Over the past two years, Gateway Arch Park Foundation has seen the Winterfest 5K evolve from a beloved community race into one of St. Louis’ most energizing and engaging running events, and that growth is no coincidence. The transformation began when the Foundation partnered with STL Run Crew, the fast-growing, community-focused running group founded by Ricky Hughes.

Ricky created STL Run Crew with a simple yet powerful mission: to carve out inclusive, supportive spaces for Black and Brown St. Louisans to connect through running. Ricky’s first group runs began in Kiener Plaza and traversed through Gateway Arch National Park, an effort that aligned with our own goal to expand local engagement at the park. One of our Friends Advisory Board Members who knew of Ricky’s work connected us to Ricky in 2023, and soon after, Ricky became a Friends Advisory Board Member as well. 

With the STL Run Crew’s strong origins and connections to our hometown national park, we knew a partnership with Ricky and his crew would elevate our Winterfest 5K to the next level and, with Ricky’s leadership and insight, deepen our commitment to inclusive programming. 

The results of the partnership were immediate. In 2023, the Winterfest 5K achieved record-breaking attendance, with STL Run Crew making up 10% of all runners. 

In 2024, attendance at the 5K jumped again, achieving over 460 runners thanks in large part to promotions with the Crew. During this time, regular attendance at STL Run Crew events surged as well, reinforcing the momentum created at the Arch all the way back at Ricky’s first run.

In 2025, we expanded collaboration and elevated marketing efforts with the Crew, and the fifth annual Winterfest 5K saw our largest participation yet with 650 total runners.

Meanwhile, STL Run Crew continues to thrive, welcoming hundreds of runners at multiple events each week. The Crew meets every Sunday. Be sure to follow them on Instagram @stlruncrew to learn how to join an upcoming run.

We are proud to work with Ricky not only in growing the Winterfest 5K, but in developing a community around Gateway Arch National Park that is reflective of and welcoming to all in St. Louis.