Road races to disrupt traffic Aug. 31

Tue, 08/26/2014 - 10:00am

Following is the 2014 Boothbay Harbor Fest 5k and Half Marathon Safety and Race Route Information for residents and visitors of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport.

The 2014 Harbor Fest 5k and Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 9 a.m. starting and ending at the Watershed Tavern and Boothbay Craft Brewery on Adams Pond Road, Boothbay. Win and Lori Mitchell are hosting a Labor Day BBQ with music to follow the race.

Race packet pick up and day of registration will take place at the race start and end location beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Parking will be at the Boothbay Fire Station. Many thanks to Jimmy Bryer for allowing the use of his foot path through the woods to the brewery. Parking will also be available at the Boothbay Region YMCA. A Y shuttle bus will be provided between the Y and the race start.

The 13.1 mile half marathon race course takes runners from the start location to the Boothbay Common and then on to Lakeside Drive. Please note: A portion of Lakeside Drive will be closed to traffic for a period of thirty minutes somewhere around 9:10 to 9:40 a.m. Boothbay Harbor Police will be directing traffic.

Runners will then take a right on to Samoset Road and another right on to Barters Island Road. From there they will go left on to Knickerbocker Road and a right on to Back River Road. At the end of Back River Road they will continue to go straight (a spur to get the correct mileage) and then come back the same spur to Dover Extension/Dover Road. Runners will follow Dover Road to Adams Pond Road where they will take a right turn on to Adams Pond Road and will end at the Watershed Tavern and Boothbay Craft Brewery.

The 5k course will leave the start location the opposite direction and go down Adams Pond Road to a left on to Dover Road and then back the way they came to complete the 3.1m run.

On Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department along with the Boothbay Harbor Police Department will post one electronic sign at the Boothbay Information Center on Route 27 and another at four corners near Middle Road and Route 27. The intent is to inform the community so there are no surprises come race day. It is also to alert drivers that they should drive slow and be aware of runners on our beautiful and scenic roads.

The Boothbay Region Community Trail Partnership has recruited several volunteers and is looking for several more to hand out water at the five water stations, give directional information to runners, help at the race packet pick up and day of registration tables and to help set up the race course at 6 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31.

Proceeds of this first ever 5k & Half Marathon combination race will go directly to the community sidewalk project to extend the final portion of the sidewalk that currently goes from the Harbor to the Y and will be extended to Clifford Park. If you would love to volunteer for the event, please contact Meagan Hamblett, 207-633-2855. There is a Volunteer Race Meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. in the Boothbay Region YMCA Coastal Club Room. Any volunteers who are able are encouraged to attend.

We are expecting 200 runners between the two races — many of whom are coming to Boothbay for the first time and staying for the 2014 Harbor Fest activities. They are staying in local hotels, eating a local restaurants and shopping at local stores. It’s what the Boothbay Harbor Fest is all about.

Our hope is the Harbor Fest 5k and Half Marathon will become an annual event for our community supporting a different local nonprofit each year.