Runners ready for Sunday's Buffalo Marathon

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Memorial Day Weekend marks the return of the Buffalo Marathon. As thousands of runners will take to the downtown course early Sunday morning, local drivers will need to be aware of road closures in effect during the race.

Executive director Greg Weber says it's more than just the 26.2 mile race on Sunday.

"It's starting with a happy hour at Soho and fireworks on Friday night," said Weber in an interview with WBEN.

There will also be a 5K run/walk on Saturday, a kids race, and a diaper dash for babies that day. Weber says there will also be a plogging event Saturday.

"It's an idea where the runners will go out and they'll walk or jog, and they will beautify the area," Weber explained.

Weber says 7,000 runners have registered from the first event to the last event.

"Those numbers are just shy of pre-pandemic numbers. We are thrilled we sold the first event out in February and a half sold out about four weeks ago," he said.

With a road race on the streets of Downtown Buffalo, drivers will have to deal with detours. Buffalo Police Captain Marcus Rogowski says there will be rolling, intermittent closures starting at 4 a.m. ET on Sunday.

"Most of the course runs through downtown going north toward Delaware Park," said Rogowski with WBEN.

Rogowski says closures will begin at the immediate start and finish area, which is closer to the Convention Center.

"It will not interfere with the Chippewa entertainment area," said Rogowski, as many folks will head out of the bars and nightspots at the 4 a.m. ET closing time.

Rogowski says drivers do not mind the detours for an event like this.

"We get great cooperation from the neighborhood that the race goes through great cooperation from our partners and law enforcement and all the volunteers out there," he added.

A post-race party is set for the Buffalo Convention Center on Sunday.