The sixth annual Michigan Adventure Race: ArtPrize Edition presented by Community West Credit Union will be held October 8, 2016 in Grand Rapids. The race will weave through the massive and massively popular ArtPrize festival and feature mental and/or physical challenges, many related to the ArtPrize exhibits and venues. Part bike race, part running race and part Amazing Race, the ArtPrize Edition is believed to be the only sporting event on the planet that blends a major, world-class art festival into its race course.

Two-person teams will start off from Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids and bike or run to checkpoints pre-marked on a map—kept secret until just before the race—collecting as many points as they can within four hours. Racers will encounter Amazing Race-like challenges in popular downtown spots and out-of-the-way venues. Past challenges have included riddles that racers must solve related to art installations, a Pictionary-like challenge where one teammate had to draw a piece of art well enough for their teammate to enter an exhibit hall to identify, and a giant egg launch at a target.

“We’re excited that ArtPrize endorses this race as part of its social experiment. It’s a great way to expose people to out-of-the-way exhibits as well as to the electric atmosphere of the downtown venues,” says race director Mark VanTongeren. “Racers love getting in a great workout, experiencing a fun and challenging race with an Amazing Race feel, and seeing a good deal of ArtPrize all at the same time.”

Friends, family and the general public are welcome to experience the race. Maps and a guide provided at the start will direct people to the most entertaining challenges. It is a challenging race to follow however as racers head off in dozens of directions.

The charity partner selected for this edition of the race is the Purple Community, which gives 100 percent of funds raised in this race and all events to support biomedical research in the fight against cancer and neurodegenerative diseases at the Van Andel Institute.

For more information about the race, go to www.miadventurerace.com or www.facebook.com/MiAdventureRace/. They will also be holding the Michigan Adventure Race: Sleeping Bear Edition on September 17.