Seeing red at New Orleans Red Dress Run

I’d heard about the Red Dress Run for years, a three- to four-mile fundraiser for more than 100 local charities that happens every August in New Orleans. The one caveat is everyone must wear a red dress while they run through the French Quarter.

Nothing prepared me for the onslaught of red and folks running in every type of costume you can imagine. After all, this is New Orleans, the crazier the better!

This year’s Red Dress Run is Saturday, Aug. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. In addition to running in a red dress and raising money, participants receive free beer, food and live entertainment after the event. The event requires runners to be 21 — no exceptions — and to register before the run, either online or the day of the event.

You can register for the Aug. 8 run or for the Hasher registration which also includes the Red Lingerie Run on Friday night, a special area on Saturday, and the Hangover Run on Sunday.

            Check out the web site for more information. For a sneak peek, check out photos below (please remember all photos on this blog are copyrighted by the author). 

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is the author of "Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History," "Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana" and "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana" and co-author of "Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets." She also writes Louisiana romances under Cherie Claire, including "A Cajun Dream" and "The Letter." Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.