DENVER — More than 100 runners participated in the inaugural Dashing Thru LoDo Holiday Fun Run in Denver on Saturday morning.
Officials with Union Station, McGregor Square and Dairy Block designed the 1k run to highlight local businesses on Small Business Saturday.
The run started at Union Station and ended at the Christmas tree at McGregor Square. The runners received discounts at the nearby Lower Downtown (LoDo) businesses following the event.
Runners got into the holiday spirit, dressing up as reindeer, Santa and even the Grinch.
"We're hoping that people will be incentivized to come to LoDo and shop," said Sigri Strand, the director of communications for Union Station.
Denver businesses are still working to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past few years, Strand said they've witnessed an increase in new businesses and a stronger customer base.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were nearly 139,000 new business applications filed in Colorado in 2023. The state led the nation with a 115% increase in applications year over year.
“It's a great festive scene here," said Strand. "We're trying to come together to bring awareness to our spaces."
The local businesses hope to establish the run as a new Denver tradition. You can find out more about Dashing Thru Lodo here.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.