Craig Lehman is learning all he can about Lancaster County. That includes the rules and regulations governing outhouse races.
County Commissioner Craig Lehman sits in the outhouse
while Mayor Bob Rissler and Police Chief Kevin
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The Lancaster County Commissioner traveled to Terre Hill Saturday for a mini-course on outhouse racing, a new feature at this year's Terre Hill Days.
The annual event will take place Thursday through Sunday, July 17-20, at Community Memorial Park, 210 Lancaster Ave. The outhouse races are scheduled for Saturday, July 19.
Mayor Bob Rissler invited the county commissioner to take a trial run in an outhouse he built for the event.
"I remember using an outhouse when visiting at my grandparents' farm . . . but using them to race is something new," said Lehman, as he good-naturedly agreed to participate in an outhouse race demonstration.
Four-member teams must build a theme-related outhouse and put it on wheels, Rissler explained. One member rides on the seat, while the other three push it as fast as they can to the finish line.
In the trial run, Lehman talked on his Blackberry, wearing a big grin as Rissler and East Earl Police Chief Kevin McCarthy pushed the outhouse down the street.
People race cars, horses, boats, tractors, wheelbarrows, just to name a few, so why not outhouses?
Several states — Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin — have annual outhouse races. In Pennsylvania, the races are a favorite for folks in Dushore, Sullivan County. Some outhouse builders use their imaginations to make their entries look like cars, fire engines, castles, cartoon characters, ATM machines or a grass hut.
"We hope to have lots of outdoor toilets racing down Terre Hill's Main Street on Saturday, July 19, at 1 p.m.," said Rissler.
First- and second-place winners will receive an outhouse trophy plus cash prizes. The entry fee is $20. Registration and rules for the race can be obtained online at
www.terrehilldays.com or by calling John Styer at 468-8474.
"Terre Hill Days is a community celebration that really is a big reunion for people from all over the county," said Rissler, who is also president of the Terre Hill Days Committee.
The event boasts something for everyone of every age. Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the festivities, which raised $30,000 for Terre Hill Community Memorial Park.
McCarthy described the event as a "well-organized fun family event."
According to Rissler, many former residents return for Terre Hill Days, making it a town reunion. The event is held rain or shine.
"I love the idea of the outhouse races," Lehman said. "Terre Hill Days is a great asset to the community."
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