When the Carter County Relay For Life kicks off tonight, hundreds of people will walk laps around the Elizabethton High School track all through the night to raise funds for the fight against cancer.
While the Relay is the main event, other activities will keep participants entertained during their laps.
Entertainment begins at 5:30 p.m., when the Christy Walsh Dance Team takes the stage. At 6 p.m. No Name But His will perform a selection of gospel music.
The Relay will get under way at 7 p.m. with the opening ceremony, which includes the invocation and a presentation from the Knights of Columbus color guard.
After that, the Relay will officially start with the Survivor Lap, the Caregiver Lap and the Team Lap; then all participants can begin to walk.
“We want to see more survivors on the Survivors Lap than we have ever seen before,” said 2014 Relay Chair Genna Price. “We want everyone to come out and have a good time.”
Entertainment will continue at 8 p.m. with Christian rock band Soul Obsession, and at 9 p.m. Matthew Keibler will play a set of instrumental mandolin music.
Also at 9 p.m. is the start of the inaugural Carter County Glow Run 5K.
The run will begin at the track, leave the school grounds onto Holly Street, West Doe Avenue, West F Street and then back to the high school.
Price said the addition of the 5K was part of Carter County Relay For Life’s mission to bring new events to the Relay lineup this year.
“We have worked really hard to have new things happening,” she said. “We are excited about the Glow Run. We have already had around 100 people to sign up, which we were told is really good for a first-time race.”
Registration for the Glow Run 5K is $25 and is online at www.werunevents.com.
At 9:30 p.m. Christian band Joyful Noise will play.
Then at 10 p.m., another highlight of the Relay For Life will start when the luminary bags are lit during the Luminary Ceremony. This year, the luminary also includes caregiver bags, given in recognition of family members and friends who worked to care for cancer patients.
Relay awards will be distributed at 10:45 p.m.
At 11:15 p.m., Dividing Ridge will play and group Zumba will be at midnight. John Bland and Kim Lyons will play at 1 a.m. Bland will play again at 2 a.m.
While the entertainment is taking place on the stage, other events will be happening throughout the Relay at the Party Tent.
Festivities there will include bingo, scavenger hunts, frozen T-shirt contests, Mr. Relay, talent show and karaoke, water bucket transfer relay, plunger paper, Pop the Polyp, Sock Out Cancer, Shake Out Cancer, flashlight egg hunt and synchronized snack toss.