Light the Way 5K Celebrates a Decade of Holiday Tradition With Tenth Annual Race on Nov. 11 at Dollywood

Proceeds to benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful and Share It Forward, an assistance program for Dollywood employees

The Light the Way 5K returns for its tenth installment this year to offer runners a certified race experience on a course illuminated by millions of Christmas lights. The race makes its way through Dollywood on Friday, Nov. 11 starting at 11 p.m. with the help of the Knoxville Track Club, which is the new race administration partner for the event.

The course for Light the Way 5K winds its way through the holiday scenery at Dollywood. The route begins at Dollywood’s Front Gate area and travels through the theme park twice, giving runners time to take in the festive décor and lights of the award-winning Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. Walkers will have the opportunity to follow the route for one loop around the park.

Proceeds from the event benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful and the Share It Forward program at Dollywood. Keep Sevier Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a volunteer-based organization which focuses on waste reduction/recycling, litter prevention and beautifying public spaces through education and community-based programs. Keep Sevier Beautiful’s goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area that millions of visitors come to see each year. Share It Forward is a non-profit organization to serve The Dollywood Company employees and their families through a variety of quality programs. Share It Forward programming is funded primarily through employee donations which are matched dollar for dollar by The Dollywood Company.

“It’s so exciting to be hosting runners at the Light the Way 5K for a 10th year and for us to have a new partnership with the Knoxville Track Club to make this event even brighter. The beauty of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival combined with the challenge of a course that only a theme park can provide makes Light the Way a one-of-a-kind event for runners and walkers,” said Aaron Newberry, Director of Operations for Share It Forward. “But just as importantly, this event helps provide our non-profit organizations with financial assistance just before the holidays,” added Lisa Bryant, Executive Director of Keep Sevier Beautiful.

The race has been certified again this year, will be chip timed and is managed for the 2022 event by the Knoxville Track Club. Awards will be presented to the top three finishers for both men and women.

Registration Information

Pre-registration is encouraged for the Light the Way 5K as the race is limited to 1,500 participants. Registration fee is $50. Register online at www.lighttheway5k.net. Race day registration takes place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Dollywood’s Splash Country.

For more information, email info@keepsevierbeautiful.org or visit www.lighttheway5k.net.

Proceeds to benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful and Dollywood’s Share It Forward employee assistance program

Light the Way 5K returns this holiday season with a new and improved course that winds its way through the holiday atmosphere at Dollywood, not once, but twice. Participants in the ninth annual Light the Way 5K will run through five million Christmas lights inside Dollywood beginning 11 p.m. on Friday, November 12, as they make this festive race one of their favorite holiday traditions.

New and Improved for 2021

When the race had to be canceled in 2020, Light the Way 5K officials looked at how to improve the experience for both serious and casual runners. Participant feedback over the last several years prompted changes that are being implemented for the 2021 race; the decision to provide finishing medals for all participants and a change that allows more time to run through the theme park.

Light the Way 5K’s new route will start runners at Dollywood’s front gate area and take them through the theme park twice, allowing time to take in the five million Christmas lights of the award-winning Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. Walkers will have the opportunity to follow the route for one loop around the park. Additionally, 2021 will be the first year participants will experience Wildwood Grove, which opened in 2019, as part of the race course.

Racing for a Cause

Proceeds from the event will benefit both the Keep Sevier Beautiful and Share It Forward program at Dollywood. Keep Sevier Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a volunteer-based organization which focuses on waste reduction/recycling, litter prevention and beautifying public spaces through education and community-based programs. Keep Sevier Beautiful’s goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area that millions of visitors come to experience each year. Share It Forward is a non-profit organization which serves The Dollywood Company employees and their families through a variety of quality programs. Share It Forward programming is funded primarily through employee donations, which are matched dollar for dollar by The Dollywood Company.

“It’s so exciting to be hosting runners at the Light the Way 5K, with an expanded course,” said Aaron Newberry, Executive Director of Share It Forward. “The beauty of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival, combined with the challenge of a course that only a theme park can provide, makes Light the Way a one-of-a-kind event for runners and walkers.”

“Most importantly, this event helps provide our non-profit organizations with financial assistance just before the holidays,” added Lisa Bryant, Executive Director of Keep Sevier Beautiful.

The certified race will be chip timed and managed by Scenic City Multisport. Awards will be presented to the top three finishers for both men and women.

Registration Information

Pre-registration is encouraged for the Light the Way 5K as the race is limited to 1,500 participants. Registration fee until race day is $50. Register online at www.lighttheway5k.net. Race day registration takes place from 11AM-9PM at Dollywood’s Splash Country.

For more information, email info@keepsevierbeautiful.org or visit www.lighttheway5k.net.

Light The Way 5k proceeds benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful & Share It Forward, an assistance program for Dollywood employees.

Participants in the seventh annual Light the Way 5K Run/Walk get to see Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival in a different light – actually five million lights - as the theme park hosts this special event on Friday, Nov. 16 beginning at 11:18 p.m.

Light the Way 5K at DollywoodProceeds from the event benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful (KSB) and the Share It Forward (SIF) program at Dollywood. KSB, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a volunteer-based organization which focuses on waste reduction/recycling, litter prevention and beautifying public spaces through education and community-based programs.

KSB’s goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area that millions of visitors come to see each year. SIF is a non-profit organization to serve The Dollywood Company employees and their families through a variety of quality programs. SIF programming is funded primarily through employee donations which are matched dollar for dollar by The Dollywood Company and, up to specified limits, by the shareholders of Herschend Family Entertainment, the park’s operating partner.

“The beauty of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival combined with the challenge of a course that only a theme park can provide makes Light the Way a one-of-a-kind event for runners and walkers,” said Aaron Newberry, Executive Director of Share It Forward. “But most importantly, this event helps provide our non-profit organizations with financial assistance just before the holidays,” added Lisa Bryant, Executive Director of Keep Sevier Beautiful.

Light the Way 5K Run/Walk participants are treated to a unique course decorated by the park’s five million Christmas lights, beginning their journey at Dollywood’s preferred parking entrance, traversing through the parking lot and then winding through the theme park.

The certified race will be chip timed and managed by Scenic City Multi-Sports. Awards will be presented to the top three overall for male and female participants.

Pre-registration is encouraged for the Light the Way 5K as the race is limited to 2,018 participants. Registration fee until race day is $45. Register online at www.lighttheway5k.net. Race day registration takes place from 11 a.m. -10 p.m. at the front gate area at Dollywood’s Splash Country.

For more information, email info@keepsevierbeautiful.org or visit Light The Way 5k.

Light The Way 5K Walk/Run benefits Keep Sevier Beautiful and Share It Forward

Participants of the Light the Way 5K Walk/Run will see Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana in a different light, actually four million lights. This event begins at 11:17 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10. New this year, a one-mile fun walk will take place concurrently with the 5K race. It’s for those who want to participate at a more leisurely pace through the twinkling holiday lights.

Event Proceeds

Proceeds from this event benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful (KSB) and the Share It Forward (SIF) program at Dollywood. KSB, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a volunteer-based organization focusing on waste reduction/recycling, litter prevention and beautifying public spaces through education and community-based programs. KSB’s goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area that millions of visitors come to see each year. SIF is a non-profit charity established for the purpose of raising and using funds to assist The Dollywood Company employees and their families in times of need.

“The beauty of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival combined with the challenge of a course that only a theme park can provide makes Light the Way a one-of-a-kind event for runners and walkers,” said David Owenby, Director of the Share It Forward program. “But most importantly, this event helps provide our non-profit organizations with financial assistance just before the holidays,” added Lisa Bryant, Executive Director of Keep Sevier Beautiful.

Light The Way 5K - Nov. 10

Light the Way 5K Walk/Run participants will experience a unique course decorated by the park’s four million Christmas lights. Their journey begins at Dollywood’s groups’ entrance, traversing through the parking lot and then winding through the theme park.

The certified race is chip timed and managed by Scenic City Multi-Sports. The top three overall male and female participants will receive awards.

Registration

Please pre-register, only 2,017 participants can sign up. The registration fee is $45, until race day (Nov. 10).

Visit Light The Way 5K To Register Online

Race day registration takes place from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. at the front gate area at Dollywood’s Splash Country.

On Nov. 11, Dollywood will host the Light the Way 5K Walk/Run benefiting Keep Sevier Beautiful & Share It Forward

lighttheway-logoParticipants in the Light the Way 5K Walk/Run will see Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival in a new light - actually four million lights - as the theme park hosts this special event for a fifth year on Friday, Nov. 11 beginning at 11 p.m.

Light the Way 5K participants are treated to a unique course decorated by the park’s four million Christmas lights, beginning their journey at Dollywood’s groups’ entrance, traversing through the parking lot and then winding through the theme park. David Owenby, Director of the Share It Forward program said,

"The beauty of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival combined with the challenge of a course that only a theme park can provide makes this Light the Way 5K a one-of-a-kind event for runners and walkers."

Lisa Bryant, Executive Director of Keep Sevier Beautiful added,

"But most importantly, this event helps provide our non-profit organizations with financial assistance just before the holidays."

The race will be chip timed and managed by Scenic City Multi-Sports, which also will be offering free photos to all participants to download, tweet and share on Facebook. Awards will be presented to the top three overall for male and female participants. The top three finalists in each age division receive hand-blown glass Christmas ornaments custom-made for the event by Dollywood’s master glassblower.

Race Registration

Pre-registration is encouraged for the Light the Way 5K as the race is limited to 2,500 participants. Early registration between Sept. 2 - Oct. 15 is $32; regular registration and race day fee is $35. Race day registration takes place from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort.

Light the Way 5K Online Registration

Benefiting

Proceeds from the event benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful (KSB) and the Share It Forward (SIF) program at Dollywood. KSB, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a volunteer-based organization, which focuses on waste reduction/recycling, litter prevention and beautifying public spaces through education and community-based programs. KSB’s goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area that millions of visitors come to see each year. SIF is a non-profit charity established for the purpose of raising and using funds to assist The Dollywood Company employees and their families in times of need. The program is funded through employee donations, which are matched dollar for dollar by The Dollywood Company and, up to specified limits, by the shareholders of Herschend Family Entertainment, the park’s operating partner.

For more information visit Light the Way 5K or call (865) 428-9860.

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