Get a team together for the Hootin an Hollarin bed and outhouse races

When’s the last time you saw a bunch of folks pushing a bed down Main Street at top speed? Or, for that matter, an outhouse? At Hootin an Hollarin, that’s just part of the regular fun.

The annual bed and outhouse races return to the Gainesville square Friday, Sept. 18, giving festival-goers a chance to watch teams of willing (and hopefully able) participants put their legs, lungs and questionable racing skills to the test - or hop in the competition themselves!

Bed race

The bed race, sponsored by Top Dog Fitness Center, gets things rolling at 5 p.m. and is open to participants age 10 and older. Each team consists of five members (four pushers and one rider) with the high-performance racing bed provided for the event. Teams will gather at 4:30 p.m. on the southwest corner of the square in front of Molly’s Salon.

At 5 p.m., the teams will take off from the stop sign and head up Main Street toward the finish line at City Hall.

Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy sneakers or tennis shoes. House slippers may look the part, but organizers suggest leaving those in the bedroom.

And while speed is certainly one way to win, it isn’t the only way to have a good time. Teams can dress up, dance, ham it up and even work a skit into their run. The more creative, the better. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the timed race, with another prize going to the best-dressed team.

Then, just when everyone thinks the excitement has wound down, it’s time to roll out the outhouse.

Outhouse race

The outhouse race, also sponsored by Top Dog Fitness Center, will begin around 5:30 p.m., immediately following the bed race. Like the bed race, the outhouse competition is open to participants age 10 and older.

Teams will again consist of four pushers and a rider, but this time the vehicle of choice is a good old fashioned outdoor privy - provided by the Hootin an Hollarin committee.

The outhouse race begins in front of City Hall. Teams will push the racing outhouse toward the stop sign on the opposite side of the square, continue past it, then make a quick rider switch before heading back toward City Hall and the finish line.

The outhouses have no brakes and no steering, although organizers are adapting this year’s race vehicles to make them safer than in previous years. Spectators are encouraged to stay well clear of the course as teams come barreling down the west side of the square.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the timed outhouse race.

There’s no entry fee for either race, and teams can come from just about anywhere: schools, businesses, community groups, families, friends or a collection of folks who simply decide they’re up for the challenge.

For the outhouse race, riders need to be agile enough to hop off halfway through the course and trade places with one of the pushers. Sturdy running shoes are recommended.

Find out more, register

Organizers encourage teams to sign up for both races and bring along a creative team name. Just remember, Rose says, it needs to be something that can be announced to the crowd.

Participants can pre-register with race chairperson Paula Rose at 417-989-1282, although registration is not required. Sign-up forms are available at the Ozark County Times, and last-minute entries are welcome.

So while you might come to Hootin an Hollarin for the music, food and festival fun, stay for the sight of a bed flying down Main Street and an outhouse chasing close behind. After all, it’s tradition for the beds to have wheels, the outhouses to fly by and everybody along the sidelines to make good on the festival name, hootin’ and hollarin’ for their favorite teams.