Over 130 locals raced and walked through Kingston Park on Saturday, October 18, lit by the soft glow of 2000 handcrafted lanterns, for the inaugural Light Up the Dark Run event.
Delivered by the Sandy Bay Harriers Athletic Club in collaboration with Kingborough Council and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Light Up the Dark has been established as a fun way to promote well-designed safe public spaces at night.
Participants were given the choice of either a 2.5-kilometre or 5-kilometre distance to run, with the course following the Whitewater Creek Track and looping through Kingston Park playground.
The lighting at Kingston Park was carefully designed by Southern Lighting & Distribution with both humans and wildlife in mind.
The lighting has a 2200K temperature, emitting about 6 per cent blue wavelengths, making it suitable for sensitive environmental areas whilst still illuminating the area brightly enough for people to safely navigate the track.
The space was further illuminated with lanterns and a special post-race Glow Zone boasting food, drinks, music and entertainment for Light Up the Dark Run.
DJ Scotty kept the energy high all evening while the food and coffee trucks Fried & Loaded and Bean & Leaf ensured everyone remained fuelled and warm.
“It was a picture-perfect evening,” Sandy Bay Harriers Athletics Club committee member Holly Smee said.
“There’s something really special about seeing people come together for the cause and for each other.
“A big shoutout goes to the many volunteers who brought the night to life and ensured everything ran smoothly from start to finish.”
$2 from every ticket was donated to Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS).
Banjos Sandy Bay, Bendigo Bank and Form Plus Pilates Kingston all donated spot prizes for the occasion, while Kingborough Council provided a donation to cover the venue hire costs.
