Think of it as the Halloween version of a good old-fashioned Soap Box Derby.
At the annual Chillicothe Halloween Festival, teams of T-rexes, various ghosts and ghouls, and even Cleopatra and her Egyptian slaves vie for bragging rights and prizes in an event that features athleticism, sportsmanship — and the occasional out-of-control coffin.
The festival’s popular coffin races take place this year at 2 p.m. on Oct. 15, along Alexandria Street in the heart of the community’s Yoctangee Park. It is just one of many offerings during the event, which runs Oct. 13 to 15.
The coffin races debuted at the festival in 2017 after a committee member saw something similar on a program showcasing how communities nationwide celebrate Halloween.
“It has certainly been a hilarious sight to see,” says festival vice president Adam Days. “Families and friends work together, and nobody knows what costumes participants will be wearing.”
Tonya Hartman, a member of Rio Grande-based Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative, started racing five years ago and plans to keep coming back.
“My entire family loves Halloween,” she says. “This is something we can all do.”
The rules of the event specify wood or plastic construction (with the exception of push bars and wheels), no steering mechanism (though wheels may swivel for easier turning) — and absolutely no propulsion other than pushing by the teams. Hartman says that after a bit of a learning curve her first two years, her team has become rather skilled at creating a racing coffin that’s aerodynamic as well as fun.
The top three finishers win cash prizes. Hartman and her team came close to the top prize a couple of times, and each time poured their prize money into the following year’s entry.
Finally, their T-bone team, inspired by the movie Grease, raced to top honors last year as Tonya rode in a coffin outfitted with cushions and a fabric-appointed interior, pushed by her husband, Andrew Hartman; brother-in-law, Chad Hartman; and nephew, Holden Hartman.
She says the prize money last year went toward Halloween decorations for their homes.
Casey Demint, head of Team Demint, depends on his wife, Miranda, relatives Tim and Lindsey Demint, and co-worker Josh Walter to do their best maneuvering the course.
“Each year is a learning experience as we scope out the competition,” Demint says. As of late August, Team Demint was still deciding on this year’s costumes. Members have previously arrived at the starting line dressed as skeletons, vampires, and zombies. Their coffin usually bears cobwebs and spiders for a spooky look.
“I haul the coffin to the festival in the back of my pickup truck,” Demint says. “You should see all the strange looks I get.”
The number of spectators has grown each year, according to Days, and since crowds begin lining up hours before the event, it’s best to get there early to stake out the best viewing spots.
For complete rules and regulations for the coffin races, as well as information about the festival’s other events, including a haunted tent, costume contest, car show with trunk-or-treat, escape rooms, pumpkin drop, music, and food, see www.chillicothehalloweenfestival.com.
Each year, teams of Halloween hopefuls line up with their best coffin-racing gear to compete for a $500 top prize at the Chillicothe Halloween Festival, this year from Oct. 13 to 15 at the city’s Yoctangee Park.
