How it works
How a glow walk works, from sunset to the last light
A glow walk is a simple event with one clever idea: the time of day does the decorating. Here is how the evening runs, and the handful of decisions that make it work.
The evening, hour by hour
Times are relative to sunset for a 5 km walk. Stretch them for a longer route.
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-90 min
Crew arrive
Marshals collect vests, radios and torches. The route is walked once more and markers are switched on and checked.
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-60 min
Registration opens
Walkers sign in, collect their lights and pin on a number or dedication tag. Music, face paint and a warm drink fill the wait.
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-15 min
Briefing
Two minutes on the route, the marshals and what to do if someone needs help. Then one minute on the cause, from someone it has helped.
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Sunset
Set off
The lead walker goes first, in waves if the crowd is large. Lights stay off for now: the sky is the show.
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+30 min
Lights on
At a marked point, everyone switches on together. This is the photograph, so put your photographer here.
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+45 min
The moment
A memory point, a silence, a song, a wall of names. One planned minute that belongs to the cause.
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+75 min
Finish in the dark
A lit arch, a hot drink, the running total on a board. The back marker comes in last and the route is closed behind them.
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Next day
Thank and collect
Photos and the total so far go out by noon. Sponsorship reminders follow a week later, when most money actually arrives.
Five rules for a good glow walk
01
Dusk, not midnight
Start about half an hour before sunset. Walkers see the route in daylight first and still finish under lights, and everyone is home at a reasonable hour.
02
Short beats heroic
A distance most people can finish brings more walkers, and more walkers bring more sponsors. Offer one longer loop for those who want it.
03
One moment, planned
Decide the single thing people will describe the next day and build the route around where it happens.
04
Light the route, then the people
Markers and marshals are for safety. Wristbands and lanterns are for joy. Budget for them in that order.
05
Leave nothing behind
Every light that goes out comes back in. Collection bins at the finish and reusable lights where the budget allows.
Where WalkGlow fits
Timing questions
What time should a glow walk start?
About 30 minutes before local sunset for a 5 km walk. Walkers see the route in daylight, switch their lights on part way round and finish in the dark.
How long does a glow walk take from start to finish?
Allow about three hours on site for walkers: an hour for registration and briefing, a little over an hour to walk 5 km, and time at the finish. The crew need longer either side.
What is the best time of year for a glow walk?
Spring and autumn, when sunset falls in the early evening. In midsummer dusk is too late for families, and in midwinter it is cold and dark before people leave work.
What happens if it rains?
Light rain rarely stops a walk; glow looks good in it. Decide in advance what conditions would cancel the event, who makes the call and how walkers will be told.
Pick a date. Light the route.
Three sliders, thirty seconds, no account. See what your walk could raise and what it needs.