Hundreds of people will come together on Sunday, April 12 for Kennedy Krieger’s ROAR for Kids and a morning of family fun at the Maryland Zoo.
Kennedy Krieger’s ROAR for Kids is an annual 5K road race and low-mileage fun walk at the zoo, which this year has drawn a near-record number of registrants. Bennett Blazers, Kennedy Krieger’s youth adaptive sports team, will kick off the race, which is both accessible and family friendly. Participants can run, walk, and roll to the finish line, and every participant will receive a finisher medal.
In addition to the race, ROAR will have games, face-painting, visits from some of the Maryland Zoo’s animal ambassadors, giveaways, and a DJ. The festivities will conclude with a mascot dance-off, featuring favorite characters from local sports teams and schools.
ROAR for Kids began in 2005 and has raised nearly $4 million for programs and research that support children at Kennedy Krieger. This year’s event is the 22nd annual ROAR for Kids. In the year after the pandemic, the race registered the most number of people, with 1,669 participants. As of this writing, Kennedy Krieger has 1,564 participants registered for the event. With three days to go and registration permitted at the event, they expect to break the record this year and beat their post-pandemic numbers.
Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders and injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. They treat nearly 30,000 people per year.
The Maryland Zoo is located at 1 Safari Place, Baltimore, MD. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 12. The 5K is set to begin at 8 a.m. and the zoo opens to the public at 10 a.m. The Kennedy Krieger event officially ends at 10:30 a.m. (Note that East Drive will be closed to vehicle traffic between approximately 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.)
The day’s schedule will be as follows:
- 6:30 a.m. Registration Opens
- 7:55 a.m. Fairmount School Kick-off Performance
- 8:00 a.m. 5K Begins
- 8:15 a.m. Fun Walk Begins & Last Call for Participants
- 9:00 a.m. Animal Ambassador #1
- 9:30 a.m. Awards Presentation & Animal Ambassador #2
- 9:45 a.m. Mascot Dance Party
- 10:00 a.m. Zoo Opens
- 10:30 a.m. Event Ends
To register for ROAR for Kids, and for more information, visit Kennedy Krieger’s website.
