Great Bathtub Races return Saturday

The Great Bathtub Races will be held at Cave Lake State Park on Saturday, with vendors open at 11 a.m. and bathtub racing beginning at 3 p.m. Rubber Ducky, canoe and kayak races begin shortly after the bathtub races have finished, with canoes available to use but you need to bring your own kayak.

According to Meg Rhoades, events planning specialist for the White Pine County Tourism and Recreation Board, 2016 marks the community’s sixth bathtub race, with participants in the past coming from the local community as well as Las Vegas, Texas and Utah.

“We’ve added rubber duck races, where you get to pick a rubber duck, put your name on it and collect half the money collected if you win,” Rhoades said, noting that the other half goes toward expenses that pay for the event.

Rhoades said there will be vendors at the event selling food and snow cones. White Pine Tourism & Recreation will be selling t-shirts, cups and jackets, with proceeds going back into the event.

“We’ll see somewhere around 3,000 people, “Rhoades said. “The community really comes together well for this. It’s a really fun time,”

Parking for and entry into the state park is $10 per vehicle, with half of those proceeds going back to the event and half going to the state park. Parking passes are good for the entire day so visitors will be able to come and go throughout the day.

At 9 p.m., there will be fireworks on the lake.

Rhoades’ encourages visitors to arrive early as parking is limited and the lot fills up fast. There will be a shuttle bus, though, from the lower lot to the lake for those late arrivals that may have to park a farther distance away.

On Friday at 6 p.m., there will be a boat judging contest at the Ramada Comfort Queen on Great Basin Blvd. in Ely, with drinks and food available for purchase. You can also pick out your lucky rubber ducky at the Bathtub Boat Show.