ALABASTER- The Angel Warriors Foundation is hosting two events in Alabaster for people with special needs on Saturday, June 3.

The Angel Warriors Foundation 5K is set to start at 8 a.m. at Veterans Park. The race will be followed by an awards ceremony at 9 a.m. While online registration is currently closed, onsite registration will be open from 7 to 7:45 a.m. This year’s Angel Warriors Foundation 5K is sponsored by GymTime in Alabaster.

While the Alabaster Arts Council has hosted a 5K during CityFest in previous years, AWF Board of Directors member Dena Wockenfuss said this is the first year her organization has hosted one.

“We’re raising money for the Foundation to go towards our programs and activities,” Wockenfuss said.

According to Wockenfuss, the 5K affiliated with CityFest has been replaced this year by a Sensory Friendly-Fun Area for visitors with special needs. Wockenfuss said this is the first sensory-friendly event that AWF has held alongside CityFest.

The Sensory-Friendly Fun Area will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Thompson Middle School. The area will feature a shade tent, sensory-friendly activities and therapy animals from And In Paw in a quieter and calmer environment.

To accommodate visitors with special needs and their families, shuttles will run from the Thompson High School gym parking lot to the area from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wockenfuss said the sensory-friendly area will allow community members with special needs to enjoy a city tradition while avoiding overstimulation.

“It’s going to help them feel like they’re a part of the community,” Wockenfuss said. “They can still come to this event and have their own safe place.”

For more information about the Angel Warriors Foundation, visit their website at Angelwarriorsfoundation.org.