More than 1,o00 runners took to the streets of West Hartford on Sunday, June 7, 2026 to kick off the second day of Celebrate! West Hartford with the FUNd RUNS. 

By Ronni Newton. Photos by Craig Rosenberg

More than 1,000 participants participated Sunday morning in the Celebrate! West Hartford’s FUNd RUNS – the 5K and the Kids K – runners from toddler-age to 80-plus.

The temperature at the start was already in the low-70s, with bright sunshine – great for spectators but a bit warm for running.

While the Kids K stayed within the confines of Blue Back Square, the 5K – which was being run for the third time on the course introduced in 2024 – took runners north up Main Street to Craigmoor Road where they turned right and then headed south to enjoy the picturesque Trout Brook Trail for the second half of the race. The race ended with an uphill on Memorial Road to the finish line arch in Blue Back Square – but other than that hill most of the course is flat and fast.

Everett Hackett, 36, of Hartford, was the first to break the tape, finishing the 5K in 16:02, and was honored with the Peter Hawley Memorial Award, given to the first-place overall male winner.

Braeden Laframboise, 23, of Southington, was second for the second year in a row, finishing in 16:45. Gregory Weaver, 46, of West Hartford, was third overall in 16;54, and for the second year in a row was presented with the Sherman Malley Memorial Award as the first male finisher from West Hartford.

The first female finisher was Alyssa Natario, 35, of Glastonbury, who broke the tape in 17:38. Chelsea Warren, 42, of Portland, Oregon, was the second female, finishing with a time of 17:58, and Nancy Montemerlo, 29, of Hartford, was third in 18:55.

Molly Chien, 16, of West Hartford, received a special award for being the first female finisher from West Hartford. She completed the race in 19:09, and was the fourth female and 25th overall.

Complete race results can be found here.

Earlier in the morning, hundreds of children participated in the Kids K race.

A portion of the proceeds from the Celebrate! West Hartford FUNd RUNS are donated to the Town That Cares Fund as well as the Leisure Services Scholarship Fund which aids low-income families by funding the cost of enrolling in swim lessons, summer camps, and various other activities.

For scenes from the remainder of the Celebrate! West Hartford event, click here.

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