at the Village by the Creek shopping center (164th &9th Ave. SE).
Free shuttles will be available to transport festival-goers between the six event locations. A complete listing of events and a locator map will be available at the run, and throughout businesses in the community.
For more information call the South Snohomish County Chamber of Commerce at 425-774-0507.
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