The Ironton Rail-Trail Commission and Coplay Community Days are teaming up.

The partnership is expected to benefit both the festival and the Ironton Rail-Trail.

The Emmaus Run Inn IRT Loop Run is set to begin at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. The course for the approximately 5-mile race will be the IRT loop, said race organizer Chris Schmidt of the Emmaus store.

In addition to the usual race T-shirt, runners will receive a $10 food voucher good for that day at Community Days.

"There's a lot to keep the people here afterward," said Steve Burker, chairman of Coplay Community Days.

The Coplay pool will be open with free admission, allowing runners to cool off after the race and enjoy the food, rides and other activities offered at the festival, said Burker.

Schmidt said he started the race, traditionally run in May, as a means of making people aware of the IRT.

"When we first did it 12 years ago, we were the only race that Sunday," he said.

Now, however, several other races the same day compete for participants, causing the number of runners to dwindle, said Schmidt, a resident of Stiles who serves as vice president of Coplay Sports.

He hopes having the race on a Saturday evening – starting just as temperatures cool off – will attract more participants.

Schmidt said the idea came to him at this year's IRT race May 19.

He and Coplay Mayor Joseph Bundra, who is also involved with the IRT Oversight Commission, were brainstorming ideas to combat dwindling participation in the race, which is a major fundraiser for the IRT.

"I'm thinking what about Community Days? It's something different," Schmidt said. "We just kind of did it while all the runners were out."

Bundra agreed the idea was worth pursuing, Schmidt said. Race participants also reacted favorably to the proposed change of date.

"We won't do it in May anymore. It will always be with Community Days," Schmidt said.

In addition to the food voucher, the race will offer $100 cash prizes to the first-place male and female finishers. The second and third-place finishers, as well as first place "masters" (runners older than 40) will also receive cash prizes.

Rail spikes will also be given out to winners and the top finishers in six age groups.

In addition to the competitive run, organizers will hold two fun runs, one for those ages 5 and under and one for those ages 6 and older.

"Let's try to make this a family thing so not only do they come and run, they stay," said Schmidt.

Years ago, a race was part of Coplay Community Days, said Burker, who described the idea of adding the race to the festival as a "no brainer."

Coplay Community Days "is never going to be the same old, same old," Burker said, describing the race as a "really good addition."

Runners can register online at https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=J02V6J7. Race day registration will also be available from 3:30-4:15 p.m.