Piano Race caps a great festival

<< Back to archives | Sunday, April 26, 2009

At the ready, in the starting gate, these four thoroughbred racing pianos are just moments from their roaring rumble up Harris Avenue.  A member of the Fairhaven Runners team positions their piano - in line with the other three.  On the far left is the Fairhaven Market entry, then the baby grand is the WWU Viking Union racer, then Fairhaven Runners and at the far end is the Colophon Cafe with their holstein cow stuffed mascot firmly attached.  You think this is goofy?  You should watch the race.  Maybe you did.  At the start, two members - of the team of four - run the two blocks downhill from the finish line.  Got that?  Then all four start pushing and pulling their pianos uphill.  Next photo, please.

From behind, you can see the flying blue capes of the Viking Union team going just as fast as they can uphill with their piano.  Pianos are heavy.  And look at the crowd.  This race started four years ago with a dozen of us out there and two pianos.  Up at 10th Street crossing is the finish line.  You get the idea? 

Fairhaven Runners team is the winner.  They got a slight head start from a faster pair of downhill runners. (See photo gallery for that photo)  Where did all this start?  We learned that Dirty Dan Harris, upon leaving Fairhaven forever, rolled his piano down Harris Avenue and into the bay.  The reason had to do with non payment from the buyer and Dan’s not being able to take the piano onboard the ship to Los Angeles.  Yep, that is our official Dirty Dan on the left there.  Anyway, we give credit to Doug Borneman for nursing this fine race into a more fun event each year. 

A Photo Gallery with 36 photos of Sunday’s Chowder Cookoff and Piano Race is posted.