Buckeye Trail: Miami Rivers Chapter

October 6 & 7, 2023
The Blue Blaze Festival will include food, drinks, a book signing, street vendors, and live music in downtown historic Shawnee. Friday evening is the Farmer's Market, with family-friendly activities and live music hosted by Destination Shawnee. Saturday offers a variety of trail runs and a 10 mile hike on the Buckeye Trail in the Wayne National Forest. The trail runs include a Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K, on primarily single-track trails. Appalachian Understories will also host a beginner backpacking workshop, leaving on Friday and returning to Shawnee on Saturday.
Join us in Celebrating the Trail!
Registration and more info: HERE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/run4blue
Contact: run4blue@buckeyetrail.org

The Blue Blaze Festival - Run, Hike & Backpack on the Buckeye Trail
The Blue Blaze Festival celebrates the trail; whether you are a Trail Runner, Hiker or would like to learn more about backpacking, you are welcome to help Celebrate the Trail. Join us for the 2023 Buckeye Trail (BT) Blue Blaze Festival and explore the diversity and beauty of the trail. This year we are joining forces with Destination Shawnee, the Ohio Environmental Council, and Rural Action to bring together runners, hikers, and outdoor recreation businesses to the Village of Shawnee. This section of the Buckeye Trail, in the Wayne National Forest, is mostly single-track and provides some challenging terrain. The Blue Blaze Festival will highlight the BT as an outdoor destination for running, hiking, and backpacking, plus all of the excitement happening in the historic Village of Shawnee.
There will be five options for a distance and trail experience right for you: Half Marathon, 10K, 5K run/walk, 10 Mile Hike, and an overnight Backpacking trek. All events are on the Buckeye Trail in the Wayne National Forest. All race participants will receive an event t-shirt. Awards will be given to the top overall male and female finishers in each of the three running events. The overall and age group results will be posted online. Age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 and over.

Backpacking Course
If you are new to the experience of Backpacking and would like to improve your skills and comfort level, consider participating in this workshop. The group will be led by Appalachian Understories with orientation on Friday, starting at 11:00am, leaving for the trail by early afternoon, and returning to Shawnee on Saturday.
To register for the BACKPACKING, please use the Eventbrite site:
HERE

Special Post-race Fun
Street Fair and Live performances 9:00am - 6:00pm (Saturday)

• 9:30-10:30am The Brickersons
• 10:45-11:45 Randy Gleason
• 12:00-1:45pm Caitlin Kraus
• 1:45-4:00pm The Wild Honeybees
• 4:15-5:00pm Mike Boley

Post Race Foods and Drink

• Serving food and beverages (runners/hikers prioritized)
• Taco Bar catered by Park's Place Kitchen
• Beer and Cider from Brewery 33
• Coffee (regular and decaf) provided by Dirty Girl Coffee
• more to come!

Blue Blaze Festival Author Book Signing
Award-winning children's author Michelle Houts will be on hand Friday and Saturday to sign copies of her book WHEN GRANDMA GATEWOOD TOOK A HIKE.

• 5:00-7:00pm Friday
• 9:00-11:00am Saturday