The Purple Color Run Brings Color, Community, and a Shared Purpose to Fort Myers for Epilepsy Awareness

Some events are about speed, this one is about impact. The Purple Color Run in Fort Myers brings together runners, families, and supporters for a colorful 5K along the waterfront. Covered in bursts of purple powder, participants move across the Edison Bridge and back, creating a visual that’s just as meaningful as it is fun. It’s a race with a purpose, supporting epilepsy awareness in a way that feels both energetic and inclusive.

at the start

From Centennial Park to the Edison Bridge, the Energy Was Immediate

From the start line at Centennial Park, the energy was immediate. Participants of all ages gathered—some ready to run, others there to walk and enjoy the experience. As the race kicked off, waves of people moved onto the course, quickly becoming part of a cloud of purple color powder.

From a filming perspective, this event was all about motion and color. The contrast of bright purple against the waterfront and bridge created standout visuals, while candid moments of friends running together, families cheering, and participants laughing added depth to the story.

The route itself added another layer. Crossing the Edison Bridge gave participants a scenic view of the water and city, making the experience feel bigger than just a typical 5K. By the time runners returned to the park, the event shifted into a more relaxed celebration with music, food, and community interaction.

A race filled with color, community, and purpose.

about the event

A Fort Myers-Born Run Backed by Over 50 Years of Epilepsy Advocacy

The Purple Color Run traces its roots to Fort Myers itself and to one person’s decision to stop staying quiet. Lauren Marquardt, a Fort Myers woman living with epilepsy, created the event to spread awareness and open up a conversation that she felt wasn’t happening enough in her own community.

“I realized I was still uncomfortable talking about my epilepsy, even years after being diagnosed,” Marquardt said. “That was the a-ha moment, so to speak, when I realized that something had to change and I had to be that someone for other people.”

The run she built from that moment became the first-ever color run fundraiser for epilepsy in Fort Myers, and the organization behind it has been doing this work far longer than most people realize. Epilepsy Alliance Florida was founded in 1971 as the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida and has spent more than five decades serving as Florida’s principal agency for state-sponsored epilepsy programs and services. In 2018, it became Epilepsy Alliance Florida when it co-founded Epilepsy Alliance America, a national network of community-based epilepsy organizations, extending its reach from local advocacy to a coordinated effort across the country.

Today, Epilepsy Alliance Florida supports people living with epilepsy across 39 counties through case management, telemedicine, psychological services, and education programs, and has trained more than 1.53 million people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Purple Color Run fits directly into that mission, turning community participation into tangible support for the people and families the organization serves every day.

Timed around Epilepsy Awareness Month, the event functions as both a fundraiser and an awareness campaign. By pairing an accessible, high-energy format with a meaningful cause, it creates an entry point for community members who want to show support in a way that’s active and visible.

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community impact

Over 100 Runners, $10,000 Raised, and a Conversation That Needed to Start

The inaugural Purple Color Run drew more than 100 participants to Centennial Park and raised $10,000 for Epilepsy Alliance Florida, a result that reflected both the strength of Marquardt’s idea and the community’s willingness to show up for it. For a first-year event built entirely from one person’s conviction that something had to change, those numbers said a lot.

The funds go directly toward supporting individuals and families across Southwest Florida living with epilepsy, a condition that, according to the Florida Department of Health, affects 403,300 people statewide. That’s a significant number, and it represents people who often navigate their diagnosis with limited public understanding of what epilepsy actually is and what it means to live with it day to day.

That’s the gap Marquardt set out to close. The run isn’t just a fundraiser, it’s a public statement. Every participant who wore white and got covered in purple that morning became a visible part of a conversation that Marquardt herself once struggled to have. The event drew local broadcast coverage from WINK News, extending its reach well beyond race day and putting epilepsy in front of a broader audience in a way that felt human, not clinical.

Marquardt has said she plans to host the run again, and given what the first edition accomplished, there’s every reason to believe each year will build on the last. In Fort Myers, the Purple Color Run stands out because it blends awareness with experience. It’s not just about learning, it’s about participating, showing support, and being part of something larger than yourself.