Roy Holzer and his daughter Amanda Holzer pose before the Wilmington town sign ahead of the Wilmington-Whiteface 10K Whiskey Run in 2018. (Provided photo — Roy Holzer)

WILMINGTON — The 6th Annual Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run Festival, slated for more vendors, new entertainment and more race participants, will take place on Saturday, June 17 in Wilmington.

The 5K and 10K races begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Whiskey Run Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Preston Festival Field. The festival, free and open to the public, will be the focus of sport, history, local crafts, music and entertainment. Locally renowned musicians will make their debut as the Moonshine Hollow Bluegrass Band. Adding to the activities are food trucks, vendors, raffles, displays, craft whiskey, beer and wine tastings, and the Battle of Plattsburgh re-enactors encampment with demonstrations, musket and cannon fire. A ceremony at 12:30 p.m. will honor soldiers of the War of 1812 and will feature the story of the Battle of Plattsburgh war hero Major Reuben Sanford of Jay/Wilmington. Both the race events and the festival are a benefit for the Wilmington Historical Society to raise funds for a new building.

Many of the activities of the Whiskey Run Festival focus on the area’s historically recurrent theme of whiskey. In its early days, the part of Jay that is now Wilmington had the reputation of providing good rye whiskey to the American troops as part of their daily rations during the Battle of Plattsburgh in the War of 1812. About 100 years later, being a small, quiet northern village close to the Canadian border, Wilmington became a safe haven for rum runners transporting illicit spirits across the border during the Prohibition Era. More recently Wilmington was home to a whiskey barrel cooperage, US Barrel.

“We are glad to be back with this popular event combining local history with active sensory experiences, a race and just plain fun. It is a great Adirondack community festival with something for everyone,” said Karen Peters, president of the Society, in a release.

For more information and a schedule of festival events, visit www.wilmingtonhistoricalsociety.org. To register for a Whiskey Run 5K or 10K race, go to www.adkwhiskeyrun.com.