Woodstock Public Safety Foundation's Spring Festival Returns Next Week

The Woodstock Public Safety Foundation will commemorate National Police Memorial Week with three events next weekend. 

The foundation will host a 5K, an inaugural Motorcycle Poker Run and its third annual Spring Festival on Saturday, May 17.

The Hustle For Heroes 5K run will start at 7:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Woodstock. The church is at 11905 Highway 92. 

Participants can run side by side with local SWAT teams in what has quickly been deemed "the only place in Georgia to legally attempt to outrun the cops," the foundation said in a news release. 

The Kids’ Fun Run will follow at 8:30 a.m.  

All participants will receive a t-shirt and water bottle. Awards that will be given include: best overall male/female, Top Hero (police/fire/EMT) and best runners in various age groups.  

The race route is kid, family, wheelchair and stroller friendly. 

"We are excited about the response we’ve seen thus far," said Tori Hand, foundation board member and race coordinator. "What makes this race so great is that the route is entirely on the church campus so participants do not have to worry about running near traffic. We’re looking forward to a fun and exciting event."  

Prospective runner and walkers can register on the event's Active.com page. 

Or, if you are a procrastinator, you can register the day of the race starting at 7 a.m.  

The inaugural Motorcycle Poker Run will start at 11 a.m. at the parking lot of Walmart at 12182 Highway 92. Registration starts at 10 a.m., and the route will take riders to five locations where the participant will draw a playing card at each location. The fee is $25 per rider.

The participant with the best poker hand will win a ride in the pace car at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The poker runs is scheduled to end at 1:30 p.m. at the Park at City Center at 101 Arnold Mill Road in Woodstock. 

Participants will be able to join in the fun at the spring festival.  

The festival will begin at 10 a.m. and will feature live music, K-9 demonstrations, and various activities for children including bounce houses and games. The Georgia Law Enforcement Moving Memorial trailer will be on display for the duration of the festival, which honors the 678 Georgia law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

There will also be demonstrations by the Woodstock Police Department and the Woodstock Fire Department with public safety equipment on hand as well as various food and merchandise vendors.  

The Foundation will also hold a permitted, public raffle with drawings for prizes throughout the day as well as at each concert in the Park at City Center as part of Woodstock Summer Concert Series. 

The grand prize is a roundtrip airfare for four from Atlanta to any destination within the continental U.S. plus $1,500 in spending cash.  

The grand prize drawing will take place during the last installment of the Summer Concert Series on Sept. 13 at the Park at City Center.

Tickets are currently on sale now through Saturday, Sept. 13 by calling 770-592-6012 or emailing bduncan@woodstockga.gov.  

"This day serves as an excellent opportunity for citizens to enjoy a day of fun with our local heroes while we, as a community, remember those heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty," said Scott O’Meara, president of the Woodstock Public Safety Foundation.  

For more information or to register for any of the day’s events, please visit the Woodstock Public Safety Foundation’s website.