GREENFIELD — A street festival aimed at promoting fitness and health is inviting local businesses to face off for bragging rights and baseball tickets.
The fourth-annual North Street Fitness Festival, a partnership between Greenfield Main Street and Healthy 365, this year will include the inaugural Hancock County Corporate Challenge, an event pitting teams from local businesses against each other in activities including a 5K, football throwing accuracy, a basketball shootout and more.
The fitness festival, set for June 16, will continue to offer demonstrations of activities like Zumba and martial arts, healthy food vendors and information about local fitness opportunities like sports leagues, fitness centers and training programs, said Shelley Swift, Greenfield Main Street executive director.
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The event is hosted by Greenfield Main Street, which is dedicated to promoting downtown Greenfield and bringing people to its businesses, and sponsored by Healthy 365, a Hancock Regional Hospital initiative working to promote healthier living among county residents by addressing three target areas: workplace wellness, mental fitness and the availability of healthier choices to community members, said Amanda Everidge, healthy community coordinator.
“This is our second year expanding on this strong partnership with Greenfield Main Street,” Everidge said. “We’re looking at bringing in activities and support that will really engage the community.”
The Hancock County Corporate Challenge is inspired by a similar event Hancock Regional Hospital staff members participated in at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, she said. The winning team will receive a package of 30 tickets to the July 7 Indianapolis Indians game with food and drinks included; individual prizes for high scores in the challenges include $50 gift certificates to golf courses, indoor karting and zip line facilities.
The festival has expanded in a variety of ways since its inception in 2014, at times offering giveaways of gently used bicycles and giving space to vendors specializing in mental and spiritual health in addition to highlighting physical fitness and healthy nutrition choices.
The winners of the annual Bikes in Bloom contest, which encourages local nonprofits to decorate bikes with flowers and place them downtown, will be announced at the North Street Fitness Festival as well.
The contest has expanded to downtown Fortville as well, said Fortville Action volunteer Sharon Beatson. Some eight brightly decorated bikes dot the downtown area, she said.
Voting is ongoing on the Greenfield Main Street and Fortville Action Facebook pages.
