SAULT STE. MARIE — The Sault International Festival of Races returns this weekend for the first time since 2019, with organizers expecting hundreds of runners for the two-day event.

The festival was put on hold after the pandemic and had not resumed until this year. Saturday’s races begin at 8 a.m. on the Lake Superior State University campus with a 5-mile run that crosses the International Bridge to Canadian customs before looping back to the university.

On Sunday, runners will compete in half-marathon and 5K races that start and finish in downtown Sault Ste. Marie but will not include the bridge.

In 2019, the event drew about 250 participants. More than 600 runners have already registered for this year’s races, which organizers say will be the largest in the city’s history.

“Not only

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