Each year, there are many special events at the Northern Liberties Recreation Center. This year, the NLRC hosted the City of Philadelphia's Urban Idol contest. The Philadelphia Suns come each year for Chinese New Year to perform a ceremony with dragon masks and costumes to bring the Center good luck. The NLRC children participated in the city-wide Cup Stacking championships. Drill team shows, theater productions, and boxing shows have all taken place at the NLRC. In the summer, there is a pool party dedicated to residents with special needs, and every Friday a dance is held for this group. The Director of the NLRC, Mary Kerr, works on the department's Broad Street Run marathon, held each year on the first weekend in May. Director Kerr organizes the volunteers who give out Broad Street Run t-shirts to the participants, who numbered 17,600 in May 2007.