Finishing times will be beside the point for many runners, walkers and spectators at The Office 5K on Saturday. Costumes slow some people down. Dressed as characters or props or just in athletic gear, more than 1,500 people will join the fifth annual race.
“You would be surprised how long it takes people to finish this 5K, because people are having a lot of fun,” said Guy Fahey, president of Valley In Motion, the nonprofit race organizer. “They’re stopping, they’re taking photos, they’re taking selfies. There are people that are just excited to be in Scranton, and so they’re treating the 5K more like a tourist attraction.”
The 1 p.m. 5K starts and ends near the Backyard Ale House on the 500 block of Linden Street and passes sights associated with the sitcom that made Scranton a destination for fans. A 1-mile loop for walkers includes activities along the way.
Bobby Ray Shafer Jr., who played Bob Vance, owner of Vance Refrigeration, will kick off the race and make other appearances.
Bobby Ray Shafer Jr., who played Bob Vance on “The Office,” will appear at the Office 5K and other events. (COURTESY OF THE EVERHART MUSEUM)
Jim McDermott, a lead crew member for “The Office,” will be part of an event at the Everhart Museum. (COURTESY OF THE EVERHART MUSEUM)
Supporters prepare to cheer on participants before the Office 5K in downtown Scranton on Saturday, May 3, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Chris Campion, Scranton, holds a “World’s Best Boss” mug during the Office 5K in downtown Scranton on Saturday, May 3, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Bobby Ray Shafer Jr., who played Bob Vance on “The Office,” will appear at the Office 5K and other events. (COURTESY OF THE EVERHART MUSEUM)
Courthouse Square will be filled with food trucks and activities for the crowd on race day.
There will be several other “Office”-themed events, including other appearances by Shafer, a bar crawl, a pop-up market at the Marketplace at Steamtown, a museum exhibit, comedy and walking tours.
“Some people really go deep into the characters,” Fahey said. “And last year we had a wonderful group of ladies that dressed up as turtles, and it was too deep for even the judges to know what they were referring to, and they didn’t end up winning any prizes.”
The costumes referenced the character of Kevin accidentally killing a turtle in an episode that first aired 14 years ago.
This year, there will be an award specifically for such deep cuts or references to minor characters, called Secret Secrets. The costume contest runway show begins at noon.
One of Fahey’s favorite costumes was women decked out as desks. “They were in the middle of, like, a 6-foot box of cardboard, and they went the entire race that way,” he said.
Erin Kosisky of Wilkes-Barre has run in three elaborate costumes, including painting herself gold to look like the show’s Dundie Awards trophy. “It’s just fun to go,” she said. “If you’re going to do something, you may as well go all out, you know?”
There will be a meet-and-greet on Friday with Shafer and Jim McDermott, a lead production staffer whose props department work included rounding up local items. McDermott also appeared in an episode. They will be at the Everhart Museum from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The museum has an exhibit of “Office” costumes and props. The event is included in the price of museum admission, plus the additional “Office” exhibit fee. See everhart-museum.org for reservations and fees.
Later on Friday, Shafer will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders game. Runners and walkers who register in advance will get vouchers in their race packets good for two free tickets to that game or other baseball games during the weekend.
Even the race packet pickup will be fun, Fahey said. That will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday in the lighthouse section of Cooper’s Seafood House. The cash bar will be open and the restaurant has an extensive “Office” store.
Advance race registration is $30 and ends Wednesday. The race day fee is $40.
Valley in Motion uses the proceeds for community projects, such as contributing to outdoor improvements at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School last year. Similar work is planned for John G. Whittier Elementary School and Frances Willard Elementary School, both also in Scranton.
The “Office”-themed pop-up market is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday on the second floor of the Marketplace at Steamtown on Lackawanna Avenue
Also on race day, the self-guided bar crawl is back for a second year. Like the race, it welcomes costumes, and themed extras are part of the draw. Tickets are $25. Information: nepatourco.com/event-details/the-office-bar-crawl-2026.
“Punchlines and Pretzels,” a BYOB comedy show featuring Jeannine M. Luby and other comedians from the region and the Philadelphia area, will be at the Downtown Deli & Eatery at 7 p.m. Saturday. The cost is $25 for the age-21-and-over event. Sales at the door will be cash only. Advance sales and details: Linktr.ee/JMLuby.
Other events are listed on the race website: theoffice5k.com.
If you go
What: The Office 5K race and 1-mile walk is organized by the nonprofit Valley in Motion.
When: The race is Saturday at 1 p.m. There are other “Office”-themed events throughout the weekend.
Where: It starts and finishes on the 500 block of Linden Street, Scranton, with activities on Courthouse Square.
To register: Advance registration is $30 and ends Wednesday at theoffice5k.com. Same-day registration costs $40.