The Penn Relays, also known as the Penn Relays Carnival, held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field, will run from Thursday, April 28 through Saturday April 30. Read on to learn five things about the storied annual event:
1.) The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895.
2.) The Penn Relays attracts participants from high schools, colleges, and track clubs throughout North America and abroad–notably Jamaica.
3.) Attendance at the Penn Relays has been known to top 100,000.
4.) The sport of relay racing was still relatively new at the time of the inaugural Penn Relays. The Penn Relays is often credited with popularizing the running of relay races.
5.) Franklin Field on UPenn’s campus, where the Penn Relays are held, was opened in 1895, specifically for the Penn Relays Carnival. That same year, Franklin Field was the site of the country’s first scoreboard. According to the NCAA, Franklin Field is the oldest stadium that functions as both a football field and a track and field stadium.
For more information on the Penn Relays, check out www.thepennrelays.com
