Fans of the Julia Roberts-led and Berlin-filmed “Runaway Bride” will get the chance to participate in a Fun Run and Walk to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the movie’s release later this month.
Life-size cutouts of Julia Robert and Richard Gere are pictured during the 20th anniversary of “Runaway Bride” five years ago at the Berlin Welcome Center.
Submitted file photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
Fans of the Julia Roberts-led and Berlin-filmed “Runaway Bride” will get the chance to participate in a Fun Run and Walk to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the movie’s release. As they race down the town streets, participants are encouraged to sport wedding and bridesmaid dresses, suits, all-white looks, and tuxedo t-shirts.
The mile-long race will be held on Saturday, July 27, at 8:15 a.m. Runners will begin on Main Street in front of the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, pass iconic movie locations like Raynes Reef and the Atlantic Hotel and finish at the museum lawn.
Once all participants return to the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, they can take photos and listen to hits from the movie’s soundtrack. Some attendees will receive awards and prizes.
Worcester GOLD, a nonprofit that aids low-income county residents, is the designated event charity. According to the group’s executive director, Nicholas Cranford, the run, which costs $20 to participate in, will raise funds for their Emergency Financial Assistance Program. The initiative provides monetary support for households experiencing an urgent need for housing, utilities, food, medicine, etc. Cranford said Worcester GOLD (Giving Other Lives Dignity) served over 1,000 families in 2023.
The idea for the fun run came from Berlin resident Theresa Gardiner. “[Gardiner], who has a passion for fundraising, connected the dots on raising money for a worthy cause while creating a fun celebration to commemorate the filming of Runaway Bride,” Cranford noted. “She is the one who worked with the Town of Berlin and the Chief of Police to get necessary approvals.”
Gardiner contacted the Worcester GOLD director in March. The planning for the run has been ongoing ever since.
First, second, and third-place runners and the best-dressed and best-dressed group will receive prizes. Cranford said that organizers are still gathering awards. They currently have Vernon Powell gift cards, a framed photo featuring Assateague Island from Mary Fiore Photography, a basket from Skin Fitness, a Berlin-themed tote bag from Victorian Charm, a $100 Sandal’s Bridal gift card, and free gold rounds from Old Pro Golf.
“Runaway Bride,” released on July 30, 1999, was directed by Garry Marshal and stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Paramount Pictures produced the film, turning the small quint Town of Berlin into the movie’s setting of the fictional Hale, Maryland.
“The production people flew into Salisbury and came into town on a bus and toured the town,” Ellen Lang, a former town council member, told The Dispatch in 2019. “Garry Marshal decided it was just like a Hollywood set.”
Berlin resident and real estate agent Cam Bunting told The Dispatch that while filming, she secured private homes for Gere and Joan Cusack while the director stayed at the Atlantic Hotel.
The fun run’s sponsors include Belle of the Ball Weddings, Catharsis Counseling, Thistle Wedding Event Florist, Coastal 59 Venue, Barefoot Bride Weddings, Jun and Juice, Skin Fitness, Tracks and Yaks, Poole Contracting, Ocean Pines Handyman, Sandal’s Bridal, Bank of Ocean City, Honey Water Candles, and Ocean City Florist.
“I only know from all of the people I’ve talked to that the filming in Berlin and other locations had a massive impact on not just Berlin but all of Worcester County,” Cranford said. “I think this area was a hidden gem unearthed around that time, and the town has exploded since then. The event celebrates this community and its successful growth without compromising its identity.”
Organizers of the “Runaway Bride” themed race expect around 150 to 200 attendees. Spectators are welcome to gather on the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum lawn to see the runners off and then journey to the Berlin Brewing Company to watch them cross the finish line.
“Planning this event has allowed me to hear so many personal stories about how this film impacted the community’s people,” Cranford said. “There is a profound effect to seeing big Hollywood actors in a scene outside where you’ve had brunch.”
The Worcester GOLD director noted that participants and spectators are encouraged to visit the “Runaway Bride” filming exhibit at the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum following the event.
The deadline to enter the race is 1 p.m., July 24. Participants can register online.