Color Run St. Pete to Paint Downtown Saturday

Areas of downtown St. Petersburg will turn shades of yellow, pink, blue and orange Saturday morning as thousands of 5K runners participate in the Color Run St. Petersburg.  

The Color Run, called the "Happiest 5k on the Planet!", is a 5K where its participants wear all white and are pelted with various color powders as they run along the course. 

According to the Color Run:

Each kilometer of the event is associated with a designated color: yellow, orange, pink, or blue. As the runners/walkers reach the Kilometer Color Zones, they are blitzed by our volunteers, sponsors and staff with color.

Have a hard time visualizing this? Check out the video above. Or, as the Color Run describes it, you'll just be "completely colored Willy Wonka goodness at the finish."

Around 10,000 participants are expected to compete in the Color Run in St. Pete this weekend. The Color Run St. Petersburg is officially sold out. 

The race, which begins at 9 a.m., starts at Vinoy Park, heads south along Bayshore, around the pier, north on beach drive and then ends on Bayshore Drive near 7th Avenue North. 

Roads affected/closed by the event include Fifth Ave. NE; Bayshore Dr. NE;  both the north and southbound lanes of Second Ave. NE (Pier Approach), including the Dolphin parking lot; First Ave. SE; Beach Dr. NE and Seventh Ave. NE. The city said roads are expected to reopen at 1 p.m.

Unfortunately for those of you who haven't already registered, the Color Run is sold out. 

Editor's Note: St. Pete editor William Mansell, Gulfport Patch editor Cherlene Willis and Dunedin Patch editor Katie Dolac will be attempting to survive while participating in the Color Run.