THREE DAYS OF FUN
Arsenal City Run activities to take place Sept. 22-24
WATERVLIET, N.Y. » For 36 years, the Arsenal City Run, has been a popular and historic end of summertime event in the city.
In previous years, the Arsenal City Run had been a oneday event, which featured a 5K run and a youth run beforehand, along with activities after the run.
However, guests will be able to enjoy more of the event this year.
New city General Manager Jeremy Smith had the idea to help expand the run from a one-day event to a three-day weekend event of activities, and that idea is becoming a reality this year. Smith said this year the event will be from Friday, Sept. 22 through Sunday, Sept. 24.
“The Arsenal City Run is one of the oldest runs in the Capital Region. Originally it was a 5K and a 10K, and back when it started it was one of the few 5K, 10K runs that there were,” said Smith. “We all know now that there are hundreds of these runs every weekend, although it’s one of the most historic of the runs, it’s kind of lost its luster a little bit just because there are so many of these runs in our region.”
Smith said that since he took over as general manager, he has worked with Mayor Michael Manning to advance the city’s current annual events.
“We’re also working with other entities within the city to advance this, “said Smith. “We’ve been working on ideas to turn this run into a full weekend event with different styles of entertainment.”
Smith confirmed that he has been working with the Watervliet City School District to have their homecoming and alumni weekend events both take place during the same weekend as the Arsenal City Run.
“One of the things that I’ve always had the idea to do was to try to get homecoming and alumni weekend to be the same weekend as the Arsenal City Run, and this year it’s happening,” explained Smith.
The Arsenal City Run weekend events will now kick-off Friday night at the school’s homecoming pre-game and game activities.
Smith said that he is still working with city officials to come up with proposed ideas for familyfriendly events for Saturday, Sept. 23.
“Saturday right now is in the planning stages,” Smith noted. “In years past we had a carnival at the civic center field and dome, we’re looking into possibly a section in the dome, where there would be gambling for adults, also adding in all sorts of entertainment like music, possibly a magician and other types of activities for all of the residents of Watervliet to enjoy.
“I’m really working hard to bring back something that we’ve haven’t had in the city in years, and on Saturday once the sun goes down and the rides are getting closed up and the kids games are shutting down, having a fireworks display in the city of Watervliet.”
The 5K run will take place Sunday morning at 10 a.m., with the race benefitting the Adopt-AFamily organization each year.
City officials are glad that they can still offer community events like this one on an annual basis and they hope to continue to expand different city events.
“These are the types of the events that really get the community together and get them out there,” said Smith, “so combining with the school for their events on the weekend, and then the city events as well, that combination is really what makes it a weekend for the residents and also for regional people that want to be involved. We really want to get everybody together, keep people active and promote a healthy lifestyle, so that they can see what it means to be from Watervliet, and it means that “We are Watervliet.’”