O'Hartford on the run!

We love the O’races. Love. Them.  Festive St. Patrick’s Day celebrations that combine 5K races with drinking beer, eating food and partying with friends.  What could be better?   

With four race locations across the state and a great annual tradition in place, we’re always looking for new ways to create excitement and ante up the O’race game. We’ve listened to your feedback and in the past few years made changes to O’Hartford, the final race in the series (Sunday, March 18).

This year, we’re knocking it out of the park (literally) with a totally new location and course starting and finishing at the Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt.  Just south of downtown, the Coltsville National Historical Park area is centered around the iconic Colt Building, recognizable as one of the major visual landmarks in Hartford.

Unlike the familiar streets around our beloved Bushnell Park, this race route will take you through many Hartford sites you may never have otherwise seen.  Run past historic buildings and through Colt Park where you can catch the amazing architecture of Armsmear (meaning “meadow of arms”), the family home of firearm manufacturer Samuel Colt, which has been a National Historic Landmark since 1966.  Exit the park and on the last (fast) half of the race, look for the Church of the Good Shephard Parish House, built in 1896.

The race ends at the steps of the Hooker Brewery Tasting Room in the Colt Building, just opened in 2017 and a great new hot spot for Hartford.  Clearly a highlight of the St Paddy’s Day “day-after” race is capping it off with a delicious locally made craft beer (one free beer for 21+ only with ID). And, good eats, of course.

There’s plenty of free parking around the start/finish area.  We’ve got maps, details and all you need to know about the course on HERE!