Another major Ely event - the Ely Marathon - is in less than a week.
Both the full 26.2-mile marathon as well as the Highland Bank Half Marathon are taking place as usual on the morning of Sept. 20 with the annual 5K Northern Lights Glow Run kicking off the festivities on Friday, Sept. 19.
Ely’s Whiteside Park will once again serve as the focal point of marathon weekend both days.
Food trucks, live music, a beer and drink tent along with an bounce house extravaganza make the city park the hub of activity for marathon-related events.
Since beginning in 2015, the marathon has become a major happening - drawing participants and visitors from around the region and beyond.
Several hundred people are expected to participate in at least one of the respective races.
Marathon Saturday has been festive in Ely since the event’s inception, but the Friday evening Glow Run has become a popular event and organizers are capitalizing with many events now on the Friday night docket.
The run starts at 7 p.m. and both starts and finishes at the park, where food trucks are set up from noon to 8 p.m,, and a beer and drink tent open from 4 to 10 p.m.
Race packet pickup starts at noon.
The festivities continue Saturday, with both the marathon and half-marathon starting along the Echo Trail and continuing in to Ely, finishing at the park.
Again, the park will be home to food trucks, beverage tent, the bounce house “extravaganza” and live music by the Iron Range Funk Machine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
An awards ceremony is set for 2 p.m., although the first finishers in the half marathon are expected as early as 9:20 a.m.
In addition to the park, other key vantage points for spectators include the intersection of the Echo Trail and Grand McMahan Boulevard, Miners Drive and Main Street in Winton.
Brent Smith of Carlton claimed first place in the overall marathon in 2024 and former Elyite Amy Bianco Regan was the top women’s finisher.
Along with the marathon and its associated races, the Ely Marathon has carved its own niche on the road racing scene with its canoe portage division.
Iowa City’s Drew Boysen, finished first with a time of 4:11:04.
The marathon comes with some road closures and detours on Sept. 23.
No cars should be parked along the race course, and cars parked on the racecourse will be towed at the owner’s expense.
Sheridan Street from Second to 17th Avenue East, and Chapman from Second to Seventh Avenue East will be cleared of all traffic from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on race day.
The Sheridan Street detour will run from South Central Avenue over to James Street, to Eighth Avenue East to White Street and eventually 17th Avenue East.
In addition, these road closures will take place:
• (Echo Trail) North Arm Road to Grant McMahan, 7:30 to 10 a.m.;
• (Grant McMahan) Echo Trail to Highway 169, 8 a.m. to noon;
• (Old Winton Road) Grant McMahan to West Sixth Avenue, 8 a.m. to noon;
• (Cedar Lake Road/Cloquet Line) Old Winton Road to Beel Road , 8 a.m. to noon;
• (Pioneer Road) Grant McMahan to Miners Drive, 8:30 to 1 p.m.;
• (Miners Drive) Pioneer to 17th Avenue, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.;
• (17th Avenue) Miners to Camp Street, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
• (Camp) 17th to 15th, 8:15 a.m.. to 2 p.m.;
• (Sheridan) 15th to First Avenue East, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m;
• (First Avenue East) Sheridan to Harvey 8:15 a.m, to 2 p.m.;
• (Chapman) First Avenue East to Seventh Avenue East, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
•(Harvey) First Avenue East to 17th Avenue East, 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.
