ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - The Color Run, the single largest event series in the country, is coming to The Wharf on May 25, thanks to a partnership between The Wharf family entertainment district, the City of Orange Beach and the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission (GSOBSC).

Race it solo or form a “color team” of four + members, and enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience with friends and family. Unlike a typical 5K race, this one is all about enjoying a color crazy day, while contributing to a good cause.

With no winners or official times, The Color Run celebrates healthiness, happiness and individuality by bringing the community together to create a five-kilometer canvas of colorful fun in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer.

Buzz for The Color Run has exploded since its debut last year with more than 1 million "likes" on Facebook and more than 6 million views on YouTube.

The event caters to everyone from runners and walkers to babies and boomers. More than 60 percent of “Color Runners” are first-time 5K runners.

“We had the whole family in to participate in the Color Run last November in New Orleans,” Francelle Theriot from Baton Rouge, LA said. “It’s one of the most memorable family events we ever had. No fuss, no stress about prep, just everyone going at their own speed, and rejoicing in the celebratory spirit of getting colorful, and a little messy.”

The Color Run chooses a charity to donate to in each city they visit. For the Orange Beach event, part of the proceeds will benefit the Coastal Baldwin Educational Enrichment Foundation (CBEE), whose mission is to assist in providing superior educational opportunities to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach public schools. CBEE provides scholarships to graduating seniors as well as educational and programming enhancements for all Island schools.

The Color Run is destined to become an iconic event. It visited over 50 cities last year with more than 600,000 participants, a feat following their first event in January 2012. They plan to make 2013 a stellar year, launching more than 100 events with an estimated 1 million participants.

"We are thrilled beyond words to welcome this colorful and charitable event to our family beach destination," Beth Gendler, vice president of sales at the sports commission said. "Memorial Day weekend is a great time to visit our area, and this highly anticipated event adds one more reason why families should kick off their summer vacations on our sugar white shores."

The Wharf is the first venue on the Gulf Coast to host this highly-anticipated event.

Sign up now at thecolorrun.com/gulf-shores.