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Las Vegas Great Santa Run, Opportunity Village’s largest annual fundraiser, will return on Saturday, December 7, 2013 to its original home on Fremont Street Experience and Downtown Las Vegas announced today by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman. In its ninth year, the Great Santa Run has established itself as an iconic local charity event, with thousands of red-suited supporters flooding the streets for a 5K run and one-mile Kris Kringle Jingle walk, each December.

“As a longtime supporter of Opportunity Village, I am thrilled that the Great Santa Run will return to Downtown Las Vegas in 2013,” said Mayor Goodman. “Seeing thousands of Santas running down Fremont Street Experience will make for a perfect signature charity event for the neighborhood; welcome back home!”

Registration is now officially open for the 2013 Great Santa Run at LasVegasSantaRun.org.

Opportunity Village supporters embraced the Christmas spirit early, with the help of Santa Claus himself. The big man in red opted for a Vegas-style arrival, ditching his sleigh for a snow-white Lamborghini LP570, courtesy of World Class Driving.

Last year, nearly 10,000 aspiring St. Nicks participated in the Great Santa Run at Town Square, winning Las Vegas the “World Santa Challenge” for the second consecutive year. Opportunity Village aims to keep the title in 2013, as exciting new elements surrounding the event are introduced in conjunction with its move downtown.

At the press conference, Las Vegas personality and journalist Robin Leach read a letter from Liverpool’s Santa Dash challenging the city to get more people involved than ever before.

The newly charted race course will begin under the glowing screens of the iconic Fremont Street Experience (FSE) and continue throughout downtown, passing a number of landmarks and interesting architecture. As in years’ past, the Great Santa Run will also feature live entertainment, food, costume contests, celebrity appearances, and more, as businesses downtown get in on the fun in support of Opportunity Village.

FSE President and General Manager, Jeff Victor, said, “We are excited to partner with Opportunity Village and for the downtown community to join us in embracing such a meaningful local charity. Fremont Street Experience strives to offer entertainment exclusive to Downtown Las Vegas, and the Great Santa Run is a perfect addition to the lineup.”

“We are so grateful for the overwhelming support we’ve received in moving the Great Santa Run back downtown where it all began,” said Linda Smith, Associate Executive Director of Opportunity Village. “Our partnership with Fremont Street Experience shows that the Las Vegas community stands with Opportunity Village, which is the most meaningful gift we could hope for this Christmas.”

Each year, the Great Santa Run raises funds and awareness for Opportunity Village’s programs, which provide unparalleled opportunities, enrichment and support to nearly 3,000 citizens with disabilities and their families throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Opportunity Village was recently named the city’s “Best Community Organization” by Las Vegas Review-Journal readers in its annual “Best of Las Vegas” awards, for the second year in a row. Photo credit: Courtesy

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