Several days ago I posted about what will most definitely become one of my favorite races of the year, the Wegmans East Avenue Grocery Run.
Today I want to re-introduce you to another one of my favorite runs, and I say that after having participated in it only once. It’s the Sunshine Camp Trail Mix 5K and Beer Fest — a really long name for a really fun event — scheduled this year for Friday night, October 16. I posted a blog about this race last fall, about a week after I ran it, and if you read that blog you know why I like it so much.
For starters, the race benefits Rochester Rotary Sunshine Camp in Rush. The course meanders along wooded paths and walkways for three miles through and around this beautiful facility. And true to its name, after the race, runners are treated to a real festival, where perhaps a dozen Rochester-area breweries hand out generous samples of their beers. Plus there’s live music and dancing and prizes, old friends and new.
Sunshine Camp (if you don’t already know) is fully-accessible residential summer camp for children with physical challenges. I had never been there before, so I actually wondered if the property was big enough and wooded enough for a 5K trail run. I discovered that’s it’s plenty big, and the trails are just a small part of this incredible camp.
In a nutshell, Sunshine Camp is a 157-acre magical place where more than 2,500 children and young adults with special needs come every summer just to … well, be kids … without worrying about wheelchairs, medications, or being “different.” Along the trails I ran by a tree house, climbing wall, zip line, splash pad, playground, a lake, and an actual TRAIN! It’s like a child’s fantasy world, where the most fun things you can imagine are all in one place.
About 120 runners participated last year, ages 6 to 84, and the money raised through the entry fees went straight to support Sunshine Camp. The race itself was fun (albeit a bit hilly), and the post-race music and beer and snacks were excellent. I’m looking forward to running it again in a few weeks. (The photo is of our Village Runners team last year.)
Please consider joining me and my Webster Village Runner buddies. The race is Friday, Oct. 16, starting at 5 p.m. at the Rotary Sunshine Camp in Rush. You can register here, and remember you don’t have to run it. Come to walk it if you want. You can still enjoy the great music, good beer and friendly conversation afterwards. And, by the way, you can just sign up for the Beer Fest alone (for less money), so you can cheer your running friend on, then enjoy the after-party.
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(posted 10/2/2026)
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