As part of Andover’s Fourth of July festivities, the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail will be holding the Firecracker 5K starting at Blackwater Park at 9 AM. The Firecracker is a flat, fast 5K on the rail trail starting at Blackwater Park and heading east out to near Switch Road and back. It is a great family event to kick off your Fourth of July in Andover.

All abilities are welcome and encouraged to participate. Strollers are welcome, however due to the space constraints at the start, we ask that you start near the back of the group. The race fee is $20 before July 1, and $25 on race day. You can register online at OpenSignUps.com/signup/73666.

If you’re enjoying the great pancake breakfast at the school, walk on down to the park and jump into the race. We will have the traditional railroad spike prizes for the top three finishers in each age group. There will also be a $50 cash first prize to the first Male and Female finisher overall.

If you have any questions, drop me a note at Brian@nullOpenSignUps.com. We look forward to seeing you on the Fourth.