Join us for the Bridgefest Parade!

Line up begins on S. Lincoln Drive in Hancock at 5:30 PM and the parade begins at 7:05 PM down Quincy street across the Portage Lake Lift Bridge down Shelden Avenue and ends near the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce office in Houghton.

To learn more or to register for the Bridgefest Parade visit: https://www.bridgefestfun.com/parade/

DESCRIPTION

Friday June 19, 2020 – 7:00pm – Race Start at Quincy St and Scott St, Hancock, MI – Race Finish at Bridgeview Park, Houghton, MI

Come and run or walk with or in front of your family, friends, and neighbors.  We are proud to honor the memory of Thatcher Markham with this 5K run/walk event that supports the Copper Country Junior Hockey Association and Pigs ‘N Heat (Copper Country Police and Fire Relief Fund) in their missions to promote youth sports and support local fire/crime victims in the Copper Country.  Thatcher’s family and our community tragically lost Thatcher at 12 years old as a victim of the 2018 Father’s Day flood in northern Houghton County. His memory has lived on through many local events and remembrances and this race is another way to make sure he is never forgotten by everyone in the Copper Country.  It is also fitting that remembering Thatcher will help us with assisting local sports – Thatcher himself was a longtime CCJHA player – and local first-responders in their charitable work.

This race is your only opportunity to run/walk through downtown Hancock and Houghton and over the Portage Lake Lift Bridge on closed streets.  The running race and non-competitive walk (5K, 3.1 miles) precedes the 2020 Bridgefest parade – starting at the west end of downtown Hancock and finishing in downtown Houghton.  You can participate in this event and not miss the parade too!  The finish will be in Bridgeview Park, just a block off the parade route.

This will be a first-class event with T-Shirts for all participants, professional chip timing and results, an accurate distance with mile splits, overall and age group awards, and safe race conditions.  Not to mention probable great weather and an awesome time racing in front of a huge crowd!

Add to your Bridgefest experience with a fun, fitness-oriented event.  Support great causes and remember a fine young man.  Set a goal, challenge yourself, and enjoy the comradery of your community both on the course and lining both sides of the street as you go by.  This is a great warm-up event to prep for the Canal Run in Hancock (July 18, 2020).  You can also pair this Friday evening event with mountain bike racing on Saturday and/or Sunday by riding in the Keweenaw Chain Drive (http://keweenawchaindrive.org/). 

RACE CONTACT INFO

If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at thatchermarkhammemorialrun@gmail.com

MORE RACE INFO

$50 family registration fee until June 1, 2020 (up to 2 adults and all minor children of a nuclear family up to 6), save $30 for a family of 4!

Individual registration is just $20 per person until June 1, 2020.  Registration fee jumps to $25 per person until June 15th.  Online registration closes on June 15, 2020.  Late and race day registration for $30 per person is available on Thursday June 18, 2020 (5:00pm – 8:00pm) and on the day of the event (June 19, 2020, 4:30pm – 6:30pm) at Keweenaw Buick/GMC (612 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI, just east of the race start).

Parking

Park in any legal area in Houghton/Hancock on race day and proceed to the start area on foot.  There will be no shuttle between the start and finish areas, which are only about a mile apart.

Gear Check

If you would like any items taken from the start area to the finish area, bags, tags, and markers will be available for you to mark your belongings with your bib number and place them in a vehicle for transport.  You can claim your items with your race bib at the finish area immediately following your completion of the course.  Race officials are not responsible for lost items.

Awards

The awards ceremony will take place at the Ray Kestner Waterfront Park (bandshell) as part of Bridgefest at approximately 9:30pm.

Awards for the Top Overall Male and Female, and Top Master’s (40 and up) Male and Female in the 5K run.  Age group awards to the top 3 male and female finishers in the 5K run in these age groups: 12 and under, 13-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-plus.

The 5K walk is non-competitive and not judged.  Walk results will be posted, but there will be no awards for the walk.  If you want to do a mix of running and walking, you should register for the 5K run event.  Walkers may receive awards in age groups where there are not at least 3 runners.

Results

Individual results will be available for print-out at the finish line.  Full overall and age-group results will be posted online through https://www.superiortiming.com/ within 72 hours of race conclusion.  Walk results will be posted overall, but not broken down by age groups.

Disclaimers

Event postponement or cancellation due to weather conditions or other safety factors is possible and at the sole discretion of race and public safety officials.  All participants should remain alert for directions from race officials and announcers and take precautions to prepare properly for varying weather conditions on race day.

No refunds of registration fees for any reason at any time.

Volunteers

It takes many great volunteers to have a great event.  If you can’t run/walk or aren’t up to it, but still want to help out a great cause, please email thatchermarkhammemorialrun@gmail.com to express your interest in assisting with the race.

We need volunteers to help with organization prior to race day, race-day and day-before registration and check-in, organizing the start and finish areas, transporting racer’s gear, helping with timing (splits), helping at the aid station, leading and sweeping the race, controlling traffic, setting up the course, etc.  Even if you’re participating in the event, we still need your help.  And you can still catch the parade in Houghton with most volunteer positions.  Let us know what position preference you may have when emailing, if any.  Volunteers will need to sign a release form prior to volunteering.

Contact Info

Feel free to get in touch of us through the following methods:

E-mail: thatchermarkhammemorialrun@gmail.com

Mail: Thatcher Markham Memorial Run, PO Box 15, c/o Ryan Towles, Dollar Bay, Michigan 49922

Phone: 906-370-1935 (Ryan)

Sponsorship

We’re always open to adding new sponsors for the Thatcher Markham Memorial Run. If you’re interested in sponsoring, please email thatchermarkhammemorialrun@gmail.com for more information.  Cash and in-kind contributions are welcome.  All Thatcher Markham Memorial Run sponsors will have their logo (if supplied) printed on the race T-Shirts.

EVENT: 5K RUN

Packet Pickup
Packet pick-up for pre-registered runners/walkers and late registration will be held on Thursday, 6/18/20, the day before the race at Keweenaw Buick/GMC (612 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI, just east of the race start) from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Race packets can be picked up by others, if needed.
Race Day
Race Day registration and pre-registration check-in/packet pick-up at Keweenaw Buick/GMC (612 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI, just east of the race start), 4:30pm – 6:30pm. Race packets can be picked up by others, if needed.
The pre-race staging area is Scott St between Quincy St and Hancock St (the block behind the Hancock Krist Oil gas station). Restroom facilities at the race start will consist of several porta-potties.
The starting line is on Quincy St near the intersection of Scott St in Hancock (west of downtown). All participants must be present for staging no later than 6:45pm. We will stage on Scott St (south of Quincy St) and then move out onto Quincy St to get in starting positions after traffic has been stopped for the Bridgefest parade.
Race Start (runners and walkers together) at 7:00pm to be followed by the Bridgefest Parade at 7:05pm.
The use of headphones is strongly discouraged for the safety of our participants, as portions of the racecourse are not closed to traffic.

Race Course
All runners and walkers must stay ahead of the parade until the racecourse leaves the parade route (about 1.5 miles). If you are caught by the parade lead vehicle, you must step off the course onto a sidewalk (this has not happened in the past).
This is a flat and fast 5K course with no major uphill climbs and a net elevation loss from start to finish. There is one major downhill section.
Racecourse is Quincy St east through downtown Hancock, right turn onto Reservation St, left onto Front St, over the Portage Lake Lift Bridge on the northbound lanes into Houghton, left onto Shelden Ave through downtown Houghton.
At the end of the parade route at Franklin Square runners and walkers will transition to the sidewalk eastbound on College Ave. At this point, the course is not completely closed to traffic and participants must proceed no more than two abreast for the remainder of the course. Runners and walkers also must stay on the left side of the road at all times, facing traffic, unless otherwise directed by course marshals/markings. There will be an aid station with water and sports drink adjacent to the College Ave sidewalk.
The race route proceeds with a left turn onto Lake St and continuing downhill – this is the only significant grade on the course, please use caution – past the Super 8 motel to the dead-end of E. Lakeshore Dr. There is a turnaround point there and when returning westbound a right turn onto the bicycle path to then follow the Portage Canal shoreline (bike path on the water side of Super 8). Proceed on the bike path past the East Houghton waterfront park, Dee Stadium, Lakeshore Center, and Portage Lake District Library.
The finish is at Bridgeview Park, just east of the lift bridge. Finish amenities will include water, sports drink, and snacks.

Start Time: 7:00pm EDT

End Time: 9:30pm EDT

Price: $20.00 Race Fee + $2.50 SignUp Fee
Registration: Price increases to $25.00 after June 1, 2020 at 11:59pm EDT

EVENT: 5K NON-COMPETITIVE WALK

Packet Pickup
Packet pick-up for pre-registered runners/walkers and late registration will be held on Thursday, 6/18/20, the day before the race at Keweenaw Buick/GMC (612 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI, just east of the race start) from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Race packets can be picked up by others if needed.
Race Day
Race Day registration and pre-registration check-in/packet pick-up at Keweenaw Buick/GMC (612 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI, just east of the race start), 4:30pm – 6:30pm. Race packets can be picked up by others, if needed.
The pre-race staging area is Scott St between Quincy St and Hancock St (the block behind the Hancock Krist Oil gas station). Restroom facilities at the race start will consist of several porta-potties.
Starting line is on Quincy St near the intersection of Scott St in Hancock (west of downtown). All participants must be present for staging no later than 6:45pm. We will stage on Scott St (south of Quincy St) and then move out onto Quincy St to get in starting positions after traffic has been stopped for the Bridgefest parade.
Race Start (runners and walkers together) at 7:00pm to be followed by the Bridgefest Parade at 7:05pm.
The use of headphones is strongly discouraged for the safety of our participants, as portions of the race course are not closed to traffic.

Race Course
All runners and walkers must stay ahead of the parade until the race course leaves the parade route (about 1.5 miles). If you are caught by the parade lead vehicle, you must step off the course onto a sidewalk (this has not happened in the past).
This is a flat and fast 5K course with no major uphill climbs and a net elevation loss from start to finish. There is one major downhill section.
Race course is Quincy St east through downtown Hancock, right turn onto Reservation St, left onto Front St, over the Portage Lake Lift Bridge on the northbound lanes into Houghton, left onto Shelden Ave through downtown Houghton.
At the end of the parade route at Franklin Square runners and walkers will transition to the sidewalk eastbound on College Ave. At this point the course is not completely closed to traffic and participants must proceed no more than two abreast for the remainder of the course. Runners and walkers also must stay on the left side of the road at all times, facing traffic, unless otherwise directed by course marshals/markings. There will be an aid station with water and sports drink adjacent to the College Ave sidewalk.
The race route proceeds with a left turn onto Lake St and continuing downhill – this is the only significant grade on the course, please use caution – past the Super 8 motel to the dead end of E. Lakeshore Dr. There is a turnaround point there and when returning westbound a right turn onto the bicycle path to then follow the Portage Canal shoreline (bike path on the water side of Super 8). Proceed on the bike path past the East Houghton waterfront park, Dee Stadium, Lakeshore Center, and Portage Lake District Library.
The finish is at Bridgeview Park, just east of the lift bridge. Finish amenities will include water, sports drink, and snacks.

Start Time: 7:00pm EDT

End Time: 9:30pm EDT

Price: $20.00 Race Fee + $2.50 SignUp Fee
Registration: Price increases to $25.00 after June 1, 2020 at 11:59pm EDT

Join us at Ray Kestner Waterfront Park after the Bridgefest Parade for some live music by Outlaw’d starting at 9 PM!

Join us during Bridgefest weekend for the Keweenaw Classic Car Show taking place in the Keweenaw BUICK | GMC parking lot in Hancock on Saturday, June 20th at 9:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Registration from 8:30 am to 9:15 am
Trophy Presentation at 1 pm

T-shirts will be given to each car entry, and a trophy and prize will be given to the Best in Show.

For Classic Car entry please contact Tara or Katie at the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce 906-482-5240 or by emailing info@keweenaw.org

Join us during Bridgefest weekend for some FREE family fun!

Touch – A – Truck is a family-friendly event designed to allow children to explore, climb, and TOUCH vehicles of all shapes and sizes. There will be fun for everyone in the family.

This will be taking place in the Keweenaw Chevrolet parking lot in Houghton on Saturday, June 20th from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm.

All entries MUST be parked between 8:30 am – 9:15 am or AFTER parade on Friday night, in designated areas.

If you are interested in being involved and bringing a vehicle please reach out to the Tara or Katie at the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce at info@keweenaw.org or 906-482-5240.

    Join us at Ray Kestner Waterfront park for LIVE MUSIC provided by Night Screamer!

     Join us on Saturday night for LIVE MUSIC provided by Chad Borgen and the Collective!

Join us for the Jon Davis Memorial Fireworks! The fireworks will begin at dusk by the Ray Kestner Waterfront Park in Houghton.