Community Corner
Worcester Firefighters 6K Returns: What To Know
The race was created in 2000 to remember the firefighters and thank the city for supporting the department after the fire.
WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester Firefighters 6K will return to Institute Park Sunday, bringing runners, walkers and traffic closures to the Salisbury Street area.
The race is scheduled for Sunday, June 7, with a kids race at 11 a.m. and the 6K and 3K walk at 11:30 a.m. at Institute Park, according to the race website. Worcester police said Salisbury Street will close from Grove Street to Park Avenue from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Grove Street westbound into the city will close from Gold Star Boulevard to Salisbury Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Worcester Firefighters 6K began after the Worcester Cold Storage Fire on Dec. 3, 1999, when six Worcester firefighters died battling a fire at 266 Franklin St., according to the race history page. The race was created in 2000 to remember the firefighters and thank the city for supporting the department after the fire.
The event has since grown into a memorial race for Worcester firefighters who died in the line of duty, including Firefighter Jon Davies, Firefighter Christopher Roy and Lt. Jason Menard.
The course starts and ends at Institute Park and runs past the Grove Street Fire Station and downtown Worcester, according to organizers. The event also includes a post-race gathering at the park with a barbecue, live music and other activities.
Organizers say the race supports local nonprofit charities, including NEADS World Class Service Dogs, Genesis Club and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The event has raised more than $600,000.
Police advised drivers to avoid the area during the closures.
