The 9th annual Spooky Duke Race and Costume Contest will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2019 on the campus of Appalachian State University in the Raley/Peacock parking lot (416 Howard Street, Boone, North Carolina).
The event benefits Parent to Parent Family Support Network™-High Country. The program, housed in Appalachian’s Reich College of Education, provides free support, caring connections, information and hope to families who have a premature baby, a child with a disability, an emotional or behavioral challenge, a mental illness, a chronic health condition or to families who are grieving the death of a child. Parent to Parent Family Support Network™-High Country serves Alleghany, Ashe, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey Counties in the High Country of North Carolina.
About the Race
The Spooky Duke is a USA Track & Field (USATF) certified 5k and 10k race, and includes a free costume march for children, adults and dogs. Costumes are encouraged for everyone!
The course is relatively flat, with small hills and sidewalk terrain.
How to Register
- Online Registration is open through October 23
- $20 for the 5k - walkers are welcome to register for the 5K
- $30 for the 10k
- Registrations received by October 9 will include a long sleeve t-shirt
Packet Pickup & Race Day Information
- Registration packet pickup is Friday, October 25 from 4-7 p.m. at Up-N-Running (205 New Market Center Boone, NC 28607)
- Race day packet pickup and day-of registrations are available from 8-8:30 a.m. at the Raley/Peacock parking lot
- The 5k and 10k races begin at 9 a.m.
- The costume march begins at 10 a.m.
There will be goody bags and free activities for children from 8-10:30 a.m. with Appalachian Educators Club members providing free childcare for registered runners during this time.
Music, photo booths and other activities will be offered for all.
Prizes for costumes and for the top three male and female runners in both the 5k and 10k will be presented at the 10:30 a.m. awards ceremony.
If you would like to volunteer to help, sign up here: https://forms.gle/Fio4kLE5FDcdmx6f7.
History of the Spooky Duke Race
The first Spooky Duke in 2011 was championed by Jennifer McClure, an Appalachian Social Work student and Parent to Parent FSN-HC intern, who chose to create the race as her final project. Her dream was that event would continue and grow....and it has!
Dr. Charles R. Duke, former dean of the Reich College of Education, became the event sponsor. To honor him and the Halloween theme, the name "Spooky Duke" was born.
The "Spooky Duke" is now an USATF certified race with a free costume march. All proceeds benefit Parent to Parent Family Support Network™-High Country and help support their work to aid local families who have children with special needs.
In 2018, 300 runners participated, 50 student and community volunteers assisted with race planning and logistics, and the event raised $21,000 for Parent to Parent Family Support Network™-High Country.
Questions? Please contact Kaaren Hayes.
