The 25th annual Turkey Hill Country Classic will take place on Saturday, May 4, at Central Manor Church of God, 387 Penn St., Washington Boro. The half marathon race will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the start of the 10K at 9 a.m. and the 5K run and walk at 9:05 a.m. Children may participate in a free fun run at 9:45 a.m., and the rain-or-shine event will include other family-friendly activities such as a bounce house.

The races will take runners on a scenic route through the area's hilly landscape, and the half marathon will include a section of the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail. Those who finish a course will receive a commemorative medal. Cash prizes will be given to the top three winners of each race in the male and female categories. The top male and female runners in each age bracket will receive a medal, and an additional cash prize will be given to participants for each record set on the course. Awards and medals will be presented during a ceremony after the conclusion of the kids' fun run.

Refreshments will be available to purchase from food trucks during the event, and a limited supply of fruit and water will be offered to runners before the start of each race.

The Turkey Hill Country Classic began with a partnership between Manor Township and Turkey Hill. The primary goal of the event was to combine the resources of a private sector company with local government efforts to offer a family-friendly community attraction; the township organized the races, and Turkey Hill handled its promotion as a private partner. The response from community members was overwhelmingly positive, and the Turkey Hill Country Classic previously incorporated additional activities such as bike races, drawing more than 2,000 attendees every year. After a brief hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Manor Township took over management of the event that has become beloved by the local community. Staying true to a quarter-century of tradition, a shot from a cannon will ring through the area's rolling farmland to kick off each race.

This year, Manor Township will introduce several family-friendly activities to the event, including an inflatable kids' game and various food trucks. Additionally, the township decided to bring back the kids' fun run, which was included in the event in previous years. Children under the age of 12 may participate in the fun run for a chance to earn prizes. "One thing we're focusing on is the family nature of the event," said Ryan Strohecker, manager of Manor Township. "If you have one adult in the family running in a race, there are other spaces that children can come to and participate during that time. We're trying to make it exciting so everyone can have fun."

Registration is available at a discounted rate online until Thursday, May 2, at midnight. Preregistration packs may be picked up from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 3, at the Manor Township office. Same-day registration will be accepted prior to the event.

For more information and to register, visit https://manortownship.net/country-classic-registration/.