Students at this weekend’s Dance Marathon dressed up in costumes, enjoyed a lineup of entertainment acts and raised more than $300,000 for children’s healthcare.

The marathon, now in its 13th year, raised $321,390.26 for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital, about $20,000 more than last year’s total.

The event also is valued by many families.

Katie Adams and her son, Seth, attended their sixth Dance Marathon.

Seth, 8, was born with gastroschisis, a birth defect in which the intestines and several other organs are outside the body at birth.

“The people who are here are our family,” Adamses said.

Whitney Amos, a senior and public relations director for Dance Marathon, said about 600 people attended this year’s event, as of 9 p.m. Saturday. It was held at the Ramsey Center from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.

The Adams were one of 18 “miracle” families in attendance to help “put a face to Dance Marathon,” said Emily Samuels, a senior and external director for the charity.

William Draper, a senior and co-director of morale for Dance Marathon, said the event was catered and featured a variety of acts, including a DJ from 95.5 The Beat radio station, a Jimmy Buffett cover band, a drumline from a local high school, a hypnotist and step teams.

“We just had an amazing turnout – better than ever,” said Lauren McLeod, a senior and executive director for Dance Marathon. “It kind of sells itself.”

McLeod said the charity has five mini-marathons planned for large high schools in the Atlanta area.

Donations to Dance Marathon come from many sources, she said, including student donors, a few large donors and corporate sponsors who offer other donations for the event. Marathon participants are asked to raise at least $175 for the event.

Samuels said fraternities, sororities and other large organizations helped raise large sums of money that would be more difficult for individuals to raise.

Mark Bullard, a senior and operations director for Dance Marathon, said the strength of the charity is in bringing together people from different groups across campus.

“The idea is to get a leadership board that’s completely well-rounded,” he said.

Amos said this year’s event was her fourth Dance Marathon.

“You just get hooked. You just want to keep doing it,” she said. “I’ll still always be a part of it, and donate and come back.”

Adams, a Ph.D. student at the University and full-time employee at the School of Social Work, said she first learned about Dance Marathon after seeing plaques on the wall of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta during her son’s surgeries.

The first time they came to the event, “Seth said it was the best day of his life,” Adams said.

Now, they come back every year to participate and share their story. This year, Seth, a student at Timothy Road Elementary in Athens, couldn’t wait to go swimming, another event offered for those attending.

Adams said she has become friends with many Dance Marathon members, and they frequently attend her son’s soccer games.

When Seth injured himself playing soccer and had to go to the emergency room, Adams said, “I had six Dance Marathon students come within the first 24 hours.”

“We love (Katie) as much as she loves us,” Samuels said. “We’re here to do a great thing and show that college students can do great things.”