Chinatown Fun Run with author Kara Eng

Event Date: Saturday, May 17 · 10am - 12pm CDT.

Join Read & Run Chicago and Family Style Run Club for a special literary-inspired guided run featuring Kara Eng, author of Not Just a Simple Chinese Girl and Sweet ‘n’ Sour! Kara, a lifelong Chicagoan with deep roots in the Bridgeport and Chinatown neighborhoods, will lead us on a fun run through the vibrant streets of Chinatown, sharing insights on how this community has shaped her storytelling.

What to Expect:
📖 A guided run led by Kara Eng
🏙️ A route highlighting iconic Chinatown landmarks
🎤 A post-run author meet-and-greet and book sales about culture, identity, and storytelling
👟 A fun, welcoming atmosphere for runners and book lovers alike

No prior reading required!

Here's the TL;DR:

MEET: Doors open at the Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library at 9:45am on Saturday, May 17. You can drop personal items at library before the run. The program will begin promptly at 10am.

ROUTE: We will run an easy-paced, ~3 mile guided route around Chinatown.

END: The FREE, community post-run meet-and-greet and book sales with Kara Eng will be held at the Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library.

All registered attendees will receive reminder emails and details 2 days and 4 hours prior to the event.

About your hosts:

About Kara Eng: Kara Eng, a rising Gen Z author, has been writing ever since she was a little girl. Her first book, Not Just a Simple Chinese Girl, was released in May 2022, coinciding with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Kara’s work was featured on WGN 9, Chicago’s NBC 5 News, the “Next-Gen American Authors Celebrate their Culture and Heritage” webinar with the Chinese American Heritage Foundation, the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, and the Chicago Public Libraries. When she is not writing or engrossed in books, you’ll find her venturing for the finest boba and matcha lattes, watching K-dramas, singing, baking, or hanging out with family and friends. She is currently studying at the University of Texas at Austin.

Read & Run Chicago is a chapter of Read & Run Tours, LLC, the country’s first and only organization that hosts running events inspired by books. Founded in 2021 by queer educator, freelance writer, and runner Allison Yates, the mission of Read & Run Tours, LLC and the city chapters is to use movement and stories to explore locations. Our community-focused run programming includes running tours, book club runs, author talks, and other literary-themed fun runs all inspired by books set in the cities where chapters are located, written by local authors. While connecting runners to the city’s stories, we also actively support literacy programs, public libraries, independent bookstores, and local authors.

In Chicago, we have hosted more than 100 events (in English and Spanish) for over 300 Chicagoans, featuring over 30 authors or local experts, and we have been featured in various media outlets including CNN, Runner’s World, Midwest Living, NBC’s Chicago Today, Fox32 Good Day Chicago, WGN Radio, Block Chicago, and more.

More information at readandrunchicago.com, Instagram, and Facebook.

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