The 24th Annual Pumpkin Dash will be held Saturday, October 3, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Hoover Park, 3807 Woodlawn Road, Sterling, IL. A $1 free-will donation will be accepted. There will be a petting zoo, a bounce house, hay rack rides, face-painting, barrel rides, ambulance tours, and pumpkin photos.
Hoover Park also has drinking water, playground equipment, picnic areas, and access to area trails.
For more information, contact the Sterling Park District at 815-622-6064.
No advance registration is required; registration begins at 9:00 and continues through the morning. Participants will be grouped by age and run races of various lengths.
- from 25 meters for the pee-wee’s (walkers younger than two)
- to 1000 meters for 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds.
The winner of each heat gets a larger pumpkin, but the first 1600 finishers will receive a small pumpkin. Runners will receive a coupon for free lunch at the Sterling Optimist Club food tent and a bag of Halloween goodies.
Approximate start times for each age group are:
11:00 a.m.: Pee Wee race
11:15 a.m.: 3-year-olds
11:30 a.m.: 4- and 5-year-olds
Noon: 6- and 7-year-olds
12:30 p.m.: 8- and 9-year olds
1 p.m.: 10- and 11-year-olds
1:15 p.m.: 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds.
Come early to avoid missing the start time.