Secret City to glow with color at Neon Vibe 5K in September

The “Atomic City” will “light up the night” this fall when a brand new event, the Neon Vibe 5K, comes to town.

The 5K is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 21, at A.K. Bissell Park. The Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau announced the race this week.

The Neon Vibe 5K is an after-dark, fluorescent glow light fun run that will have participants “glowing crazy with color and dancing all night long,” a press release said. Starting with the 5K, participants will run a traditional, non-competitive 3.1-mile course with four UV black light “glow zone” color stations and upbeat dance music set up throughout the route.

Volunteers will be on hand to cover the crowd with neon powder that fluoresces under UV black lights. The evening ends with a fun “Aftervibe party,” complete with a DJ, the release said.

“People ask us all the time if we glow in the dark, now’s our chance to have a little fun with that,” said Katy Brown, ORCVB executive director. “We are hopeful that runners of all ages will come out and participate in this family-friendly activity and that it will introduce the region to a different side of the Secret City.”

With locations across the country, this is the first Neon Vibe 5K for the state of Tennessee. Organizers expect more than 3,000 people to be in attendance. The Neon Vibe welcomes all participants regardless of age or ability.

For more information about the event and to register, visit https://theneonvibe.webconnex.com/oakridge or contact the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau at (85) 482-7821. Visit the ORCVB at oakridgevisitor.com.