Sunshine Festival July 4th 5k & 1 mile

🌞 Welcome to the 41st Annual July 4th Sunshine Festival 5k Race and 1-mile on St Simons Island!

🥇 Finisher Medals

• Medals: Finisher medals for all 5k and 1-mile finishers!

🌐 Website

• Official Site: This is our OFFICIAL Race Website!
• Local Updates: Many local social media and web "local event" calendars for the Golden Isles may not be up to date.

🏨 Hotel Discount

• Where to Stay: Sea Palms Resort offers a peaceful view!
• Discount: Use this link for 10% off! Sea Palms Resort (travelclick.com)

⚠️ Important Notes

• Starting Line: Self-seeded by average expected pace per mile.
• Strollers: ARE ALLOWED, be cautious of Adaptive Athletes.
• Dogs: ARE NOT ALLOWED due to insurance liability and safety issues.
• Packet Pickup: NO Race Day registrations on July 4th: Pre-race day walk-up registration on July 3rd is available.

📅 Pre-Race Day Packet Pickup & Walk Up Registration

• Date & Time: Thursday, July 3rd, 4-7 pm at St. Simons United Methodist Church, Thorpe Building.
• Location: 624 Ocean Blvd, St Simons Island, GA 31522.

🏁 Race Day Details

• No Race Day Registrations: Available on July 4th only.
• Location: RACE DAY packet pick up is available at Kings Park basketball courts from 6 am to 6:45 am.
• Race Schedule: 5k starts at 7 am, 1 Mile Run starts at 8 am, unclaimed packets/shirts will be forfeited at 8 am.
• Awards Ceremony: 8:30 am.

🚻 Facilities

• Bathrooms: 2 multi-stall bathrooms in Mallery Park, 8 bathrooms in Village Pier Casino, 8 Porta-potties by the starting line.

📷 Photos

• Photography: Sports in Motion Photography will be capturing the event, with digital images provided for FREE!
• Where to Find Photos: Check your email or visit www.simphotos.com.

🍉 Vendors On-Site Race Day

• Food & Drinks: Sandy Bottom Bagels, Parkers, Georgia Watermelon Association.
• Treats: Pepsi, Fuse Frozen Yogurt, Winn-Dixie and GITC.
• Extras: Friendly Express, Starbucks Cold brew.

🏃‍♂️ 5K Route

• Certification: USTAF Certified 5k route.
• Route Preview: 5K Route video preview available here.

🏅 Awards

• Eligibility: Awards cannot be picked up early: chip timed event.
• Awards Ceremony: Approximately at 8:30 am.
• Awards for 5k: Overall, Masters, Grand Masters, Senior Masters, top 3 male and female finishers in each age group.
• Award Details: Overall & Master Awards include a medal, a bag of Vidalia Onions, and a pair of shoes from Game Changers Running Store.

🚙 Parking

• Parking Options: Carpooling, biking, or walking is encouraged due to limited parking.
• Where to Park: Mallery Street, around the ballpark, in the village, by the library or lighthouse.
• Caution: Stay away from private residences.

🎆 July 4th Activities

• Craft Show: Sunshine Festival Craft Show at Postell Park from July 4-6.
• Golf Cart Parade: July 4, 11:00 am, line up adjacent to Mallery Park.
• Live Music: Enjoy bands throughout the day in the village area.
• Fireworks: July 4, 9:00 pm, with best views from Neptune Park.