One of the events you shouldn’t miss in Edmonton this September is the 63rd Annual Sourdough Raft Race. This will take place on Sunday, 18th of September at the Terwillegar Dog Park.
This one-of-a-kind experience allows you to enter a raft and join a fantastic water fight down the river. If you prefer to watch, you can also catch all the action from a spot on the river bank.
Spectators can join the group for a Toonie breakfast worth $2 starting at 9 AM.
This event actually dates back to 1960, when a group of boys from Edmonton Power were swapping fun weekend ideas over some beer.
They then proposed to have a raft race from Devon to Edmonton with the conditions that the rafts were to be built from logs at the starting site and that each team’s admission fee was a bottle of the best liquor.
Twelve teams of Edmonton Power rafters started the first ever Sourdough Raft Race.
The winners get the proceeds. Since then, the event has grown and evolved into the annual event locals look forward to.
For this year’s event, an entrance fee of $10.00 is required to participate. This includes a t-shirt, mug, and breakfast.
If you’re interested in joining, you can find the entry and waiver forms here. Detailed instructions on how to build your own raft along with construction plans with a list of materials can be seen here.
Do note that advertising on commercial and novelty rafts is allowed. Businesses can display their name, logo, and other information if they choose to participate.
Best First Time Entry and fastest team both get $250 prize money for the charity of your choice and a plaque. There is also The Crystal Glass Admira’s Choice Award which gets $1000 and a plaque.
