Firecracker 8K Returns To Traditional July Fourth Weekend

There was something not exactly right when a race named for firecrackers was held in the cool month of October last year. Then again, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown off too many schedules to count over the last two years, with event organizers scrambling for the best possible results.

The Southampton Rotary Club was no exception, as the community-based organization was forced to cancel it’s main fundraiser, the Southampton Firecracker 8K Run, in the summer of 2020, and after more delays in 2021, the group held the race in October of last year.

This year, the event is back to its traditional Fourth of July weekend positioning in the East End race schedule and will return to Southampton Village on Sunday, July 3, with an 8 a.m. start time at Agawam Park.

“It’s like riding a bike, really, and we’re really grateful to be able to run again on July Fourth weekend,” said James Grossi, a member of the Southampton Rotary Club who is chairman of the race for the second consecutive year. “It is, after all, the Firecracker 8K, and it’s a great event for the community.”

Last year’s 30th annual race, won by Oz Perlman in 25:57 (5:13 mile pace), had just 125 finishers, which was well below traditional levels for the obvious reasons. With the race now back in July, early registration has already exceeded the total from last year, according to Grossi, with the club expecting a flood of same-day registrations for both the 8K and the more manageable 3-mile run/walk.

The race is the primary fundraiser for the Southampton Rotary Scholarship & Endowment Fund, which provides local students with scholarships and supports other important community groups across Southampton Town, including local fire and ambulance squads, Little League and other youth groups, food banks and other nonprofits like the Ellen Hermanson Foundation for Breast Cancer and the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation.

The club this year was able to secure a major sponsor in Weill Cornell Medicine, which recently opened a new Southampton location on County Road 39, a connection forged by Rotary Club member Kevin Luss.

“We’re very excited about that, it’s a huge opportunity for the club and all the different organizations we support, and great exposure for them, especially with the event back in July,” Grossi said.

This year’s race is also giving participants an opportunity to donate directly to support the people of Ukraine, with those funds flowing to Rotary International to assist in that organization’s relief efforts.