Last weekend, the fourth annual Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon & 5K hosted nearly 2,500 participants representing nine countries outside of the U.S. and 40 states. The weekend’s race-related visitation accounted for more than 3,300 room nights in area hotels and a direct visitor spend of over $1.8 million.
 
The event was first held in 2015 and has been sponsored by Publix since its inception. It serves as an opportunity to bring visitors to Savannah and showcase its picturesque Historic District when the flowers are blooming and the weather is still mild. It also serves as a fundraising drive for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which has received more than $50,000 from the Women’s Half over the four years that the event has taken place, provides a platform for Savannah Area Chamber member businesses to promote their products and services to race participants and their families.
 
The Publix Savannah Women’s Half & 5K takes place the first weekend in April. The weekend begins with a Fashion Fitness Expo at the packet pick-up on Friday, and the race through the Historic District on Saturday followed by a Post-Race Party in Forsyth Park. Next year’s Women’s Half weekend is scheduled for April 5-7, 2019.