MADISON – People of all ages can enjoy a simple but ingenious community activity for the first time in Madison on Oct. 27.

Volksmarch in Madison will encourage men, women and children to take to the streets for a walk to benefit the sponsor, Rotary Club of Madison.

“Take a fun family stroll around historic downtown Madison in the first-ever Volksmarch in Madison,” Rotarian coordinator Bailey Erickson said.

“Watch the history of Madison come alive as you listen to enactors detail the lives of generations of family members who are buried in Old Madison Cemetery at Mill Road and Maple Street,” Erickson said. “These are the families who built their homes in the historical district.”

In addition, re-enactments will describe two battles during the Civil War, in which soldiers fought near the Roundhouse on Front Street and along Indian Creek.

“The term ‘Volksmarch’ originated in Europe and is a noncompetitive 3.1-mile (5-kilometer) walk,” Erickson said. “It is a fun, outdoor activity that involves walking along a safe, predetermined and marked route with a club, your pet, yourself, your friends or with your family.”

The Volksmarch will start at Madison City Schools Stadium, 211 Celtic Drive. Walkers will proceed north on Celtic Drive and meander through the business and historic districts of Madison. The ‘finish line’ will be on Main Street.     

Entry fee is $10 per person. The ticket price includes a commemorative mug.

To register, visit madisonalrotary.org/volksmarch. Individuals also can register at the stadium at 8 a.m. on Oct. 27.

“If the event is rained out, a person’s ticket price will be considered a donation to service projects with Madison Rotary Foundation, 501(c)3,” Erickson said. “One-hundred percent of net proceeds will benefit future community projects.”

For more information, email volksmarch@madisonalrotary.org.