Geneva aldermen approve Ooh La La Chocolate half-marathon, 5K

GENEVA – Aldermen approved a special event request Monday for Ooh La La Chocolate’s half-marathon and 5K for the use of the public right-of-way and city services.

Sponsored by the Zellmer Wellness Foundation, based in Geneva, the competitive run goes from 6:50 to 11 a.m. Nov. 7 with 700 to 1,500 expected to attend.

Of those, 800 are anticipated to be participants, 400 for each race, according to the application.

“It’s a huge event that grows every year,” Mayor Kevin Burns said. “If you participate, you get free hot chocolate at All Chocolate Kitchen.”

Participants would go through the city’s downtown to the Fox River Trail, with a turnaround at River Street and Ridge Road near the Red Oak Nature Center, then back through the downtown, according to the application.

Parishioners of Geneva Lutheran Church and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church will be notified of when the streets would be closed by signs posted outside the church. Residents on the route would be notified in person and have them sign off that they received the information.