Costumes for Kids 5k & Halloween Fest Raised over $24,000 for Local Foster Youth

Photo: The starting line for the Fun Run (courtesy Blushing Cactus Photography)

Runners, families, volunteers, and community supporters filled the Prescott Courthouse Square on Saturday, October 24, for the 12th Annual Costumes for Kids 5K & Halloween Fest, raising $24,397 to support current and former foster youth in Yavapai County.

Hosted by Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation, the event brought the community together for a morning of running, costumes, and Halloween fun. Participants enjoyed a challenging 5K through downtown Prescott, a one-mile Fun Run, carnival games, music, food, raffles and costume contests.

This year marked the first time the event used professional race timing for the 5K. TJ Woodruff took first place with a time of 21 minutes and 40 seconds, followed by Jacob Spann in second place at 22 minutes and 6 seconds and Amilcar Alvares in third at 22 minutes and 53 seconds.

“It feels pretty good now that the suffering is behind us,” Woodruff said after the race. “It was a great morning out there. Really fun course, and hopefully it brought in some good awareness on foster kids this morning.”

Photo: Winners of the Youth Costume Contest (courtesy Blushing Cactus Photography)

The event saw a larger turnout than the previous year, with families and supporters filling the square to celebrate and help local children.

“Everything went so well this year, and you could really feel the energy throughout the square,” said Mona Stephens, Development Director of Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation.

The Foundation extends a special thank-you to ZebraScapes, the event’s top sponsor, for helping make the day possible. The Foundation is also grateful to Sparklight, Findlay Toyota, Bent River Machine, Kiwanis Club of Prescott, Fiscor, Chino Heating & Cooling, Staples, B & W Fire Security Systems, Fann Contracting, Wolf Creek Recovery, Gilray Pediatric Therapy, Findlay GMC, Fly by Night Entertainment, The Prescott Times, RNS Pressure Washing, Raber & Mortenson, Spectrum Health Care, Allegra, Town and Trail Run Club, Home Depot, Northern Arizona Heating & Cooling, State Farm – Eric Strobel, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Prescott Engraving, and The Grumpy Sicilian for their support.

The Foundation also thanks every volunteer, participant, and community supporter who helped make the event a success, along with Blushing Cactus Photography for capturing the day.

The Costumes for Kids 5K & Halloween Fest will return to the Prescott Courthouse Square on Saturday, October 30, 2027, from 9 a.m. to noon.

To learn more about Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation or find out how to get involved, visit YC4KF.org or email info@YavapaiCASAforKids.org.