The official kick off of the Austin ArtWorks Festival 2014 is the Color Dash 5K on Saturday, Aug. 16. What exactly is a Color Dash? It’s fun run/walk — that means it is not timed — appropriate for the whole family.

As the Color Dash creators say, “You will start the race with a shirt as clean and white as the first Minnesota snow. At each Kilometer during the dash a new color explosion will add to the clean slate that you once were, until you come to the finish line and arrive into a final explosion of colors.”

The color is a non-toxic, non-irritating, food-grade colored corn-starch. Dashers receive packets of color and can drench each other as well as participate in the grand color finale, held at the Downtown Power Plant parking lot after the race. The color will wash off, although it may take a few showers to come off skin. You can even preserve the colors in your clothing by spraying with vinegar and ironing after the race for a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

The Color Dash first came to Austin last year. Funds raised in 2014 will benefit the Hormel Institute and the Austin ArtWorks Festival. For details on signing up see www.thecolordash5k.com/Austin%20MN.html.

One of last year’s dashers, Bonnie Rietz, shared her experience at the Color Dash: “You can be an artist and use yourself and others as pallets. You’ll see individuals, couples, people with strollers, walkers, joggers and artists. Tim and I jogged together last year and we had so much fun. We did not move very quickly since we were greeting people along the way and making sure others got a good bath of color.”

To me, the Color Dash is an example of what is great in Austin in 2014: a healthy, fun activity; a platform for artistic expression; a way to support worthy causes and a shared community experience.

Imagine how many more great events like this will be popping up in Austin by 2020.