Just mentioning an outhouse race to my family and the potty humor starts pouring out. So before I go into a complete downward spiral, I’d like to say “only in the Adirondacks,” but that wouldn’t be true.

Across the nation there are numerous wheeled “soapbox derby” races with themed outhouses pushed by costumed racers pitted against their decorated neighbor.

The difference from those races and the upcoming Lake George Winter Carnival Outhouse Races is the ice. The first 2015 Adirondack outhouse race takes place February 7, Saturday, at 12:30 pm on Lake George. There is an alternate location if the ice is considered unsafe. Registration begins at 10 am at Duffy’s Tavern (518-668-5323.)

According to Adirondack Studios’ owner Tom Lloyd what started as a quirky competition for his custom design and fabrication firm has grown to be a competitive race. Eight years ago the Adirondack Studios design team took a break from its large-scale projects for the Broadway stage and other design elements of the entertainment industry to pull together a fun local project, an Adirondack outhouse.

“We wanted to see what we could do so we started with a themed outhouse,” says Lloyd. “We’ve tinkered with various themes such as Harry Potty, Disco and Leaky Tiki (a pirate ship outhouse). There are a lot more people that are dressing in costumes and having fun with it. Some people will get a real outhouse and that can be pretty heavy. You have to keep in mind that you have to push those things around.”

Lloyd explains that the format is a double elimination race. Once you lose twice, you are out. There is no entry fee so anyone can just show up as long as the outhouse meets regulations.

If you plan on building your own outhouse racer, here are some race specs to take into consideration.
– All outhouses must be raced in the upright position
– Materials used for construction can include wood, aluminum, fiberglass, steel, Plexiglas
– Human powered: participants include one ride, two pushers and two pullers
– No windows or doors, only cut outs
– The dimensions are 4’x4’ wide, at least 6’ tall and in an upright position
– The combined weight of rider and outhouse must be at least 250 lbs.

Lloyd’s Adirondack Studios are busy this year, but his crew may still find the time to pull it all together to bring an entry to the Lake George Outhouse Races.

If you can’t get your racing outhouse completed by February 7, don’t despair. Brant Lake Winter Carnival is hosting outhouse races on February 21. Call 518-494-3016 for more information. Enjoy!

Photo of the Lake George Winter Carnival Outhouse Race used with the permission of Diane Chase, AdirondackFamilyTime.com