Newnan nonprofit's 12th Royal Run brings petting zoo, food trucks and pediatric cancer awareness to First Avenue Park
Keris Kares, founded in memory of a six-year-old who battled a rare brain cancer, holds its annual fundraising race May 16 — with proceeds going to families, arts programs, and cancer research.
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On May 16, 2026, runners will take to the streets of downtown Newnan for the 12th Annual Keris Kares Royal Run — a race named for a kindergartner who attended Newnan Crossing Elementary School, loved art, and died at age six from one of the most aggressive childhood brain cancers known to medicine.
Keris battled Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a rare and inoperable form of pediatric brain cancer, from the age of four until her death at six, according to the organization's race registration page on RunSignUp. The nonprofit founded in her memory takes its name from the meaning of her own: Keris means love and charity.
Our driving motivation is to pay it forward with love and charity and bless other hurting families the same way the community blessed Keris.— Keris Kares
The race is the organization's signature fundraiser, and its proceeds are split across three programs: a Family Emergency Fund that pays household bills for families navigating a child's cancer diagnosis, a Food for Families Program, and the Keris Kares 4 the Arts initiative, which stocks art supply closets for elementary school teachers across Coweta, Fayette, Fulton, and Heard Counties, according to RunSignUp.
The nonprofit's mission, as stated on keriskares.org, is to provide 'spiritual, emotional, and financial support' to families dealing with a childhood cancer diagnosis, while also raising funds for research — including DIPG-specific research initiatives and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
The scale of the problem Keris Kares is working against is significant: according to RunSignUp, one in 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20, and childhood cancer research and treatments are described as 'vastly and consistently underfunded.'
Race day begins at First Avenue Park, two blocks south of the Court Square in downtown Newnan. After the run, the park transforms into what organizers are billing as a full festival — characters, games, a petting zoo, food trucks, face painting, and what the race page calls 'many more magical surprises.' Parking is available at the Coweta County Courthouse at 72 Greenville St. and in surrounding open spaces.
Runners who register by April 30 are guaranteed a t-shirt. Those who sign up after that date will receive shirts while supplies last, according to RunSignUp. The race does not offer official chip timing.
Packet pickup takes place at two locations ahead of race day: Dragonfly Running Company at 1111 Lower Fayetteville Rd, Suite 200, from noon to 5 p.m. on May 15, and Deidre Bembry State Farm at the same address from 6:30 to 8 p.m. that evening.
Organizations or businesses interested in sponsoring the event can reach Keris Kares at KerisKares@gmail.com or by calling 678-596-2867, according to RunSignUp.
Why it matters — For Newnan-area families — whether touched by pediatric cancer, looking for a community event, or teaching in a local elementary school — Keris Kares directly funds emergency bills, food, and classroom art supplies, making the May 16 run a practical as well as meaningful way to participate.
⚠ Not yet confirmed
- Keris Kares was founded in 2013 following Keris Bembry's diagnosis.
Reported by chattynewnan.com, keriskares.org, runsignup.com
