Ohio Town Races Wheeled Coffins for Charity

A gentle slope in a Chillicothe, Ohio, park serves as the track for a race that replaces engines with human legs and racecars with caskets. On Sunday morning, the event drew spectators to watch teams push decorated coffins down the hill as part of the town's 9th annual Halloween Festival. The competition functions as a local variation of the soap box derby, relying entirely on gravity and the strength of the pushers.

Organizer Dean O'Brien stated that the race has no steering or motor. Participants build a frame from wood or plastic, attach wheels, and have one team member sit inside while four others, referred to as pallbearers, push the vehicle to the finish line. O'Brien noted that the event is based on speed, with teams receiving an initial push before sprinting to the end of the short course.

The tradition traces its roots to Manitou Springs, Colorado, where residents began racing coffins in 1995 to honor Emma Crawford. In Chillicothe, the event serves as a community gathering where teams invest effort in their designs. O'Brien encouraged participants to use their creative instincts, suggesting that while themes often lean toward graveyard imagery, any decoration is acceptable. Teams typically dress in costume to match their vehicles.

The Crispie Screamers, a team composed of employees from a local bakery, entered the race as the defending champions. Brenden Foltz, a part-time employee, explained that the group has won the previous two years using the same black wooden coffin featuring a pink donut. The team's strategy relies on athletic ability, with O'Brien describing the bakery workers as real athletes. Their primary competitor this year was a team from the Chillicothe Police Department, known as Mystery Inc., which raced a coffin containing an officer in a Scooby Doo costume.

The race began with a green flag, and the Crispie Screamers quickly pulled ahead. The police team veered slightly toward the sidewalk but remained in the race. The bakery team crossed the finish line in under 15 seconds. Radio host Lori Graves, who commented on the event, noted the irony of the matchup between the police and the donut shop employees. The Crispie Screamers won their subsequent heats as well, including a race against a team using a plastic coffin covered in skulls.

The bakery team claimed the $500 grand prize for the third consecutive year. Officer Jonathan Davis, who participated with the police team, said the group is already planning changes for next October. He indicated they will switch to caster wheels to improve their speed. Davis confirmed the team intends to return for a rematch.

Proceeds from the festival weekend are divided among local nonprofits. O'Brien said the event is driven by the goal of supporting community services. He noted that volunteers receive no payment, and their reward is the knowledge that their efforts help local organizations. The festival continues to grow its participation as more groups sign up for the annual race.