By Abigail Roberts
Stanford is once again transforming into “Cookie Town USA” as the city prepares to welcome hundreds of runners for the 2025 Bourbon Chase.
The Ragnar Road Bourbon Chase is a 200-mile running relay across the state that follows the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Runners will enter Lincoln County beginning Friday night at about 7 p.m., according to Lincoln County Chamber Director Andrea Miller.
The block-party style event in downtown Stanford will feature a variety of food trucks offering hot dogs, pizza, drinks and snow cones.
This year also features a local pumpkin decorating contest, which people can vote on throughout the evening, music and several photo-ops.
Miller said there will also be a massage therapist in the recharging room for runners.
Stanford has been dubbed “Cookie Town USA” for it’s hospitality and delicious cookies that are baked and donated by local churches, businesses and culinary students at Lincoln County High School.
Traffic will be impacted by this event between 5 p.m. and 12 a.m. The Stanford Police Department released the following information regarding the traffic impact in downtown Stanford Friday night:
*USE CAUTION/WATCH FOR RUNNERS*
-Runners will be running from Danville to Stanford Via US HWY 150W. Runners will be running east on the shoulders of the west bound lane so use caution. We have been told US 150 Westbound will be down to one lane from Lee Dr-into Boyle Co.
-Runners will be crossing all 4 lanes of US HWY 150 @ Danville Ave.
-Runners will then travel down Danville Ave and crossing at Portman Ave.
-The next group of Runners will be leaving Main Street and running west to HWY 78 and then on to HWY 300 towards Junction City.
Use caution and avoid those areas if at all possible.
*ROAD CLOSURES/TRAFFIC IMPACTS*
-Beginning at approximately 5:00PM, Main St will be closed to thru traffic from Lancaster Street to Somerset street and will remain closed for the entirety of the event (approximately 01:00AM).
-Lancaster St., Northbound lane (from Main St) will be open for outbound traffic. Southbound lane (from Durhams Grocery to Main St) will be CLOSED to all traffic.
-Maxwell and Portman Ave. The east ends (Lancaster Street ends) of Portman Ave and Maxwell Street will be closed, these streets will only be accessible from the west (Danville Ave) side and are for residential traffic only during the event. No Thru Traffic please.
Depot Street and Mill St will be closed, McKinney Court will be closed at Mill St.
Somerset St will remain open and will be the preferred route for those motorist trying to access KY HWY 78 (towards Hustonville).
US HWY 150 and Danville Ave will both remain open, but use extreme caution as this area will be heavier with runners.
**Routes and closures subject to change as needed**
