Editor’s note: Photos are from thecity1.com files.
The weekend of Saturday, September 16, 2023, will be exciting in the Morrison, IL, community. More information is available on The website www.harvesthammer.org. Register at www.getmeregistered.com and search for Harvest Hammer, Duathlon, and Color Run. Online registration ends Thursday, September 14, at midnight.
Events commence on Genesee Avenue at Morrison High School. Starting at 8:00 a.m., three Fun Runs are designed for kids in grades 2-and-Under up-to-8th grade. Bryce Mead, owner of Mead’s Bike Shop in Sterling, IL, will donate children’s bikes via a drawing.
The 5K Run/Walk starts at 9:00. The course leaves town on Prairie Center Road turning left onto Lister Road, as soon as runners/walkers cross Rock Creek bridge. Following straightaways, twists, and turns, runners turn onto Harvey Road, going up the hill for about a quarter mile, to reach the turn around point. With a sigh of relief, because it is all downhill from here, participants will retrace the course and finish where they started in front of the High School.
Bicyclists in the Duathlon face the long hill on Prairie Center Road, followed by a mostly-straight course to Hillside Road. They will turn left onto a two-mile straightaway to Bunker Hill Road. The course turns left onto Lister and leads to Prairie Center Road–where riders turn left and do it all again, eventually completing the event at the high School.
All roads will remain open to restricted traffic except the portion of Lister Road, between Harvey and Prairie Center Roads. Motorists are encouraged to use extreme caution when bikers are present. Members of Rotary Club and volunteers will serve as road guards at intersections and to ensure safety during the race. Residents along the race course have been asked to confine their dogs and other rambunctious pets, while the race is in progress.
If you enter any Harvest Hammer event, there is a complimentary Color Run to join, which follows the Harvest Hammer around 11:15 a.m. Those who want to enter only the Color Run may register just for that event; the fee is $15. Child sunglasses are furnished. Harvest Hammer Director Dr. Bradley Yaklich urges everyone to “wear a long-sleeved t-shirt. Adults should bring their own sunglasses.”
Paint the Town music, entertainment, and food will accompany artistic endeavors in the downtown area from noon into the afternoon. Look for some paintings in circles this year among the squares.
On Sunday, September 17, two related events take place. Return to Genesee and Main Streets between 8:00 a.m. and noon, for the Morrison Wrestlers Breakfast: pancakes, sausage, orange juice, and coffee for a donation. Coach Tom Drosopolous states, “We are looking forward to seeing everyone.”
The Loft on Main will be closed on Saturday, but opens from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Stop in for a complimentary Dilly Bar. The Loft on Main encourages everyone to view the City street gallery.
Stroll the streets to appreciate the wealth of creativity that Paint the Town inspires.