A delightfully ridiculous race for people who like to have fun together.
Every March, teams dress up, decorate carts, and run, walk, or parade their way through a 5K of pure community silliness.
What on earth is this?
The Silly Iditarod is a playful, over-the-top reimagining of Alaska’s famous sled dog race — except here, the “dogs” are people, the “sleds” are carts, and the real goal isn’t speed...
...it’s having a ridiculously good time.
Teams invent a theme (dinosaurs, pirates, breakfast foods, or whatever makes you laugh), decorate their cart to match, and set out on a 3.1-mile adventure that’s part race, part parade, and part neighborhood block party.
Some teams sprint.
Some teams stroll.
Some stop every five minutes to wave, dance, or pose for photos.
All of them are part of the show.
Costumes encouraged. Serious attitudes optional.
Visuals coming soon
How it works
It’s very simple. And very, very silly.
You and your team dress up, decorate a cart, and take it for a spin through a 3.1-mile course filled with laughter, cheering, and more costumes than a Halloween store in October.
Here’s the whole glorious thing in three easy steps:
01
Pick a team
Gather a small crew of friends, family, coworkers, or brave neighbors.
Pick a theme you love — pirates, penguins, breakfast foods, outer space, or something so weird only your team could have invented it.
If it makes you grin, it’s probably perfect.
02
Build your “sled”
Every team has a cart, wagon, stroller, or rolling contraption that becomes their sled.
You decorate it to match your theme — streamers, signs, cardboard, paint, inflatable bananas... whatever brings the idea to life.
One teammate steers.
At least one teammate pulls.
Everyone else cheers, waves, dances, and makes a scene.03
Hit the course
On race day, you line up with all the other teams and head off on a 3.1-mile adventure that’s part run, part walk, and part joyful parade.
Some teams race to win.
Some teams take their time.
Some teams stop constantly to laugh, wave, and pose for photos.However you do it — it all counts.
The important part
The Silly Iditarod isn’t about being the fastest.
It’s about showing up, being silly together, and making a day that people will still be smiling about long after it’s over.
Costumes & creativity
This is not a race where you quietly jog in athletic gear.
This is a race where grown adults dress like flamingos, hot dogs, astronauts, pirates, or things that defy explanation — and push a cart through town like it’s the most important mission of their lives.
In other words:
this is your moment.
01
Dress ridiculous
Wear something bold.
Wear something silly.
Wear something that makes strangers stop, stare, and smile.Big wigs, full-body costumes, or last-minute genius — it all belongs here.
If you feel a little bit ridiculous, you’re probably onto something.
02
Build something outrageous
Your cart is your team’s personality on wheels.
Turn it into:
- A pirate ship
- A taco stand
- A spaceship
- A giant duck
- Something the world has never seen
Cardboard, glitter, noodles — go wild.
The more over-the-top, the more fun it becomes.
03
Make it a spectacle
You’re not just racing — you’re entertaining a town.
Wave.
Pose.
Dance.
Blast music.
High-five strangers.The Silly Iditarod is part parade, part party, part joyful chaos.
Lean into all of it.
The real prize
A group of people, dressed absurdly, laughing together, creating something unforgettable in the middle of an ordinary day.
That’s the magic.
Awards & categories
Sure, it’s a race…
but it’s also a parade, a costume party, and a rolling comedy show.
So we give out awards for all the things that actually matter —
not just who crosses the line first.
Because in The Silly Iditarod, how you show up is part of the fun.
The classic awards
These are the beloved Silly Iditarod staples:
- Fastest Team
- For the teams who really go for it.
- Best Costume
- For the outfits that steal the spotlight.
- Best Sled
- For the most creative, ridiculous, or impressive cart on the course.
- Crowd Favorite
- For the team that makes the loudest smiles.
The delightfully unnecessary awards
Because not everything needs to be serious.
- Best Use of Cardboard
- Most Likely to Be Stopped for Photos
- Biggest Commitment to the Bit
- Team We Can’t Stop Talking About
- The “What Did We Just See?” Award
(Yes, these are real. And yes, they’re very important.)
How winners are chosen
Some awards go to the fastest or the flashiest.
Others are picked by our judges.
And a few are chosen by the crowd — because of course they are.
In the end, everyone gets what they came for:
a story worth telling.
Win a trophy.
Win a ribbon.
Win bragging rights.
Or just win a day where you dressed like a banana and made a whole town laugh.
All of those count.
Volunteer with us
Every great silly thing needs a few people behind the scenes making sure it actually works.
That’s where you come in.
Your role in the show
You might:
- Cheer on teams
- Help people find their way
- Hand out water and high-fives
- Keep things moving
- Or solve small, hilarious problems as they pop up
No matter what you’re doing, you’re right in the middle of the action — laughing, meeting people, and helping create a day everyone will remember.
Why it’s secretly the best seat in the house
Volunteering at The Silly Iditarod isn’t like working an event.
It’s like being part of the cast.
You get:
- Front-row seats to the costumes
- A lot of laughter
- New friends
- And the quiet satisfaction of helping make something joyful happen
Some people run.
Some people cheer.
Some people keep the whole silly thing rolling.
All of them make the magic.
Ready to be part of it?
Pull on a costume.
Grab some friends.
Decorate something that rolls.
And come spend a day being wonderfully, joyfully ridiculous with us.
Bring your idea to life and join the parade.
Be part of the crew that makes the silliness happen.
The real prize
You don’t need to be fast.
You don’t need to be crafty.
You just need to be willing to have a good time.
We’ll take care of the rest.