The Atwood Lobster Company

Atwood Links: About Atwood Maine Lobster Festival

Running the crates.

The Great Crate Race

Taking the challenge of scampering across a string of floating lobster crates is, without a doubt, among the biggest splashes of the annual Maine Lobster Festival. This test of balance and endurance - and sometimes a bit of theatrics - is a super attraction and regularly attracts hundreds of spectators.

"The Great International Atwood Lobster Crate Race," its formal name, is run on the final Sunday of the Festival, down on the waterfront, adjacent to Festival grounds.

Lobster crate racing requires speed, quick feet, balance and, above all else, the ability to withstand a dunking in the chilly Maine waters, since most competitors do end up in the drink.

The race course is a string of 50 lobster storage crates stretching across a section of Rockland's inner harbor in full view of the Festival grounds. Contestants scamper across the traps, trying to reach the other end. If successful, a contestant turns and heads back to the other end. The "race" for each runner continues until a fall into the water occurs or until exhaustion takes over.

Inevitably the water wins.

The all-time record run of 3,007 crates is held by Susan Lundquist.

Each year's Crate Race attracts plenty of contestants and it is a good idea to register early. It's a sight not to be missed and an event certainly worth trying, if for no other reason than the memory and the ability to brag that you challenged the crates at the Maine Lobster Festival.

If you have made up your mind to take the challenge of running the lobster crates this year, here are some tips to keep in mind.
	Wear something on your feet (not sandals). Bare feet trying to find traction on the wet, wood crates is an exercise in futility.
	Move with speed. Trying to take a Sunday stroll on the string of crates is a sure-fire way to get wet very quickly.
	If you begin falling (when you do) try to fall to the left or right so that you will land squarely in the water and not on any part of the crates (that hurts!).
	Acrobatic falls get a lot of applause from the audience.
	Race organizers keep rowboats in the water to assist contestants who take the plunge. Don't be embarrassed to accept a ride back to shore.
	Have fun. You'll never forget racing the crates.