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Stella Maris Academy will hold its third annual Fall Flannel Fest on Oct. 10, pairing road races and family activities with a fundraiser for the school’s athletic and extracurricular programs.
The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the academy’s high school campus, 4321 Allendale Ave. The Father Ben 5K and a 2K race will start on the soccer field before moving onto the Sentinel Trail, a continuous-loop 5K course on the school grounds.
Children’s activities will be held on the soccer field from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by free races for children in third grade and younger. Bishop Daniel J. Felton will speak at 10:45 a.m., when race awards also will be presented. Food, sports competitions, hayrides and other activities will continue from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Race registration will cost $35 and include an event T-shirt. Admission to the food and activity portion will cost $25 per person, with a maximum charge of $100 per family. That admission will include unlimited food, activities, competitions and prizes organized by Stella Maris teams and activity groups.
The Father Ben 5K is open to competitive runners, recreational runners and walkers. The remainder of the festival is designed for families, with activities available for students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
The Fall Flannel Fest began in 2024 as a school-family event. The Father Ben 5K was added in 2025 following completion of the Sentinel Trail, expanding the festival to runners and other participants from throughout the community.
“The first year of the Fall Flannel Fest (2024) was a huge success,” said Chris Lemke, Stella Maris’ dean of students and athletic director. “We advertised the event to SMA families and everyone enjoyed the food, fun and community of a wonderful fall afternoon.”
The inaugural Father Ben 5K drew 230 runners, along with dozens of children who participated in the youth race. More than 300 additional people registered for the festival’s food, competitions, hayrides, face painting and yard games.
The race is named for the Rev. Ben Hadrich, Stella Maris’ first high school chaplain. Hadrich was an avid runner and a regular supporter of students and their activities. He experienced a series of debilitating strokes and died last year, shortly after attending the inaugural race named in his honor.
“For me personally, it is so enjoyable to see everyone come together to celebrate Fall, physical activity and Father Ben,” Lemke said. “Father was a beloved friend of mine whose legacy will live on in so many ways - one of which will be this race.”
Organizers have made additional improvements to the Sentinel Trail ahead of this year’s event. Work included smoothing portions of the running surface, properly cambering turns for cross-country skiers and improving access for trail-grooming equipment.
“The Sentinel Trail has really evolved into a treasure for this school,” Lemke said. “This year, we have made improvements for runners (making the surface more smooth) and cross country skiers (correctly cambered turns and negotiable turns for ski grooming equipment).”
The Stecker family donated the improvements.
“These improvements were donated by the Stecker family who believe that providing opportunities for students to enjoy activities is an important part of the overall high school experience,” Lemke said.
