WILMINGTON, N.Y. --- Racers ready! The 36^th annual Whiteface Mountain Uphill Foot Race, a run to the North Pole, returns to the Olympic mountain and Wilmington, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 14.   Presented by the North Pole, Santa’s Workshop, the eight-mile long race takes runners from throughout the northeastern United States and Canada to the summit of New York State’s fifth highest peak.

The 3,500 foot climb begins at the base of the mountain’s Veterans’ Memorial Highway and passes through Santa’s Workshop before finishing at more than 4,600 feet above sea level.  Once at the top, racers will be able to relax, catch their breath and take in the 360 degree autumn panoramic view of the Adirondacks, New England and even Montreal, Quebec, to the north.

For the first 34 years, the event organized by the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau, was run in June, preceding the uphill bike race, however; last year race organizers moved the event to September to attract even more competitors.  This year, the race will be a part of the 10^th annual Festival of Colors.

“Our goal is to keep growing the event year after year,” noted Michelle Burns, the bureau’s director.  “This year, with the addition of Santa’s Workshop as the presenting sponsor and including the event in the popular Festival of Colors, we hope that we not only attract running enthusiasts, but entire families too, so that they can not only be a part of the race, but a part of all that the community and region has to offer.”

The Festival of Colors, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., is a traditional hometown celebration of autumn featuring a wide variety of free and family activities including games, face painting, arts and crafts, horse and pony rides, bake-offs and of course food and music.  There will also be special guest appearances from Santa’s Workshop characters.

The Uphill race’s awards ceremony will also take place during the festival.  Awards will be presented to the top finishers in the men and women’s divisions, junior (under 19) division, military and Santa division, which is open to all competitors in a Santa costume.  Awards will also be presented to the best finishing “King and Queen of the Hill,” which is given to the top man and woman, who compete in both the uphill run and bike race.

Registration for the 36^th annual Whiteface Uphill Foot Race is $40 for adults, $30 for military, $20 for juniors and $35 for racers who compete in both the bike and uphill races.  To register for the event, log on to https://www.runreg.com/Net/3494.

For more information about both the Uphill run and the Festival of Colors, visit www.whitefaceregion.com.

About Santa’s Workshop: Santa’s Workshop is a theme park that specializes in entertaining young children and the young at heart. Unlike other regional parks, the park’s attractions are geared to please children 48 inches and SMALLER! The minute you walk through the gates of Santa's Workshop, you will be sent back in time to a storybook village where the traditional story of Santa lives! If you are looking for a place to go for your family, there is plenty to see and do! Come on in, look around and join us! OPEN SUMMER, FALL AND WINTER!