More than 60 people turned out in their finest holiday regalia on December 21, gathering in Sandy Hook Center before running up the length of Church Hill Road for the first leg of The Third Annual Newtown/Sandy Hook Run. The sight of five dozen-plus runners dressed as Santas and elves on Friday brought plenty of smiles and waves from drivers and others along the busy stretch of Route 6. The donations by participants also meant a nice gift for one of the town’s food pantries just before Christmas.

Its Facebook page described the event as “an unsanctioned, untimed, unadulterated hot mess of a running event.” Most of its participants — male and female, teens and up — dressed as Santa, but there were also a few elves and miscellaneous characters in that mix. The event has grown exponentially since its inaugural run in 2016, when 15 people arrived at Foundry Kitchen & Tavern for that year’s departure.

The nearly 5-kilometer run-walk-drink-dance-repeat event was the brainchild of Ian Hockley, who reportedly came up with the idea after doing another unofficial local event: The Fifth Annual Kodiak Run and Plunge. The Kodiak is a 13.1-mile run organized by Cody Foss that takes runners from Newtown to Lake Lillinonah, where they plunge into the lake.

“It’s a great community event and usually has 30-40 people each year,” Mr Hockley said December 23. “My girlfriend, Jennifer, and I thought it would be great to have another run just before Christmas.”

Tipping their hats to New York City’s extravagant SantaCon — during which thousands of participants dress up in full Santa garb or other holiday characters and then spend the day visiting bars — Newtown/Sandy Hook Run organizers encourage those participating in the local event to wear costumes. Many were spotted pre-run Friday afternoon, in fact, congregating in and around some of Sandy Hook Center’s restaurants.

Southbury residents Jon Bedard, Josh Berntsen, Michael Curcio, and Matt Witek, and Jake Minnick, from Blue Bell, Penn., were spotted running from Cover Two to Foundry on Friday, the bright red suits worn by four in the group standing out in the gray, rainy afternoon. Mr Bedard had opted to go with a very festive suit featuring gift wrapped packages and Santa on an eye-popping blue background.

“This is the second year running this for most of us,” Mr Witek said of himself and his friends. “It’s fun, and it benefits one of Newtown’s food pantries.”

FAITH Food Pantry is the recipient of donations made by those who accept the challenge of The Newtown/Sandy Hook Run.

“There is a voluntary donation,” Mr Hockley said. “People give what they can.”

Last year, the event raised $400 through 45 people. This year, according to Mr Hockley, at least 60 people participated, and the resulting donation to the nonecumenical pantry is $550.

This year’s participants began at 2:45 from The Glen, on the corner of Church Hill Road and Washington Avenue. They ran up Church Hill Road to Dere Street Restaurant. Some were still running, others were struggling, the majority were boasting broad smiles as they crested the hill and hit the halfway point.

Once all arrived there, an annual photo at the Main Street flagpole was taken.

Then “it is (literally) downhill from there,” the event’s Facebook page says, and it isn’t kidding.

After hydrating at Dere Street, the group went down Church Hill as far as Queen Street, where it veered into Barnwood, then Bottle Stop for a wine tasting, and then “ran conga style through Caraluzzi’s,” Mr Hockley said.

The group also visited Market Place on Church Hill Road before returning to Sandy Hook Center and its final destination, Cover Two. The full route is approximately 5 kilometers, the second half of which is generally on a downhill incline.