The first official day of summer will start with a party in downtown Vicksburg.

The 8th annual Star Spangled Night Run is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, at 8 p.m. at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center on Crawford Street.

The event includes a 5-kilometer run and race walk with a light-hearted nighttime theme. Runners and walkers will receive a glow item in their goodie bag, as well as a race T-shirt.

“It’s such a fun one. We love to see all the different ways people get into it, either the way they dress up or paint their face up. It’s not just the normal 5K. They get to put a personality into it,” said Stacey Mahoney, the race director and director of the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation. “It’s still a competitive race, but I feel there’s some people that come in on this one and just do it for fun. It’s a good mix.”

Afterward, a post-race party and awards ceremony will take place in the SCHC’s auditorium. Food and drinks will be served and a DJ will be there to help runners and walkers unwind.

“We will be in the auditorium, in the cool, enjoying music and pizza and beer. We’re looking forward to that, too. People can cool off and chill out after,” Mahoney said.

The entry fee is $40 for the 5K, or $25 for children 12 and under. For non-runners and walkers, there is a $10 admission fee for the after-party.

Online registration is available through RaceRoster.com, or entry forms are available at the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation’s business office at 1302 Adams St.

Packet pick-up will be Friday, June 20, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the SCHF Auditorium. Raceday registration will go from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m Saturday.

The Star Spangled Night Run is a fundraiser for the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation. In addition to the entry fees, money from race sponsors goes toward maintenance projects and upkeep of the SCHF’s nearly 200-year-old campus.

The race sponsors are Visit Vicksburg, International Paper, McDonald’s, Southern Beverage Company, Bally’s Vicksburg Casino, WaterView Casino and the City of Vicksburg.

Mahoney said funds from this year’s race will help put a new roof on the SCHC’s Academy Building that was built in 1937.

“We have a grant to put a new roof on the Academy Building, which is the building we use the most for our programming. But that’s going to require a cash match on our part so this is important to raise money for that,” Mahoney said. “We’re hoping this will bring in a chunk to go toward that.“