Stride for Hope 5K
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About the race
Academy of Hope’s inaugural 5K Run/Walk and Homecoming Festival takes place on April 25 at Anacostia Park in Washington, DC. The event combines a community 5K with a daytime festival featuring live performances, panels, and activities that highlight the school’s work with adult learners.
Funds raised support Academy of Hope programs that build literacy skills, help adults earn high-school credentials, and provide career training and related support services. The Homecoming Festival is covered with tents so programming and performances continue rain or shine.
Festival elements listed by the organizer include main stage performances, panel conversations, a headliner act named Black Alley, and a Skate Pavilion silent disco with three channel options. The silent disco requires participants to bring their own skates and to present a valid state ID; no skate rentals are available onsite. Vendor applications are open for the festival, with a limited number of complimentary community vendor spaces and a selection process that notifies applicants on or before April 1, 2026.
The event also lists institutional sponsors and corporate partners and frames the day as a community gathering that connects students, alumni, and local residents with information about Academy of Hope’s free programs for DC adults. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
