Reindeer Games

The start and finish line for this year’s race is at The Aloft Hotel on Southside Boulevard. Ultimate Racing has designed the race route and will provide official timing services for the 5K. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will be on duty throughout the course to ensure the safety of all runners. Veterans United Brewery will be serving up ice cold craft beer at the finish line to all participants who are 21 or older.

The 325 runners received a Finisher’s Medal.  This custom medal also doubles as a holiday ornament complete with a flashing red nose!

Official “Reindeer Games” will take place in the large grassy area immediately adjacent to the Aloft Hotel after the run. Families could hang out and enjoy music and a sample tastes from Tapestry Park restaurants and retailers afterward. Prizes, surprises and an Ugly Christmas sweater contest are planned.

What do one of Jacksonville’s hippest hotels, a fast casual pizza restaurant and several other area merchants and small businesses located in Tapestry Park on the Southside have in common?…their second annual “Reinbeer Run!” In 2015 the inaugural ReinBeer Run was held after dark and had more than 120 participants.

This year The Aloft Hotel, Your Pie and other area merchants  teamed up again to present this fun holiday-ish themed 5K run and are expecting the number of participants to triple. Once again Ultimate Racing timed the race and JSO was on hand to protect runners on the course as they loop around the mixed- use development located at Southside Boulevard and J. Turner Butler Boulevard. Several other area restaurants and retailers provided prizes and awards for the run ranging from painting classes to gift certificates to area restaurants and more.

With the national craft beer industry boom over the past several years, beer runs have become very popular. Following running events, participants that are of age were treated to an ice cold craft beer in addition to the event medal. At the ReinBeer Run this year, Veterans United Brewery – also located in Southside – provided their “Raging Blonde” craft beer for the runners. The first 300 finishers in the 5K will receive custom designed medals complete with a flashing red light for the reindeer’s nose. These medals are unique too in that they also can double as a holiday ornament too!

Dea Sims, owner of Your Pie and volunteer chairman for the event says “Because we serve so many young families and fitness enthusiasts in the area, we’ve added a ‘Gelato Gallop’ Fun Run for kids ages 12 & under this year.” A grand prize drawing for a year’s worth of authentic Italian gelato will be held for all participants in the Gelato Gallop.