Runaway Pumpkin 5K & FREE Family Fest

Join us for a FREE Fall Family Fest, a 5K run/walk, or a kids' Mini Monster Dash. Treats, games, activities, costumes, and fun galore! Join this vibrant mix of community and family connection, costumes, meaningful impact, and kid-centric fun at the Child Protection Center's first annual Runaway Pumpkin! The event will feature a 5K run/walk, a 100m children’s Mini Monster Dash, and a FREE Fall family festival. Join us for a race, the festivites, or both! Race activities begin at 8 a.m., followed by the free Family Fest from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Festival attendees will enjoy trick-or-treating, face painting, pumpkin painting, child-friendly activities and sensory stations, lawn games, photo opportunities, giveaways, community partners, inflatables, a kids' costume contest (more details on that further below), and our PAWS therapy dogs in the popular puppy pit - all for FREE! Food trucks and a mini market will also be on site with goodies for sale. Please note: Admission to the Family Fest is FREE and open to the public — you do not need to register for the race to attend the festival. The goal is to provide local families with an accessible, low-to-no-cost day of connection, celebration, and support for safe childhoods all while having fun! Registering for the Family Fest is not required but is encouraged. Those looking to participate in the race need to register separately online at https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/NorthPort/cpc5k Kids’ costume contest: • 0 to 2yrs: 11 a.m. • 3 to 5yrs: 11:15 a.m. • 6 to 8yrs: 11:30 a.m. • 9 to 12yrs: 11:45 a.m. Proceeds from the event will support CPC’s mission of the prevention, intervention, and treatment of child abuse across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. Businesses and organizations that would be a good fit for local families and are interested in participating in our Vendor Village, or to inquire about volunteering, please reach out to Kingsley Event Consulting at [email protected]. Community members are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations during the event to support local families facing food insecurity during the holiday season.