“At the OUTHOUSE RACE in Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.A., each team builds a COVERED toilet, mounts it on SKIS, then races on a SNOWY track – while one team member SITS inside.”

National Geographic 5,000 Awesome Facts, fact #21 out of 25 on toilets

According to https://www.freep.com, the “Trenary Outhouse Classic” is an outhouse race that has been happening for almost over 30 years, since 1993, in the upper Michigan Peninsula. It was founded by late local Yooper Tovio Aho that happened to see a similar race in Washington State and thought it would be a fun thing to bring to the town.

The prerequisites to be a contestant is to build your own themed outhouse that has a toilet seat, a roll of toilet paper, and must be mounted on skis. Anywhere from 3-5 members handle the creation. The handmade outhouse is then to be pushed or pulled along, on skis, on a 500 foot snow covered street that is on the old U.S. 41 in downtown Trenary.

People come up with names for their teams such as Toxic Turds and Poop Scootin’ Boogie. There are several divisions and races of this 30 year Outhouse fun with classic names such as the Super Duper Yooper and Streak Lightning. One division of this race is called the Dingle Berries.

According to https://www.topendsports.com/sport/unusual/outhouse-racing.htm, “there are different categories the locals of Michigan can join in – kids 6 y/o – 10 y/o ; kids 16 y/o – 20 y/o ; adults 21 y/o – 35 y/o ; adults 36 y/o – 49 y/o ; adults 50 y/o and up.”

“Winners from each division receive a cash prize and proceeds from the event help provide a $500 scholarship that Superior Central Schools gives out to a student in memory of race founder Aho and to help fund a local project in town that is in need.”

It’s a way to break up the monotony of the winter months and to bring the town together, says the people of Trenary. Festivities with food and drink and music bedazzle this once a year tradition that happens on the last Saturday in February.

They are not the only state that has outhouse racing. Washington State, North Carolina and Fairbanks Alaska have outhouse races. There are probably other states that carry on this whimsical event. Check local listings to see which state may hold this fantastically fun event.

These outhouse races seem to be just good, clean, outhouse fun….