NORTHAMPTON — It’s the start of December again, which can only mean one thing — the Hot Chocolate Run is coming back to Northampton.
The event, which takes place this Sunday, is expected to draw over 5,000 participants, will see a variety of walks and races through downtown Northampton in order to raise money for Safe Passage, an organization devoted to supporting survivors of domestic violence. The event is also known for the decorative holiday costumes donned by both participants and volunteers during the events.
Marianne Winters, the executive director for Safe Passage, said the organization set a goal of $750,000 to raise during the event. Last year, the Hot Chocolate Run raised a record $800,000 for Safe Passage.
“I believe we are well on our way,” said Winters regarding the fundraising goal. “If past trends can speak to what we can expect, we’ll meet or exceed that.”
This year marks the 19th year the run has taken place. It was held remotely in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before returning to an in-person event last year. This year will mark the return of hot chocolate served in the signature collector’s mugs with designs by nationally syndicated cartoonist and Northampton resident Hilary Price.
“When we went virtual, we had the hot chocolate processed in packets rather than served at the actual event,” said Winters. “And then we did the same thing last year, just because we didn’t feel quite ready for any health consequences that might result from that. But this year we feel pretty comfortable.”
The day starts off with a walk that begins at 9 a.m., followed by a fun run at 9:30 and the road race at 10:15. Participants will first be addressed by Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Massachusetts state Sen. Jo Comerford, state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Winters and Raquel Maznarenes, the chairperson of Safe Passage’s board of directors.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
