Record turnout for Snow Flurry Scurry supports Lost River Cave after 2025 woes

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – Despite frigid temperatures and an earlier weather postponement, more than 400 runners showed up this weekend for the 12th annual Snow Flurry Scurry 5K at Lost River Cave, marking a record-breaking year for the event.

The race winds through the prairie and trails of the 72-acre nonprofit nature center and has become a winter tradition for many in Bowling Green’s running community.

“Today is our 12th annual snow flurry scurry five K. We are so excited because it has been a record-breaking year with our sign-ups. We had over 450 people register and show up, even though we did have to postpone because we got a little bit more than a flurry,” said Nicole Coomer, director of marketing at Lost River Cave.

Among those at the starting line was Brecken, a three-time participant who said part of the fun is improving year after year.

“You just like try to beat your time that you did last year. And just as it’s fun to see what you get and try to like see if you can beat your to last year’s time,” Brecken said. “And this year I got 26 minutes and I forgot what I got last last year.”

The event comes after a challenging year for the cave.

“2025 was a historic flooding year for us. We had a record-breaking number of days we were unable to give the cave boat tours ended up being over 130 days,” Coomer said.

Boat tours are a critical source of funding for the nonprofit. When flooding forces cancellations, revenue drops significantly. Organizers say events like the Snow Flurry Scurry help offset those losses and keep the park’s trails free and open to the public year-round.

With record participation and strong community support, Lost River Cave leaders say they are looking to start 2026 on a stronger financial footing, and runners are already looking ahead to next year’s race.