The time has come for Fontana residents to prepare to welcome summer as well
as runners from across the globe for the annual Fontana Days Festival:
Preserving Our Past – Embracing
Our Future and
Fontana Days Run: Run like the Wind events.
Fontana Days Festival: Preserving our Past – Embracing our Future
Fontana Days Festival began in 1913.
For ninety-four years, the Fontana Exchange Club has been addressing some
of the needs within the local community through the promotion of fun community events. From
its beginnings in 1913, the proceeds from the Fontana Days have made an incredible impact
on the community. Before Fontana was even incorporated, money raised at Fontana Days has
gone towards the Fontana Woman’s Club, construction of a community plunge at Miller Park
and maintenance of the plunge at Miller Park. Almost sixty years later, the Fontana Exchange
Club began to preside over the event and have dedicated the proceeds to enriching the lives
of area children throughout the year. Now in the 95th year, the Fontana Exchange Club is
offering one extraordinary jubilee for the community to enjoy.
With substantial city investments such as the Lewis Library and Technology
Center and the recently renovated Center Stage Theater, which focuses on our past and the
future, combined with the proud history of the Exchange Club who invests in future generations,
there could not have been a better theme for the 2008 Fontana Days Festival than
Preserving
our Past –
Embracing our Future!
The Carnival runs from June 5-8 at Veteran’s Park, 17255 Merrill Avenue.
The annual celebration consists of four exciting days beginning with the
start of the Carnival and Family Fun Night on the evening of Thursday, June 5th at Veteran’s
Park, 17255 Merrill Avenue. The event includes carnival rides, vendors and live entertainment.
The Carnival runs each night thereafter with special events throughout the
day of the Fontana Days Run, Saturday, June 7.
The Fontana Days Festival Parade is June 7 starting at 11 am.
After a morning filled with races many find a comfortable seat to sit back
and enjoy a little rest while watching the annual Fontana Days Parade. The parade begins
at 11:00 a.m. just south of the newly renovated Center Stage Theater at Sierra Avenue and
Arrow Boulevard. Drawing hundreds of people each year the parade has a participant list that
includes local bands, dignitaries, youth groups and service clubs. An award ceremony for
the parade follows that afternoon at the Festival Grounds in Veteran’s Park.
Fontana Days Run: Run like the Wind
The Fontana Days Run is June 7.
2008 marks the 53rd year that individuals and teams have gathered to race
in the Fontana Days Run to include a 5K Race Run, 5K Race Walk, 5K Family Fitness Walk, Children’s
Half Mile Dash, as well as the Half Marathon course recognized as the
World’s Fastest Half
Marathon Course on record by the United States Track and Field. The races take place Saturday,
June 7.
What began in 1955 as a mostly downhill competition with a reported 200
participants has grown over the years to nearly 1500 registrants.
The Half Marathon course proved to be a quick favorite with its steep downhill
running that gradually tapers off to a moderate downhill course for the final 7.1 miles.
The elevation drop from start to finish is 2,125 feet.
The winner of last year’s Half Marathon course was Tesfaye Dirba, a 24 year
old male form Addis, Ethiopia. Dirba’s finishing time was 1:06:34 and his pace was 5:05.
The top male record holder is 1986 winner, Sam Sitonik who finished in 59:22 while the top
female record holder is 1986 runner, Sue Bereenda with 1:08:38.
Runner awards are given to the top three finishers in each age division,
complimentary finish line refreshments, finisher medals, quality commemorative t-shirts,
quality commemorative lapel pin, ample water stations, and live entertainment. Awards do
not apply to the 5K Family Fitness Walk.
Registering to Run
The Fontana Days Run also offers a Children’s Half Mile Dash.
Registrations for the Fontana Days Run are available through race day. Registrations
may be made online through Thursday, June 5 at www.fontanarecreation.org. Pre-event packet
pick-up on Friday, June 6 is available at Fontana City Hall Courtyard, 8353 Sierra Avenue
on June 6, 2008. Event day registration for the Half-Marathon Run is from 4:30 to 5:30 a.m.
(last bus leaves to the starting line promptly at 6:20 a.m.). Registration for the 5K Run/5K
Race Walk/Fitness Walk is from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. (last bus leaves to the start line promptly
at 7:00 a.m.). The Children’s Half Mile Dash Event Day registration is from 6:30 to 7:30
a.m.
Race fees are $40.00 for the Half Marathon, 5K Run, or 5K Race Walk. The
5K Family Fitness Walk is $25.00. Children’s Dash for ages 5-11 is $20.00. Team/Group of
4 people is $140.00 and each additional member is $40.00.
There are sixteen age divisions for the Half Marathon, 5K Run, or 5K Race
Walk. Participant ages for these events begin at 11 with the last division for ages 85 and
older.
Race start times are 7:30 a.m. for the Half Marathon, 7:45 a.m. for the 5K
Run/5K Race Walk, 7:45 a.m. for the 5K Family Fitness Walk, and 7:45 a.m. for the Children’s
Half Mile Dash. For more information or to register, please visit www.fontanarecreation.org.
