There will be a new marathon in town this November.
The Every Woman's Marathon, sponsored by Milk and Visit Savannah, will be held in Savannah on November 16, 2024, according to a release from the city. The marathon is expected to attract around 5,000 participants, the release said.
"We wanted to reevaluate what Savannah looked like and make sure if we had an event, it is a race that fits our city, but also respects our city," said Mayor Van Johnson at his weekly press conference. "Understanding very real and clear that Savannah is a place to live first."
Johnson said the city is not paying for the race as it did with the previous Savannah Rock n' Roll marathon. Milk will pay all operational costs. Johnson also said that Milk would be making donations up to $200,000 to nonprofit partners including the Historic Savannah Foundation. There will also be an internship for eight Savannah State University Students to learn about event management, Johnson said.
Tuesday's announcement comes after the Rock n' Roll Marathon, which fielded thousands of runners, ended in 2022 when the city did not renew its contract with the race. The race was first run in Savannah in 2011.
The Rock n' Roll Running Series takes races to cities across the U.S., always bringing entertainment for the weekend as well. In Savannah that meant concerts in Forsyth Park. By the end of its run in Savannah, the race had drawn some criticism for its disruption to traffic and quality of life to the city's neighborhood.
Johnson said the Rock n' Roll Marathon was no longer the right fit for the city, saying it became too much about profit and made the city a "means to an end."
"We did not want to be taken advantage of anymore, we will not be taken advantage of anymore," Johnson said.
2024 Every Woman’s Marathon course information
The exact route is still under development, but the city said he race will start in front of Savannah City Hall in the early morning, opening Bay Street up by 9 a.m., according to the release. The release said runners will be clear of the historic district by 10 a.m. The race will be a Boston Marathon qualifier, according the race's site.
The route celebration will be held at Trustees Garden at 660 E. Broughton St., and there will be no impact to the weekly Forsyth Farmer's Market, according to the release.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah marathon announced for 2024. What to know about the race
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