The Mayor’s Youth Council Color Fun Run took place on Friday, May 16, 2025.. This annual event, hosted in partnership with Valpo Parks, brought together hundreds of residents to enjoy the colorful, high-energy event, running through bursts of vibrant powder and fun obstacles. It was a joyful celebration of community spirit, proudly supported by Mayor Jon Costas.
“It’s a beautiful day at Viking Arena,” said Costas. “We’ve got a great turnout—lots of kids, parents, and grandparents enjoying the event. This event is so special because it’s organized with input from the Mayor’s Youth Council. These high school juniors have spent a full year learning about local government, civic engagement, and leadership development. They’re impressive young leaders, and seeing them step up to run an event like this gives me real hope for the future of Valparaiso.”
“Valpo Parks and the Mayor’s Youth Council have been partnering on this event since 2022,” said Maggie Clifton, Community Engagement Director for the City of Valparaiso. “It all started when the Youth Council recognized a need for more affordable, family-friendly events in town. They originally organized the Color Run as a fundraiser for Valpo Parks, and the response was so strong that it’s now become an annual tradition. The demand and community engagement has grown yearly, and now it’s a regular part of our parks programming.”
Participants walked around the entire park, starting at the soccer field, looping around the baseball field, and finishing back at the starting line. They encountered several fun obstacles along the route, including a critter crawl and haystacks to climb over. At each checkpoint, high school volunteers—like junior Maddie Ehrhardt —enthusiastically bombarded runners with bursts of color, adding excitement to every step of the journey.
“The Color Fun Run is organized by the Mayor’s Youth Council, a group here in Valpo,” said Ehrhardt. “Every year, the Youth Council helps the Parks Department with the planning—we start a few weeks out, assign roles, develop fun obstacles, and design the course to be accessible for everyone. That’s a big focus for us—we want anyone in Valpo who wants to join to feel welcome.”
“The Valpo Park staff worked closely with the Youth Council to gather input on the obstacle course and then the students helped coordinate volunteer support for the event,” said Clifton. “It takes a lot of hands on deck, which makes this a great opportunity for youth to get involved—not just by volunteering themselves, but also by recruiting other student volunteers.”
“It’s great to see families out here and kids having a fun time running. They will be covered in color because that’s what this event is all about. They’ll get a little exercise and enjoy themselves—it’s just one of the many great moments we have here in Valparaiso,” said Mayor Jon Costas.
For more information about the City of Valparaiso Mayor’s Youth Council Color Fun Run or to learn how to get involved, please visit the City of Valparaiso’s official website or contact the Community Engagement Office.
