Don’t you wish your morning “routine” was quicker? Well, the Great Cochrane Outhouse Race has you covered. Taking place on September 17, competitors will race outhouses down Main Street.
Yes, you read that right. The Outhouse Races is a crowd favourite in Cochrane and is open to anyone. Consider signing up if you have the guts to barrel down a paved road in an outhouse!
The race asks teams to build outhouses mounted on a bicycle. Four people are responsible for pushing, pulling, or dragging their masterpiece.
One person takes the wheel and must sit inside on the “throne.” However, teams can get as creative as they want with those basic rules in mind.
To register, teams must donate. The cheques are presented and recognized during the event. All proceeds are collected by the Rocky Mountain Rotary Club and donated to local organizations.
Admission is free if you aren’t competing but want to watch the race! So feel free to invite friends and family if you plan on attending.
Many local organizations and businesses participate in the event. Last year, eight teams competed and raised money to support local initiatives, including the Glenbow Ranch Foundation Summer Camp for Kids.
Cochrane GM took home the win, but the Cochrane RCMP put up fierce competition. Meanwhile, the town’s Two Pharmacy teamed up with the Four Cubs Children’s Boutique to win the ‘Funniest’ category.
If you’re wondering when the Outhouse Races started, your guess is as good as former president of Rocky Mountain Rotary, Ryan Baum.
He claims the event is heading into its 21st year, but no one really knows. As long as people show up and enjoy the event, does it matter?
The Outhouse Races may sound like harmless fun, but it has its risks. In 2019, the flame of competitive spirit burned bright between Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown and Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung.
The two competed against each other in the Outhouse Races, but the only thing Brown won was a trip to the hospital. During the race, his outhouse wobbled after a turn and tumbled down the road.
He was rushed to Foothills Hospital in Calgary, and the rest of the races were cancelled. The accident didn’t break any of Brown’s bones or his spirit.
Brown and Genung want to settle the score at this year’s Outhouse Races. Brown’s outhouse is ready for Main Street, and he’s raring to go.
“Ever since he crashed, I’ve been teasing him, since I realized his health has returned and he’s OK. We keep going back and forth over who won that race, so it’s only appropriate we have a rematch,” Genung told the Cochrane Eagle.
If you still aren’t convinced to show up, the event will feature food trucks and coffee vendors. The first race is planned for 1 PM on September 17.
