Addiction & Recovery Awareness 5K and Music Festival Set for Sept. 9

BELCHERTOWN — SOAAR (Speaking Out About Addiction & Recovery) and Honest Beginnings, in conjunction with the Belchertown Police Department (BPD), announced that the second annual SOAAR Addiction & Recovery Awareness 5K and Music Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Music by local artists will begin at 3 p.m. on Belchertown’s town common, with final performances ending at 10 p.m. The 5K will kick off at 6:30 p.m. from the Park Street side of the common, with the route encompassing a portion of Belchertown’s historic district. A one-mile walk will also take place in that area.

Activities and events will take place on the common all afternoon and evening, including a BPD K-9 Unit demo, a chance to visit with Sparky the Fire Dog and the Belchertown Fire Department (BFD), face painting, mock firefighting with BFD, ‘kindness rocks’ painting, a vintage camper tour, and more. Refreshments will be available throughout the day, as will local vendors and recovery resources. Hampshire HOPE’s Wall of Hope and Remembrance will also be on site.

This year, proceeds will be used toward costs associated with providing much-needed sober housing, recovery-support programming, and first-month scholarships for those without the resources to access sober living, giving them the opportunity to focus on their recovery and find employment in their first 30 days after treatment.

For more information and to register for the 5k or 1-mile walk, visit www.honestbeginnings.org.