It's time to dig those holiday fashion faux pas out of your closet.
The annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Dash is back.
The 10th annual 5 km race for sartorial ignominy is being held Saturday, Dec. 2 at Anmore Elementary (30 Elementary Rd.). The starting gun goes off at 10 a.m.
All proceeds from this year's run go to support the school’s parent advisory council.
The event is organized by the Now That's Ugly Society that was co-founded by Anmore resident Jordan Birch, along with his university buddy, Chris Boyd, in 2002 to bring some seasonal levity to a house party.
Since then the ugly sweater house party expanded to Simon Fraser University and the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, the founders trademarked "Ugly Christmas Sweater," published a children's book, The Ugly Christmas Sweater Rebellion, and the original ugly sweater dash has alighted in Port Moody and Coquitlam while other communities around the world organized their own runs.
Retailers and sweater makers have even jumped on the Christmastime cultural phenomenon, designing, manufacturing and selling ugly sweaters on purpose.
The money raised from the society’s various initiatives has supported causes like the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish, the Children's Wish Foundation, Basics for Babies and the Salvation Army.
The dash is an un-timed event open to all ages and abilities and includes a pancake breakfast at the start and bottomless hot chocolate and cookies or a ticket for an adult beverage at the finish. There will also be prizes awarded for the ugliest sweater, the best group costume, the ugliest kids sweater and the ugliest sweater worn by a dog.
Online registration is $50 for adults, and $30 for seniors and young runners from ages nine to 18. The fee also gets you an authentic Ugly Christmas Sweater toque to keep your head warm.
Starting spots are limited.
