Ghosts, ghouls and goblins will be making their way around downtown Vicksburg this weekend to determine which frightening figure is the fastest.

Vicksburg Catholic School is hosting the first ever Spooky Sprint 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run beginning at 8 a.m. Oct. 31 in historic downtown Vicksburg. VCS director of development and alumni affairs and Spooky Sprint event coordinator Ann Roberson said the race will begin and end at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center, which housed the former St. Francis Xavier Academy.

“Everybody is encouraged to wear their costumes, and a lot of my volunteers are going to be in costume,” she said. “We will definitely be in the spirit that day.”

The race will include a 5K run and walk as well as a one-mile fun run. A carnival for children will be held after at the central courtyard at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center with games, jambalaya and music by the Patrick Smith Band. Entry is free for runners, and $5 for anyone else who would like to attend.

Raffle tickets for a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport are being sold between now and race time, and the drawing will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the conclusion of the race.

Tickets can be purchased at the St. Francis Xavier school office, at Blackburn Chrysler Jeep Dodge or from any VCS Family for $25 each or five for $100. The Spooky Sprint and Jeep raffle will replace the magazine renewal drive and annual pecan sale fundraisers, Roberson said.

“This will be a great community event for Vicksburg,” she said. “It will be a fun day for families and friends to enjoy our beautiful downtown and celebrate more than 155 years of Catholic education in Vicksburg. The event is open to everyone and will be promoted state-wide through the Mississippi Track Club Calendar and SISU Timing Co.”

Registratioon for the 5K is $35, and the cost is $20 for the 1-mile fun run. A limited number of extra t-shirts have been ordered and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“Our 1-mile fun run is probably going to be one of the largest because a lot of our kids are running in it,” she said. “The last time I checked we had 130 or 140 running in it.”

As of Monday morning, Roberson said more than 500 participants had signed up for the race.

“We also want to include as many alumni and family as we can, so we have added a virtual 5K to the registration,” she said.

Those who are interested in supporting Vicksburg Catholic School but are unable to make it to race day can sign up for $25 to run or walk a 5K on their own, and they will receive a t-shirt in the mail for participating.

Roberson said the first-time event has been met with great support from the student body, and they’ve gotten some fun rewards.

“Because we met our goal, one of the things we told our students we would do is duct tape Dr. (Buddy) Strickland to the gym wall Friday at the pep rally,” she said. “Ms. (Mary) Arledge had to go out of town, so we’re going to wrap her with toilet paper Friday like a mummy.”

All elementary students who supported the event will be allowed to wear their Halloween costumes Friday and all high school students who volunteer or run in the race will have a free dress day Friday, Roberson said.

Register online at Spookysprint5k.webconnex.com/registration or get a mail-in registration from Vicksburgcatholic.org/pages or by visiting the St. Francis office.

The platinum sponsor for the Spooky Sprint is Medical Associates of Vicksburg.