Step Up for Down Syndrome is our signature fundraising and community building event, held every year on the third & fourth Sunday of September as a kickoff to Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Each year, nearly 5,000 people join us at Como Park and 300 in Duluth to celebrate our amazing community, to raise awareness about issues facing our community, and to raise funds to further our mission. Sometimes how organizations raise their money is at odds with their inclusive mission. Step Up is the opposite. Everyone is invited and registration is accessible to all at just $7 per walker.
This year we have two in person events, click below to find out more.
Step Up North - September 17, 2023 Wade Stadium, Duluth 3:00pm
Pre-Walk concert featuring Jesse Norell and his kids rock band the Riffin' Griffins!
Step Up Statewide - September 24, 2023 Como Park, St. Paul 10:00am
Pre-Walk concert featuring Kat Perkins from NBC's The Voice!
Step Up truly gives us the platform to live out our mission to EMPOWER. CONNECT. CELEBRATE.
Join us to Get Yo Body Movin' & Celebrate!
- September 17, 2023: Step Up North Event @ Wade Park in Duluth
- September 24, 2023: Step Up Statewide Event @ Como Park in St. Paul
Schedule for Step Up Minnesota - 9/24 - 10AM - 2PM
- 9:00AM: On-site registration, t-shirt pick up, and merchandise sales open. Bandana Square parking shuttle service begins.
- 10:00AM: Event starts with Kat Perkins Concert & Program. Food trucks open for business.
- 11:00AM: Awareness Walk Starts. On-site registration and t-shirt pick up closes.
- 12:00PM: After party begins.
- 2:00PM: Event ends; food truck service ends, merchandise sales close.
- 2:30PM: Last shuttle to Bandana Square parking.
Schedule for Step Up North - 9/17 - 3PM - 6PM
- 2:00PM: On-site registration, t-shirt pick up, and merchandise sales open.
- 3:00PM: Event starts with Jesse Norell & Riffin Griffins Concert & Program.
- 4:00PM: Awareness Walk Starts. On-site registration and t-shirt pick up closes.
- 4:30PM: After party begins.
- 6:00PM: Event ends, merchandise sales close.
Not available the weekend of the walk? We'd still love to celebrate with you!
You can still start a team and celebrate your team anytime!! Let us know you will be celebrating virtually or on a different weekend, and we can arrange getting your shirts and any incentives to you!
We wanted our 2023 shirt to celebrate our community and our rock star style. The front of the shirt features a single hand - a play on the universal rocker hand sign - but our shirt flips it around showcasing the ASL sign for "I Love You" front and center. The shirt is meant to evoke a 90's grunge/rocker feel in line with this year's talent and rockstar theme. We are so thankful to our graphic artist (and rockin' mom) Kimberly Vega of Elevate Design. We hope you love it as much as we do.
Note: There is a slight price increase this year. In order to keep using high quality polyblend shirts (like we did in 2019 - 2022) - we've had to increased our walk pricing. Registration/shirts are now $7 ($10 shipped). This is an increase of $2 ($1 shipped).
New This Year - STEP UP YARD SIGNS!
Buy 1 or Buy a BUNDLE and encourage every member of your team to post in their yard this summer! These signs include a QR code and instructions on how a passerby could join you or donate to your team.
Signs are priced as follows:
- Single sign = $20
- Bundle of 3 Signs = $50
- Bundle of 5 Signs = $75
- Bundle of 10 Signs = $125
Signs are available for pick starting 6/15 at the DSAMn office. Signs will also be available for pick up and purchase at the DSAMn summer picnics. While there is a cost for these yard signs - any amount spent on signs will be added to your team fundraising total and count towards your incentive levels and fundraising goals.
