On Wednesday, the Roanoke Star turned 73 years old.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke Star was the finish line for some runners Friday morning who were looking to fulfill a more than 30-year-old tradition. Every New Year’s Day, Star City Striders, a running group in the Roanoke Valley, hosts a run to the star. To ring in 2020, 200 people did the run; however, due to COVID-19 and the restrictions on gatherings, the official run couldn’t happen this year. Even though it wasn’t official, runners and walkers still laced up their shoes and started the year started on a healthy note. Star City Striders plans to start its tradition back up on New Year’s Day 2022.