At 2pm on Friday, March 30, 2012, the Cooper River Bridge Run will host its annual Kid’s Expo and Fun Run festivities in beautiful and historic Hampton Park near the campus of The Citadel. Under a canopy of oaks and magnolias, with the scent of spring azaleas in the air, children of all ages will have their opportunity to usher-in the running season with an afternoon of fun and fitness. An array of activities and events will be available that revolve around the theme of healthy lifestyles and physical activity. Entry into the children’s race events and other activities are free to the public, and commemorative Kid’s Run t-shirts ($10) and food and drinks from local vendors will be available for purchase.

From its humble beginning in the I’On neighborhood of Mount Pleasant - which it quickly outgrew - to its new spacious and naturally-scenic location, the Kid’s Expo has been attracting and entertaining local kids and visitors from across the nation. The CRBR Committee, the generous sponsors, and our invaluable, small army of certified volunteers are proud to present the CRBR Kids Fun Run to the Charleston community, in particular to its youngest athletes.

Our kid’s running events cater to all ages and begin around 5 pm. Entry is free and includes a medal for each participant. The races are preceded at 4pm by stretching, warm-ups and motivational speakers that we have lined up to energize the crowd. The first event is a “Toddler Woddler” for the youngest athletes - a short uphill run of 25 yards. After several heats to accommodate the “littles”, we will run multiple heats at a quarter-mile distance. The groups will run in wave starts based on age, and thanks to our new color-coding system, the organization is simple and effective. After the quarter-milers wrap up their lap around the gravel trail, the big finale “Mile in Style” is run around the entire park perimeter. The mile course consists mostly of road running, with some grass, improved trail and wooded trekking as well. Photo opportunities are second to none, and the CPD closes the park to vehicular traffic in order to ensure safety on the course.

The Bridge Run Kid’s Expo is not only about running, however. We officially open the park to fun seekers of all ages at 2pm. Subject to availability, there will be activities including a climbing wall, large petting zoo, jump castles and slides, face painters, live entertainment, music, food vendors, pony rides, magic and science exhibits and arts and crafts galore. Past participants have included the S.C. Aquarium, Charlie the Riverdog, the South Carolina Stingrays, the Charleston Police and Fire Departments, Pet Helpers, the Charleston Animal Society, Rangers from the National Park Service, and many more. This year will be our biggest event to date, with several new vendors and artisans who specialize in recyclable art, and our most ambitious project to date: The Obstacle Course! With the assistance and expertise of local Cross Fit trainers, we will be climbing, crawling, jumping and hauling as well as running. We couldn’t be more excited about this new addition and the variety of options that it will open up for our competitors and participants. Be the first to help us break in the all-new course this year!

Free parking is available in the adjacent Wagener Terrace neighborhood and at Stoney Field near “The Joe”. So, put Friday, March 30, 2012 on your calendar, and we will see you after school for a wonderful opportunity for Charlestonians and guests to enjoy the outdoors and all that the Lowcountry has to offer our running and fitness community…especially the up-and-comers. We’ll see you in Hampton Park! For more details, about the entire weekend’s schedule of events, please visit
www.bridgerun.com.