06/24/2026
📣 We wanted to share an IMPORTANT update about EnviroRacing.
Recently, we were informed of new city fees that will increase the cost of hosting EnviroRacing by approximately $4,900 every year going forward. This is in addition to fees we already pay, including the gazebo, water usage, and police services, as well as cones and barricades, which are graciously covered through sponsorships. We are grateful for the 50% reduction granted this year and for the legacy discount we’ve received. Even with those reductions, this year’s race will still cost about $2,000 more than expected, and these fees were introduced after contracts had already been signed.
When we asked where the additional fees would go, we were told they would be deposited into the City’s general fund.
🌎 For a small nonprofit run entirely by two people, an extra $4,900 every year is simply not sustainable. That’s $4,900 that can no longer support local conservation efforts.
Because of these new costs, this year’s race will likely be the last EnviroRacing.
💔 That breaks our hearts.
🌎 Six years ago, Heather and I started EnviroRacing with a simple goal: to create Florida’s only zero-waste race and use it as a way to support local conservation efforts.
What started as a small idea grew into something much bigger than we ever imagined. Over the years, race directors from across the country have contacted us to learn how we’ve been able to successfully host truly zero-waste events when many larger races have struggled to do the same.
We’ve welcomed runners from near and far, brought positive attention to Venice, supported local conservation organizations, sourced our shirts from U.S. manufacturers, prioritized fair-trade and environmentally responsible products, and spent countless hours making sure race day leaves as little impact on the environment as possible. We even handle the cleanup ourselves.
🌍 Most importantly, EnviroRacing is a nonprofit. The money raised doesn’t go into our pockets—it goes back into the community through organizations like Coastal Wildlife Club, Reef Rovers, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, and The Environmental Conservancy of North Port.
We’ve poured six years of volunteer work into building something unique—not just for Venice, but for the entire state of Florida. We believed Venice was the perfect place for an event that combined fitness, sustainability, community, and conservation.
We are proud of what we’ve built, proud of the organizations we’ve supported, and proud of every runner, volunteer, sponsor, and community member who has been part of this journey.
Thank you for supporting EnviroRacing over the past six years. We look forward to celebrating one final race with all of you.
And we hope our community will ask whether Florida’s only ♻️ zero-waste race—a nonprofit event that gives back directly to conservation organizations and positively represents Venice—should really be coming to an end.
