Candlelight 5k + Remembrance Walk

Each year, our hope is to create an event that provide a place to honor and acknowledge every family walking through grief in pursuit of a family. Our race consists of both a Competitive 5k and a Remembrance Walk. The walk has markers along the way representing the journey through loss, including the pursuit of conception, miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss.

Competitive 5k
The route is mostly flat through a residential neighborhood. Roads will not be closed, so please be cognizant of driveways and neighborhood traffic. We will have a security vehicle at the front leading the runners. The route is 2 loops, with the second slightly shorter than the first. Please look for way-finding signs and volunteers to help direct you throughout the route. Awards are given to top 3 finishers, male and female.

Interactive walk
Along the route – at the different markers – you will see tables with candles and signs representing that stage of pregnancy. If you are walking in memory of a child or in honor of a couple who long to be parents , you can write the family or child’s name on a lantern and light a candle in his/her memory. We will release the lanterns at the end of the night. Many parents grieve these various losses in isolation, unsure of how to feel and unaware of shared experiences in their community. Our hope is that this race will be a tangible picture of those affected by these types of losses, and to create a space where it’s normal to have conversation with others about this significant part of our lives.

2024 Race Expo

If you’re local to the area or coming into town the night before, we will have a race expo on Friday evening at a local brewery across the street from the race location. Come out, grab your tshirt, drink a beer and hang out with friends. We will have some sponsors there and there will also be in-person registration for the race.

Friday, October 18
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Edge City Brewery
6209 Old Post Rd Suite 109, Charlotte, NC 28212

You may also pick up your packets on race day beginning at 4:30 p.m. at East City Church.

Race details

When

October 19, 2024
6:30 p.m. Race Start
The weekend before Hannah’s 5th birthday.

Where

East City Church
6850 Monroe Rd., Charlotte, NC 28212
East Mecklenburg High School has given us permission to park in the rows closest to the church.  The race will begin and end in the church parking lot behind the church. Restrooms are accessible inside the church.

Registration

Registration will open July 2024.

Entry fees:
$40 before Sept. 1
$45 before Oct. 16
$50 race week / race day
Children under 10 may participate for free in the 3k interactive event.

$40 for the virtual race component

We will have a 5k competitive race, a 3k interactive walk, and a virtual option for anyone who cannot attend the race but would still like to participate and receive a t-shirt and race packet. All ages and levels welcome!

Closing Ceremonies, 8-9 p.m.

At the conclusion of the race, we will recognize top 3 finishers, male and female, in each age category for the competitive 5k and virtual run. We will also hear from a few speakers about their personal experience with pregnancy loss, early infant loss, and infertility. We hope this will be a sweet time to come together as a community and support each other as we remember the significant lives of those we’ve lost. We encourage all participants to stay for this part of the event. We will also stream it live on Facebook for virtual runners. This year, we will also have a silent auction, put together by the Charlotte community. Participants and their families will be able to participate both in person and virtually.

Route

The route will begin and end at East City Church, and weave throughout the McClintock Woods neighborhood. Racers will not go on any major roads. Neighborhood roads will not be closed, so please be cautious of residential traffic.

Registration will open July 2024.