But every Memorial Day for the past 23 years, bands, dancers and performers of every stripe have awoken early and set up at sunrise to help add a bit of local flavor to the Bolder Boulder, the 10K road race that draws about 45,000 runners each year to trek through the streets of Boulder. For contestants and spectators alike, the dancers and musicians are the most distinctive part of the event. When I first started, we had about six groups or people along the course. This year's lineup is primarily musicians and dancers, but past acts have included jugglers, trick bicyclists and acrobats.
Runners say the entertainment determines the flavor of a race.
Bands and dancers also bring smiles to the faces of runners by interacting with them. Among the most popular acts on the Bolder Boulder course are the belly dancers. It's a lot of kids and families, and they just love it. I know from experience that people love belly dancers. We're not your traditional bone-thin ballerinas.