The South Thurston County of Bucoda — or, as it’s known in October, Boo-Coda — is looking for corpses and pallbearers.
Fast ones, to be more precise.
The Boo-Coda Casket Races are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21, as the town’s month-long Halloween celebration continues to unfold. The town is hoping to attract a long list of participants for this year’s races, which will be held on Main Street in front of Joe’s Tavern. The start time will be announced Wednesday and will depend on how many teams sign up. The awards ceremony will be at 5 p.m., and check-in and registration begins at noon in the South Room of the Bucoda Community Center.
Participants are welcome to build their own caskets to the races’ specifications, but the Town of Bucoda will have some of the wheeled coffins for participants to borrow.
Each team consists of a “corpse” — a person who rides in the casket — and up to four “pallbearers” who will push the casket during the races.
First, second and third place awards will be given for overall fastest times. Trophies will also be handed out for “Dead Last,” scariest casket, funniest casket, most original casket and best costumed team and cortege. There will also be the Mayor’s Cup with cities in Thurston and Lewis counties competing against each other.
There will be Casket Races for the following categories and types: first responders, media, middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, elected officials, candidates for elected offices, financial institutions, real estate firms, bars and taverns, chambers of commerce, businesses, families (two adults, three youths) and friends.
Each category will have a trophy for the fastest time and the best costume team and cortege.
Organizers will place individual participants on a team if they don’t have one.
Participants are encouraged to decorate their caskets and hand out candy or promotional materials in pit row.
The cost is $100 to enter.
Bucoda will accept cash or checks for payment. Make checks payable to the Town of Bucoda and bring payment on the day of the races.
For more information and to register a team, visit https://tinyurl.com/nhev8nfm.
For more on the month-long Boo-Coda events, visit https://boo-coda.com/.
