Thousands gather at Riverside Park after the race during the Ypsilanti Color Run 5K on Sunday morning.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Registration opened Thursday for the widely popular Color Run, which is returning to Ypsilanti for a second straight year.

The Color Run is a 5K event that takes participants through stations where they are showered with bursts of pink, blue, yellow and green corn starch. The event is scheduled for May 11, 2013.

To participate in the run or volunteer, interested individuals must register on the Color Run's website and pay a fee.

The rates are as follows:

Individual registration

• $40 Early Registration
• $45 starting Feb. 1, 2013
• $50 starting April 1, 2013

4+ person team

• $35 per person Early Registration
• $40 per person starting Feb. 1, 2013
• $45 per person starting April 1, 2013

Debbie Locke-Daniel, executive director of the Ypsilanti Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the registration fills up relatively quickly and last year, the registration was full within two or three days.

"I would urge people if they have any interest to do it as soon as possible," Locke-Daniel said.

Riverside Park will be transformed into the "race village" and the starting line will be right across the river on Cross Street in Depot Town.

Locke-Daniel previously told AnnArbor.com the event is expected to attract nearly 15,500 runners and 10,000 additional observers.

The run begins on East Cross Street, then goes north on North River Street, west on East Forest Avenue, northwest on North Huron River Drive, south on Lowell Street, west on West Forest Avenue, down to West Cross Street, south on North Hamilton Street, east on West Michigan Avenue, north on North Huron Street and then up to West Cross Street and over to its end at Riverside Park where bands will be playing.

• Here's a map of the course on the Color Run website.

Along the way, runners will encounter stations where volunteers will unleash the canisters of colors. Participants will also get a color packet and are encouraged to save it until the very end for the grand finale. Runners will wear white T-shirts for maximum color impact.

The race starts at 8 a.m. Runners will not all start at once, but will begin in waves.

Below, see a video of the 2012 Ypsilanti Color Run.

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.