On the sunny Sunday of June 23, long before the announced noon starting time – a crowd was already gathering on the perimeter of the historic Westmoreland Park Casting Pond, for the Royal Rosarians’ Milk Carton Boat Races – which, for decades, have been the final event in each year’s Portland Rose Festival.
Before the first race, prime event sponsor Alpenrose Dairy had already given away cases of icy-cold lunch-size cartons of milk to eager race fans.
“Our event is also sponsored by the Oregon State Marine Board,” pointed out Royal Rosarian Connie Shipley, for the second year the Chair of the event, while the improvised watercraft continued to stage on the north lawn prior to the start of the races. “Again this year, Alpenrose will donate to the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division a quantity of fresh milk equivalent to the amount once held in all the empty cartons and jugs used to float our boats today. And spectators brought non-perishable food to donate also.”
The Royal Rosarians have continued to host the Milk Carton Boat Races, Shipley said, “Because we’re giving families the opportunity to have some ‘family time’ together: Together, they design, build, name – and then race – their boats across the pond!”
She acknowledged the contribution of free empty milk cartons for boat making by Alpenrose, and several Les Schwab Tire Stores (including the one in Sellwood).
As in past years, some of the boat designs had engineering issues, while others were stable, swift, and sure.
All of the contestants rowed their hardest trying to win. But, it seemed that the joy of participating in the paddling was more important than the ultimate result.
However, the results matter also. There were eight races, plus a People’s Choice award voted by the spectators present. The results were presented as winners and two runners-up; here are the first place winners in all the competitions:
Race 1 – Adult Single Rider: First Place was Boat 13, “Re-moo-ving Our Vows”, Bill Walters
Race 2 – Child age 7-13 Single Rider: First Place was Boat 29, “Doodad 2”, Jonathan Graham
Race 3 – (No entries, Young Adult age 14-18 Single Rider)
Race 4 – Adult age 19+ Two Riders: First Place was Boat 13 again, Bill and Cass Walters
Race 5 – Child, age 7-13, Two Riders: First Place was “Minecrafters”, Nathaniel Sittler and Micah Palmer
Race 6 – Young Adults age 14-18 Two Riders: First Place was Boat 24, “Boba Barrage/ Team Brawl” [no names shown]
Race 7 – Mixed ages, child and adult, 2-4 riders: First Place was Boat 30, “Mer-Cheetah 2”, Chris and Josephine Tongue, and Sean and Evelyn Worl
Race 8 – Child, age 7-13, 3-4 riders: First Place was Boat 1, “Swamp Pony 2.0”, Iris Zemp, Evan Barrett, Genevieve Dewey, and Ella Canty
Race 9 – Young Adults (ages 14-18), 3-4 riders: First Place was Boat 7, “Bob’s Boat”, Renee, Caroline, and Savanah
“People’s Choice” (spectators’ favorite boat): A TIE between Boat 7, “Bob’s Boat”, and Boat 30, “Mer-Cheeta II”
Now, that sets the bar for next year’s competitors! Pick a category, and get started thinking about the boat you’ll design out of milk cartons and jugs, and in which to ride to glory next June, in Westmoreland Park!
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