Newton County will rally this weekend to raise money for the American Cancer Society as it hosts the 25th Annual Relay For Life event.

The Newton County event begins at 7 p.m., Friday and takes place at the Church at Covington, located at 11975 Ga. Highway 142, Oxford.

Relay For Life is an annual all-night event where survivors, caregivers, families, friends and people of the community come together to remember, celebrate and raise funds to combat cancer.

“Relay For Life is to celebrate the life of survivors and remember those who have lost their life to the disease,” said Chris Jones, community manager for Newton County Relay.

There are more than 1,000 participants and 62 teams expected to be in attendance.

All proceeds that are made at the event through games, food and contests will go towards the overall goal of $244,000 for cancer research.

Newton County is certainly not new to raising money for cancer research, as it leads the pack in terms of fundraising.

“To this day, the Newton event has raised more than 2.5 million dollars. They continue to be leaders in the relay world,” Jones said.

The opening ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. and will celebrate those who have battled cancer, as about 300 survivors take the first lap around the track.

At 9:30 p.m., those who are still battling and those who have lost their battle will be honored as everyone walks the track in a moment of silence.

Throughout the night, there will be multiple games and contests, including a pancake-eating contest at 4 a.m. and a rooster crow contest.

Everyone in the community is invited, even those who aren’t participating in relay.

It will be a good opportunity to visit with friends and enjoy food, games and entertainment, while also contributing to a good cause.

“Even if they don’t know what Relay For Life is, the moment they get there, they’ll be hooked,” Jones said.

According to the Newton relay website, about $153,000 has been raised so far. Closing ceremonies will be held at 7 a.m. on Saturday.