After two years, Utica’s Boilermaker Road Race is returning to the second Sunday in July in Utica.

“For those folks for the pre-pandemic, 1978 to 2019, the fun you’ve had, that’s what we’re going to bring back this year,” said Mark Donovan, Boilermaker president.

Over 10,000 runners are expected to participate in this year’s road race.

“We have the elite athletes back," Donovan said. "We have the wheelchair athletes back. We continue to get back to normalcy."

The MVHS Health and Wellness Expo will return to Mohawk Valley Community College July 8-9.

“It’s where people can pick up their race bibs, their race swag and visit the hosts of really cool exhibitors we will have in the Jorgensen Field House,” Donovan said.

This year, the Boilermaker launched its Access Program. It's designed to allow local immigrants, refugees, and those underserved and underprivileged easier access to participate in the race.

“The access program is proving complimentary registrations for either the 5K or the 15K race. As part of that, we do provide folks with training programs, either self-directed, they can do on their own, or we provide them with any connections to any various local running clubs who have their own training program that prepare them for the boilermaker,” Donovan said.

With the help of Wolfspeed Electronics Company, sneakers will be provided to those in need.

“In our 45th anniversary and coming off of two to three years of weirdness, we encourage all of the folks that have come out for the previous 40-plus years to spectate and cheer those runners on, because you’re a big part of the experience,” Donovan said.

The race to the finish line will be Sunday, July 10.

There will be a post-race party at the F.X. Matt Brewing Company. Donovan said they are still taking volunteers. If you would like to help with the race, visit https://www.boilermaker.com/events/5k.php.