There's Still Time To Register For 43rd Annual Bel Air Town Run Sunday

BEL AIR, MD — The Bel Air Town Run, an annual late spring tradition held since the early 1980s, will kick off early Sunday morning as participants in the 5K run and one-mile Fun Run/Walk weave their way through downtown and nearby neighborhoods.

Approximately 1,000 people had registered as of Thursday afternoon, bringing participation back up to where it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to race director Shawn Loper. This is the 43rd year for the Town Run, which Loper noted is “one of the oldest consecutive races in the nation.”

There is still time to register for this year’s event, according to city officials. The race begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday and participants can pick up their packets starting at 6:30 a.m. at the amphitheater in Shamrock Park at Lee Way and North Hickory Avenue.

Participants can register online at the Bel Air Town Run page on RunSignUp; the current fees are $35 per person for the 5K race and $30 for the Fun Run/Walk. There is a $15 fee for children 10 years old and younger who want to participate in either event. Families of four or more people who sign up at the same time get a $5-per-person discount.

A virtual run also is available for $25 per person, or $15 for ages 10 and younger. People can do a virtual 5K or Fun Run/Walk.

Participants should register and pay ahead of time at RunSignUp, or they can use a smartphone app to register on race day, according to Loper. The starting line will be on Main Street near the intersection with Office Street. The course goes to East Broadway and then winds through the neighborhoods near Shamrock Park and in Majors Choice, ending on Lee Way at Shamrock Park.

The streets along the course will be closed around 7 a.m. and are slated to reopen around 10 a.m., according to the Bel Air Police Department. A course map is available on the Bel Air Town Run page on Facebook, as well as the Bel Air Police Department and Town of Bel Air Government pages.

Awards, including cash prizes, will be given to the top three male finishers and top three female finishers in their respective age ranges, which are in five-year increments. A finisher’s medal is new this year and will be given to every runner who completes the 5K race, according to Loper.