App State’s 14th annual Spooky Duke rescheduled for Nov. 16

BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s 14th annual Spooky Duke 5K/10K Race and Costume Contest has been rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 16. Races start on the Boone campus at 9:30 a.m. and the costume march starts at 10:30 a.m. 

Spooky Duke benefits Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country, a nonprofit that serves families who have a premature baby, are grieving the loss of a child, or have a child with special needs. The program, housed in the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness, serves Alleghany, Ashe, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. Last year’s Spooky Duke raised a record $31,600 for the organization.

Spooky Duke is a USA Track & Field certified 5K and 10K race. The course begins in the App State Peacock Lot, located at 416 Howard St., and continues through the university campus and downtown Boone. It is a relatively flat course with small hills and sidewalk terrain. The event includes a free costume march for children, adults and dogs, and costumes are encouraged for participants and spectators. There is also a virtual option available for participants. 

Online registration for Spooky Duke is open now. Anyone who registers by Friday, Nov. 1, will be guaranteed a free T-shirt. Registration is $25 for the 5K and $30 for the 10K. Student teams can register a group of 15 for $15 each. Limited on-site registration will be available the day of the race for an additional $5 fee.

To register for the race, visit parent2parent.appstate.edu and click on the “Special Events” tab. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The history of Spooky Duke

The first Spooky Duke in 2011 was championed by App State social work student Jennifer McClure, who was interning at Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country. McClure created the race as her final project and as a fundraiser for the organization.

Dr. Charles R. Duke, former dean of the Reich College of Education, became the event sponsor. To honor his name and the race’s Halloween theme, the name “Spooky Duke” was born.