Hearts & Halos: Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness will host its 2nd Annual Angel Baby Fun Run & Halo Fest on Saturday, October 10, inviting families from across the ArkLaTex and beyond to gather in Minden for a day of remembrance, support, and community.
The event is open to everyone, regardless of whether they have personally experienced pregnancy or infant loss.
The Angel Baby Fun Run will take place from 8:30 AM to 10 AM on Broadway Street in front of the Minden Civic Center, located at 520 Broadway St. Although online registration has closed, participants may still register on the day of the event.
Children ages 17 and younger may participate free of charge, while registration for adults 18 and older is $20 for a Heavenly Dash Pass. Proceeds will directly support the Hearts & Halos mission.
Following the run, the celebration will move to Miller Quarters Park, located at 198 Gleason St., for Halo Fest from 10 AM to 1 PM. The free community festival will feature a live DJ, games, giveaways, vendors, food vendors, and a Pumpkin Patch Healing Activity.
For co-founder and President Neisa Murray, the annual event is part of a larger effort to increase awareness surrounding pregnancy and infant loss while providing support for families navigating grief.
Murray and her husband, Jonathan, founded Hearts & Halos following their own experiences with multiple miscarriages, the stillbirth of their son Jesiah, and an ectopic pregnancy. Through the organization, they have worked to create opportunities for families to honor babies gone too soon while connecting with others who understand their experiences.
“Being able to connect with those families, offer support, and let them know they’re not alone is exactly why we keep our mission going,” Murray said previously.
Since its founding, Hearts & Halos has hosted a variety of activities, including painting and craft workshops, virtual support circles, a Mother’s Day gathering, and a Father’s Day cookout. The inaugural Angel Baby Fun Run, held last October at Miller Quarters Park, drew more participants than organizers initially anticipated.
This year’s expanded event continues the organization’s “Hope in Motion” theme, encouraging not only grieving parents but also friends, relatives, and other community members to participate and show their support.
Funding for the event is provided in part by the Webster Parish Convention & Visitors Commission.
For additional information and event updates, follow Hearts & Halos: Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness on Facebook. More information about visiting Webster Parish is available at https://visitwebster.net.
