(July 7, 2016) At this point, the only way to compete in the annual canoe joust benefitting the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company is to show up at Sturgis Park at 9 a.m. this Saturday and register.
The cost is $75 per three-person team. Early bird pricing, offering a $10 discount, ended Wednesday. Children are not allowed to participate, organizer Andrew Quillen said, but he encouraged anyone over 18 to participate in the fire company fundraiser.
Canoe teams of two paddlers and a jouster will compete against each other for first-, second- and third-place trophies. The first jouster to hit the water loses.
Each of the jousters will be armed with foam-tipped sticks with which the must try to disable his or her opponent.
The competition is double-elimination.
The event will begin around 11 a.m. on Saturday at the park. In the meantime, Quillen said, a suitable section of the Pocomoke River must be identified and marked, while the amenities for spectators and teams must also be placed before the joust can begin.
There will be food and drinks for sale, as well as snow cones offered by the Ladies’ Auxiliary.
“We’re trying to get other fire department teams involved, because we think it’ll be a great challenge to see the departments compete against each other,” Quillen said.
Quillen said it was his goal to get between 20 and 30 teams to compete, which is about the same as the usual turnout. He said around 200 spectators have attended in previous years.
“People bring their lawn chairs and shade and set themselves up for the whole day,” he said.
There is no set end time, Quillen said, as “it goes on as long as it needs to.”
Other than the joust, one of the fire company’s trucks is likely to be at the park, but other than that, Quillen said, everyone is focused on the action of the joust.
The event is free to attend.