Run for the Trees: Registration for Happy Little (Virtual) 5K opens

Registration is open for the return of the Happy Little (Virtual) 5K, which the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF) welcome back for the third year in 2025.

In 2024, the virtual run raised more than $18,000 for tree plantings and healthy forest initiatives in Indiana State Parks, with more than 1,000 people participating.

The event is open to everyone, and registrants can complete their 5K anywhere outdoors - on foot, by bike, skate or paddle, or using a mobility device - anytime between April 19-27, 2025, to encompass Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 25).

For $36 per person, each participant will receive a keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, a commemorative bib number, and a Bob Ross-inspired finisher's medal. All proceeds support tree planting and forest protection efforts in state parks.

"This is a great way to celebrate Indiana State Parks and Indiana's connection to Bob Ross, and get some exercise at the same time," said Ginger Murphy, deputy director for stewardship for Indiana State Parks. "We are grateful for all those who sign up to participate and support the management of our parks' natural resources."

Ross filmed his iconic television show, The Joy of Painting, in Muncie for more than a decade. The program aired on public television stations around the world.

Registration for the 2025 event is open until April 15, 2025. Registration is encouraged by April 1 to ensure packet delivery before the event.

The virtual event was first created by the Michigan DNR in partnership with Bob Ross, Inc in 2020. Nine states, including Indiana, have since joined the Happy Little 5K event. Participants from Indiana should select Indiana on their registration to support Indiana State Parks.

For more information and to sign up for the race, visit runsignup.com/happylittletrees.

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

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