Mentor CityFest is about to get a lot more colorful. The festival’s Color Dash & Walk returns Saturday, Aug. 15, with a 2.6-mile course, multiple color stations and an all-ages format designed for runners, walkers and anyone willing to sacrifice a perfectly clean white T-shirt.
The race begins at 4 p.m. near the Mentor Ice Arena and follows the Civic Center bike path before finishing back on the CityFest grounds. The City of Mentor describes the route as flat and accessible, with participants passing through several color zones along the way.
Registration Starts At $25 Before Race Day
Advance registration costs $25, while the price rises to $30 on race day, according to Cleveland.com. Online registration is encouraged, and race-day check-in and registration will be available from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Registration includes a white race shirt and sunglasses, with shirts guaranteed for people who sign up before the event. The race organizer, Greater Cleveland XC, lists awards for the top three overall male and female finishers, along with the top runner in each age division.
Race Runs Through A Full CityFest Weekend
The Color Dash is only one piece of Mentor CityFest, which takes over Mentor Civic Center Park Aug. 14–15 with food vendors, games, family activities and live entertainment. The city’s weekend schedule includes a Friday night concert by Just Like Pink and a Saturday performance from 7 Summers, a Morgan Wallen tribute act.
Admission and parking for CityFest are free, though some activities require paid wristbands. The City of Mentor lists the festival grounds at 8600 Munson Road and says the event will run from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday.
For Color Dash participants, the payoff comes after the finish line: a colorful run, post-race activities and immediate access to one of Mentor’s biggest summer festivals. Just remember that the color powder is part of the experience, not a laundry challenge you’re expected to win.
