Chattanooga Autism Celebration Walk

Last updated 4/7/25. Check back regularly for updates!

BEFORE WALK

Online registration (with shirts) open through 4/9 @5pm: Shirt registration ends Wednesday afternoon at 5pm so we can organize shirts. We will leave the “no-shirt” registration option open through the morning of April 12.

Early Shirt Pick-Up: This is optional. Friday (April 11) from 9am to 4pm registered people can come pick up their shirts at the CAC. Teams can send their captain or representative and pick the whole batch up at once. Go to the CAC, 1400 McCallie Avenue, Suite 100.

DAY OF WALK - (Coolidge Park)

When to Arrive: Check-in, activities, vendors, music, and more are all set up at 9am. Attendees arrive anytime from 9-10:30. Try to give yourself plenty of time to park, check-in, and see exhibitors, and participate in all the pre-walk activities. 

Parking: We recommend parking in the lot off of Tremont St. across from the theater, or the big lot by Renaissance Park. They use the Park Mobile app for the paid spots, or you can pay at the kiosk. Those lots may fill up though, so give yourself extra time to find other parking. Some people find street parking in North Chattanooga and walk down. The metered spots in the parking lots are being monitored, and people are responsible for paying.

Check-in: Shirts are in the Walker Pavilion at Coolidge Park. If you're on a team, have a representative pick them all up at once. And we’ll be able to register anyone who missed the online registration deadline.

What to Do: Take some pictures with your team at the photo booth. Let your kids play at the kids activity area. Take pictures with superheroes, Star Wars characters, and other costumed attendees. The exhibitors will have great information and some might have some giveaways. Enjoy face painting, music, and more. Grab some snacks or dessert from a food truck. You can also bring chairs and/or blankets and set them in the grass as a home base. You can people watch, enjoy the park, or decide to connect with other families and see what brings them to this event. Enjoy this celebration and know that you're surrounded by people who support the autism community!

Schedule: We'll gather everyone at the stage around 10:30am for awards, announcements, and short warm-ups. The walk starts at 11 sharp! 

Awards: We're giving out awards for the top fundraising individuals and teams, biggest teams, and Team Spirit (so feel free to dress up if you want!). 

Route: The Walnut Street Bridge is closed for renovations. We will be using an alternate route that is a little shorter and mostly stays in Coolidge Park. We’ll walk along Frazier Ave as usual, then turn down Tremont St., go past the blue rhino, and head back to the stage. You don’t need to remember the route - we’ll have guides along the way! But if you want to see the route ahead of time, scroll to the bottom of this page. (NOTE: There might be one small change to this route depending on where construction allows us to cross under the bridge. But this map is mostly accurate either way and guides will be there to alert walkers of any changes.)

Walk Etiquette: Walk at your own pace. We'll have lead walkers who show the way and no one can pass them. Those who like to walk fast should go to the front and the rest can line up in the middle and end. We'll have walkers at the end of the line that make sure no one is left behind. Strollers are welcome!

After Walk: There's no closing ceremony and vendors will pack up during or after the walk. Many families like to head out right after they walk, but you’re also welcome to stay and enjoy the park.