For the second straight year, the Salem Half Marathon and the popular Anthem GO Outside Festival will take place on the same weekend in October. This fall the two events will complement one another.
While the Half Marathon, 8k and Kids races will still take place on the streets of Salem on October 14, the races are official parts of GO Fest. Participants in the races will pick-up their entry packets at the GO Fest headquarters at the River’s Edge Sports Complex in Roanoke on Friday night, October 13, and after the race on Saturday, they can return and enjoy the activities, concerts and family fun that make GO Fest one of the nation’s premier outdoor festivals.
“We feel like the Salem Half Marathon is a great addition to GO Fest in many ways,” says Pete Eshelman, Roanoke Outside Foundation Director. “Since 2011, we have expanded the festival with a number of well- received family-friendly activities, and we think these races will provide the perfect start to our Saturday.”
The inaugural LewisGale Salem Half Marathon attracted over 600 runners in its first year and the partnership with GO Fest should enhance the experience for the participants this fall. Each eligible runner in the Half and 8K races will receive a commemorative GO Fest pint and one free craft beer coupon from festival vendors like Parkway Brewing and Deschutes. In addition, GO Fest will also be giving away free race entries between now and the race weekend.
“This partnership is another example of the sports marketing cooperation that continues to grow between localities in Virginia’s Blue Ridge,” says John Shaner, Salem Parks and Recreation Director. “We were disappointed that both events were on the same weekend last year, but this new pairing should benefit both events and localities greatly.”
Both Anthem GO Fest, which features over 125 activities for its patrons, and the Salem Half Marathon encourage healthy outdoor recreation. GO Fest will take place on October 13-15 and once again offer free admission. All three races on the Salem Half Marathon Saturday will start and finish on Main Street in the heart of Downtown Salem. Runners can register and get additional information on the LewisGale Salem Half Marathon at race.salemva.gov. Complete details on GO Fest can be found at www.roanokegofest.com.