Back in 1995 Ken Fate was musing on Raven Radio about the Running of the Bulls in Papilloma, Spain. Shiela Finkenbinder called in. They riffed for a while, wondering what would happen if a group Sitkans, clad only in “Sitka Sneakers” (XtraTuff rubber boots), ran down Lincoln Street on the last cruise ship day of the season waving bye-bye to the last cruise ship tourists. Instead of running naked perhaps it might be better to wear zany costumes. I’m not sure the tourists noticed but a beloved Sitka tradition was born.
Starting as a Raven Radio stunt, the running has gone through several iterations. For a while XtraTuffs sponsored the event. Then it was the Chamber of Commerce with the Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska (CLAA). They gave us free hotdogs and soda pop as a thank you for welcoming (at the beginning of the season) and tolerating (at the end of the season) the cruise tourists.
After 31 years the boots are still running, although it is smaller since the pandemic. Instead of late September it’s moved back a month to Halloween. Now folks can don their costumes, and run, stomp or sashay along the Sea Walk before visiting the Lincoln Street community Trick or Treat. This year a coalition of organizations sponsored the Running, proceeds benefiting the Sheet’ká Splash Mountain Camp. a training program in water survival for middle school kids.
The venue changed this year. Instead of meeting at Totem Square runners registered inside at the Southeast Alaska Career Center, dry in the October rain. This year’s runners crossed Lincoln Street, ran along the Sea Walk to the Science Center and back.
