Roc 6.19 dates

1. June 19, 2025: This is the ninth annual Roc 6.19 5K Run/Walk. WooHoo! The first 50 registrants to our live event will receive a Roc 6.19 5k cooling towel, distributed on race day!
2. June 1, 2025: Thank you to those who came to the second annual day of jazz, "6.19 Jazz," in honor of Juneteenth and Black Music Month. See below for a recap on this event. 

Roc 6.19 2025 5K Run/Walk
The 9th annual run/walk, now "Roc 6.19 2025 5K Run/Walk," begins at 1 pm, Thursday, June 19, 2025. The live race will take place at Genesee Valley Park, Riverbend Shelter, located along the Genesee River. The certified 5K course offers runners beautiful and scenic park views on winding asphalt roads. You may choose to participate virtually any time from now until June 19, 2025. Find details and sign up at itsyourrace.com


Roc 6.19 2025 Virtual Run/Walk challenge! 
Virtual event explained by Gloria Johnson-Hovey, see link: 
https://youtu.be/ivP5GiH_8Vk

For your virtual run or walk, you might run or walk 19 miles or 19K (11.8 miles) in 6 consecutive hours or less or within 6 weeks or within 6 months!

Not up for the 19 mile challenge or up for traveling to the live event at Genesee Valley Park? Not a problem!...Then the 5k virtual is for you!
After your event, log in and enter your time on this site. 

Start your event from anywhere in the world! We would love to see people from all over the globe participate! 

Make it your own event by running or walking your favorite route. It can be the city streets of NY or rural country roads in Florida. Or how about the mountain trails in Colorado? Just get up and go! Register with your family and friends, and bring your dog or cat! When you choose a virtual event, you get to pick the best weather day as well. 

If running and long walks are not your thing, but you want to recognize and celebrate Juneteenth, what can you do? 

You can do your favorite activity: swimming, cross-country skiing, biking, hiking, rowing, dancing or reading (Juneteenth-related). Do it for 6 hours, 19 miles, 19 days, with the understanding of the meaning of Juneteenth and its relevance to all of America.

In the words of Harriet Tubman...keep going! And...we will keep going!

Virtual participants will get to choose the day, time, and location for their virtual 5K run any time from date of registration through June 19, 2025. You are encouraged to try out the FREE IYR Virtual App that will track and map your 5K run and keep track of your time. You can also manually enter your results at any time through the month of June by clicking on the results tab at the top of this page. Search for your name and then select the "Update Time" button next to your name. You will be prompted for the email and password you created when you registered for the race and created an IYR profile.

However we choose to celebrate this amazing day of freedom, we do it with focused attention of the journey of the brave enslaved people and allies who got us here today celebrating together. 

What to expect on RACE DAY: 
*Before and after the run/walk, there will be light food and water available.
*Community vendors, with food to purchase, will be on site, with helpful resources for support, along with retail purchasing opportunities from some fabulous local businesses.
*Raffle tickets will be sold (cash only) for a chance to win fantastic gift baskets and prizes.
*Funds raised from the run/walk will go to support the construction of the Minister Franklin D. Florence Civil Rights Heritage Park, an outdoor Civil Rights classroom at Baden Park in Rochester, New York.
We will continue our Juneteenth celebration following the 5k, with a jazz concert from 4 to 6 pm, at the Roundhouse Shelter. 

Start your OWN fundraising team!
Please consider creating a fundraising team to help us reach our goal of raising $20,000. Click on the Fundraising Team button at the top of the page, and invite family and friends to support our cause. It's easy and fun, and you’ll be supporting a great cause!

Remember that you may walk or run virtually.  Registration is easy. See above.

We continue to commemorate over 400 years of perseverance, from 1619 to the present. Roc Juneteenth supports the work for equal justice through our dedicating this event to Ahmaud Aubrey, a Black 25-year-old man who was pursued without cause by three white men, then fatally shot 5 years ago, in Glynn County, Georgia on February 23, 2020. We use the #irunwithmaud to demonstrate our support for the justice that was served in December of 2021, for Ahmaud.

Juneteenth is the celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger led 2,000 Union soldiers to Galveston, Texas, to ensure the freedom of 250,000 still-enslaved people. Today, Rochester, NY, home to Frederick Douglass, is the perfect place to host the original Juneteenth run/walk! Visit www.juneteenth.com for additional information.

THE RACE COURSE 
The 5K race live event will start and finish at Genesee Valley Park. The official start time is set for 1:00 PM. The race will use the newly certified USATF Certified Course #NY14904KL.

Genesee Valley Park
Riverbend Shelter
Genesee River Trail
Rochester, NY

REGISTRATION & PACKET PICKUP
Online registration only. Race day registration & packet pickup will take at the Riverbend Shelter from 11 AM right up until the start of the race at 1PM. Please arrive early so we can start the race on time!

Live Race Registration
$25/$30 on race day

Virtual 5K Registration
$10 through race day

POST RACE CELEBRATION
Live race participants enjoy a post race celebration including light snacks, refreshments, music and awards ceremony.

PARKING
There is plenty of free parking in the park within walking distance of the start/finish line.

AWARDS
For the live 5K race, special gifts will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall male and female 5K finishers and ALL participants (Virtual and Live) and donors will be emailed a special commemorative poster...design to be determined.

CONTACT / INFORMATION
For additional information on the race or sponsorship opportunities available, please contact race organizer Gloria Johnson-Hovey at (585) 775-5599 or via email at glohovey@aol.com.

TIMING & FINISH LINE SERVICES
Professional timing and finish line services using industry leading Jaguar Electronic RFID timing will be provided by Race Management Solutions. Results will be updated throughout the race in real time and can be accessed at any time after crossing the finish line using any one of the following options:

• FREE ITSYourRace Mobile App
• RMS Race Results Kiosk/Printer
• Scrolling Results TV Monitor(s)
• ITSYourRace.com
• RaceManagementSolutions.com

Race participants can also use the ITSYourRace platform to view and share finish line photos with family and friends for free on Facebook. Custom finisher certificates can also be downloaded from the results page at no charge!

A recap: Roc 6.19 Jazz
Our June 1 day of jazz was a success: The music was stupendous, the food trucks didn't disappoint, and audience members had a great time. Our Juneteenth-wrapped bus, where visitors could see a movie on the history of jazz, was well received and enlightening, bringing jazz back to its roots. The purpose of the day was to honor and celebrate the contributions of African-American music and its influence on our nation.

Thanks to those who came to the event, which benefitted our two charitable organizations: the Minister Franklin D. Florence Civil Rights Heritage Park, and Agape Haven of Abundance. We appreciate all donations. We need you and appreciate you! 

The day included a range of performers: Our headliner was the Reggie Woods Trio, saxophonist, composer, arranger and producer. We also enjoyed performances by Rochester's Herb Smith, a versatile classical and jazz trumpeter; Ryan Johnson, musician, educator, and composer, with his Roc City All-Stars; Serena Young, a finalist on the BET gospel show, "Sunday Best"; and Rufus McGee, keyboard player and band leader who plays gospel, soul/funk, and smooth jazz, with his Rufus McGee Junior Trio. 

We will share clips of the day when they become available. We hope that those who didn't get a chance to attend will be able to next year. This event happens the first Sunday in June, each year.