Tulsa’s Great Raft Race will feature a few new things this year.
Race director Seth Erkenbeck said they’re bringing back the sand castle contest, which garnered national attention.
"We are flying in a world champion sand sculptor from the east coast, and he will produce a live, Tulsa-themed exhibition piece at the after-party at West Festival Park," Erkenbeck said.
The raft race will also have boat rentals this year for people who want to make the eight-mile float but don’t want to build or buy a raft.
Tulsa's Great Raft Race will also have an educational component, with a new STEM School Challenge.
Ten classes from local schools will be chosen to participate. Chase Beasley with challenge sponsor American Airlines said professional architects and engineers will work with students in their schools.
"But before that happens, we're partnering with the Regional STEM Alliance, and they are going to help put together a curriculum so that all the kids are going to understand exactly how it works, what are the processes involved ... you know, really just get them interested in the STEM fields," Beasley said.
Teachers can apply for the STEM challenge at the raft race website.
Mayor G.T. Bynum will be in Tulsa’s Great Raft Race this year. Bynum said he wants to help highlight the Arkansas River as Tulsa’s best natural asset.
"It is why Tulsa is where it is and for generations, people were able to utilize the Arkansas River as a point of recreation, and last year, people overwhelmingly said, 'We want that again,'" Bynum said.
Through the Vision renewal, voters approved more than $140 million for Arkansas River infrastructure, including two low-water dams. The raft race is on Labor Day, but registration closes Aug. 15.
