Get ready to roll in the annual Cochrane Outhouse Races in the historic downtown.
On Sept. 26, local businesses will be brought together to race their thrones down 1st Street with cash prizes to be won.
Event organizer Karrie Peace encourages attendees to show up early, between 9 and 9:30 a.m. to get a spot on the sidewalk.
“Expect the unexpected,” Peace said with a laugh. Last year, the event raised over $13,000 with 24 teams that raced, and Peace said there are another 24 prospective teams this year.
Competition gets serious and even inspires some to build their own outhouse.
Simon Warren, the Town of Cochrane’s parks operator, said he has lived in town for nine years and this will be the first year he will be attending the races, along with registering to race after building his own outhouse.
“It’s themed on parks, so [the outhouse] has ivy growing on it and an owl on the roof, birds and butterflies and flowers – it even has a snake going up it and stuff like that. It’s all related to what we do,” Warren explained.
Working after-hours and on the weekends, Warren said the outhouse took approximately 40 hours to build and decorate – with none of the building done during work hours. The building supplies were also scrap materials that Warren utilized.
“I just wanted to show what I can do and have some fun with it and that is how it kind of turned out,” Warren said.
“I’m pretty confident – it’s definitely a strong structure and I think it’s going to be pretty fast.”
Peace said there is usually a big rivalry between the RCMP and fire department for the fastest team. “They are all trained and they are ready for some good competition.”
The event started 15 years ago as a way to raise funds and bring the community together. Donations this year will go to Home Treasures, a non-profit organization that gives free household items to residents in crisis, and funds local and surrounding area causes and initiatives.
Two cash prizes are available, with $500 for the fastest team and $500 for the funniest outhouse and team. First-time attendee Warren joked there should be more prize categories.
“My only wish is that they had a category for ‘nicest built outhouse’, because I think we would win for that,” he laughed.
Donations are accepted at the races, and the Fast Guns, a group dressed up as bandits, will also be there to ‘hold up’ the crowd and have a showdown in the street, Peace said. “Local businesses will [also] be having sidewalk sales and there will be lots of deals for everyone.”
“This year, it is very important because we are trying to pull people into the historic downtown,” Peace said.
“With the big box stores opened, we just want to say to the community that we are here – Cochrane is growing so fast with so many people coming in, they often don’t go to the historical areas in the town. We just want our new residents to come check us out and have a fun day.”
Teams can register at cochraneouthouseraces.com or email Peace for more information at [email protected].
