When the pandemic prompted the Manheim Area Chamber of Commerce to cancel its annual Rock-N-Glow 5K, Chamber members regrouped and came up with an alternative. The Kids' Color Fun Run will be held on Saturday, May 15, at Manheim Central Middle School, 261 White Oak Road. The festivities will kick off at 4 p.m., and the race will run from 7 to 8 p.m.

"We're not able to do our traditional Rock-N-Glow 5K because we're still limiting crowd size for events, but this is a way for us to bring kids out for a little bit of fun outside," said Kristie Schmid, executive director of the Manheim Area Chamber of Commerce. Participants are encouraged to wear a white T-shirt for the race. "We have powdered colors that will be sprayed on them throughout the race. The color shows up really nice on the white shirt," Schmid explained. "It's completely washable, so parents don't have to worry about that. ... We will also have white masks available for kids to wear if they want to for the race."

The Kids' Color Fun Run is open to children ages 5 through 14. The racers will be broken into two heats by age based upon the number of registrants. The course is approximately six-tenths of a mile.

A disc jockey will be on-site to play music throughout the event. "We'll have some yard games for kids to play before the race. We'll have a sprinkler for them to run through," Schmid stated. "We'll also have food trucks on-site for people to purchase a snack or dinner." Food trucks include Tri-County Barbecue Catering, Papa Sneaux shaved ice and Philly Pretzel Factory.

Participants will receive goodie bags at the event, and the first 100 children to sign up will receive a free pair of white sunglasses to wear during the race.

Schmid said the Chamber hopes to bring back the Rock-N-Glow next year, but until then, she noted that the Kids' Color Fun Run should be a good time. "It's going to be a great opportunity for the kids who have been cooped up all winter to come out and have fun," she remarked. "It's a chance for them to do something fun with their friends."

For more information on the Kids' Color Fun Run or to register, visit http://www.manheimchamber.com. Online registration ends Thursday, May 13, at 5 p.m. In-person registration will be accepted from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the event.