The event is not a fundraiser, just a
fun event, Recreation Supervisor Eric Armstrong said. He said the run was meant
to be a fun way for families and friends to get some exercise together, “but
having a ridiculous crazy time while doing it.”

The course and participants will be lit
up with hundreds of neon glow sticks, bracelets, necklaces and dozens of other
creative glow products, an announcement for the event said.

The department staff was searching for
bright ideas for something different in 5K run events and wanted to find one
that would be a good fit for Ocean Pines, Armstrong said, “and this one caught
our eyes.”

“We also knew we could do it with the
resources we already had,” he said.

What will make the Neon Fun Run
different from other 5Ks is the start time and the illuminated running course.

The music and festivities portion of
the event will start at 7:30 p.m.  The race will start at 9 p.m. (or when
it gets dark in the park) at 239 Ocean Parkway.

The park will be awash with more black
lights and dance music than a college dorm room on a Saturday night. “Basically
it’s a party, but we’re running,” Armstrong said.

A deejay will be on hand to play the
newest and most exciting club hits, the announcement said.

Runners and walkers are encouraged to
transform themselves into beings of light and color. “The runners will be the
lighting” for the after-dark activities, Armstrong said.

There will be prizes for the best
outfit and the most creative use of the glowing embellishments provided. Prizes
will also be awarded to teams that glow the brightest.

The cost for runners is $25 each, or
$30 on the day of the race. The cost for a team of four runners is $20 per
person up to the start of the race.

Runners can stay for the afterglow
party once they finish the dark course.

To register, call the Ocean
Pines Recreation Department at 410-641-7052 or stop by the Ocean Pines
Community Center at 239 Ocean Parkway in Ocean Pines.