About the Rest in Peace 5K
A Run for the dead, not from them.
Organized by the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries, the Rest in Peace 5K Run is the premier Halloween costume Run in the region! While normally the Race takes place on the grounds of historic Laurel Hill Cemetery, the 12th Annual RIP5K will be virtual. This year, the RIP5K is a virtual "fun run" which means you can run anywhere your heart desires, keep track of your miles (3.1 miles) and times. Remember to dress in your best costume and share the pictures with us to be entered to win an awesome prize!
About Laurel Hill Cemetery
Laurel Hill and West Laurel Hill Cemeteries, founded in 1836 and 1869 respectively, are integrally related by stories of families and historic events that reveal the growth, struggles, and victories of our nation through extraordinary monumentation and picturesque landscapes. Located across the Schuylkill River from each other, these cemeteries reflect the ever-changing attitude toward death and the evolution of public space. Laurel Hill served as a sanctuary for Spirituality and an important recreational setting, offering families an alternative to mass grave burials at a time when America's rural cemetery movement was being born. A second-generation rural-cemetery movement with more formalized and standard monuments in a park-like setting was evolving by the time West Laurel Hill was established 33 years later. Today, thanks to support from the Friends, our historic 265 acres are now a dynamic and important part of the region's civic purpose.
Through educational programming, public outreach initiatives and research resources, the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries work to preserve and promote the historic character of both our sites. No matter what your interest, our cemeteries have something special for you. If you love history, take one of their fascinating tours. If you enjoy recreation, walk your dog or bike along their paths and enjoy the scenery. There is fun to be had at their annual Gravediggers’ Ball and signature Halloween tours with candlelit paths and costumed actors. Organizing the Rest in Peace 5K since 2009, the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries are thrilled with all of the (temporary) visitors and runners!
Through educational programming, public outreach initiatives and research resources, the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries work to preserve and promote the historic character of both our sites. No matter what your interest, our cemeteries have something special for you. If you love history, take one of their fascinating tours. If you enjoy recreation, walk your dog or bike along their paths and enjoy the scenery. There is fun to be had at their annual Gravediggers’ Ball and signature Halloween tours with candlelit paths and costumed actors. Organizing the Rest in Peace 5K since 2009, the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries are thrilled with all of the (temporary) visitors and runners!
