Swirling grey clouds illuminated by the moon during the early morning hours offered an eerie setting for Pembroke’s first-ever Spooktacular 5K on Saturday, when more than 100 runners and walkers gathered at Bryan County High School for the start of the race.
But despite the cloud cover, Pembroke Mayor Mary Warnell said it made for a “spooky” day that couldn’t have gone any better. The race was just the beginning of a day full of Halloween-themed events, including the Haunted Harvest Whistlestop Farmer’s Market and the fourth annual Spooktacular Pumpkin Carving Contest.
“This has been exciting, I think it’s a success,” she said at the close of the race. “It has been a Spooktacular morning and we appreciate everyone’s participation, everyone who worked on it, everyone who participated in the actual walk/run and we hope to see you back again next year.”
Held in conjunction with the Downtown Development Authority, West Rehab Services and the North Bryan Chamber of Commerce, the costume friendly 5K traveled through the streets of Pembroke, including a short trek through Northside Cemetery, drawing runners from Statesboro, Fort Stewart, Hinesville, Allenhurst, Savannah and more.
Director of Wellness Services for West Rehab Newmann Dotterweich, one of the event organizers, was at the finish line encouraging everyone to “finish strong.”

Read more in the Oct. 31 edition of the News.