Knox College hosts Relay for Life 2011

Luminaria line the route across the Knox College campus of the Relay for Life of Knox County. Photo copyright Karen Lynch, used with permission.

For the 16th year, Knox College will host the 2011 Relay for Life of Knox County on July 22-23. More than 50 teams are expected on campus to celebrate cancer survivors and raise funds for cancer research. Entertainment Friday night will feature several live bands. The event is free and open to the public.

As of July 1, more than 400 participants on 39 teams had registered for the 2011 Relay for Life of Knox County, and had raised more than $31,000 toward a goal of $150,000 for cancer research.

The overnight walk and festival spans from 2 p.m. Friday, July 22 through 8 a.m., Saturday, July 23. Held at Knox since 1996, the annual event draws hundreds of participants who take turns walking a one-third-mile course through campus. The festival also features entertainment and displays. The impressive Luminaria Ceremony -- the lighting of candles around the walk route -- begins Friday night at 9 p.m.

Entertainment schedule for Friday July 22:

2 p.m. ~ Brooks Brothers Band
3 p.m. ~ Bitterman
4 p.m. ~ DJ John Armstrong
6 p.m.~ Abingdon High School Cheerleaders
6:30 p.m. ~ No Reason
8 p.m.~  No Reason
10 p.m. ~ Eternity Road

According to the American Cancer Society, which organizes the annual events, Relays bring together more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States and 20 other countries.

Additional information is available at Relay for Life of Knox County, http://relayforlifeknox.com/