The fastest bathtubs around return to the Valley of the Vapors this weekend, continuing to fulfill the dream of late downtown Hot Springs businessman Stueart Pennington.
"About 16 years ago, I believe, the first (Running of the Tubs) happened," Bill Solleder, director of marketing for Visit Hot Springs, said, noting this will be the 15th event, now known as The Stueart Pennington World Championship Running of the Tubs, since last year's tub races were canceled due to COVID-19.
"There was a well-known businessman in downtown Hot Springs named Stueart Pennington. He had a shop just down on the 100 block of Central for a while and then he moved down here just down the street from Bathhouse Soapery. Shortly after that he unexpectedly, quickly passed," Solleder said.
"One of the things that he always wanted to do for downtown Hot Springs was to have a race that had bathtubs racing down Bathhouse Row, a fitting idea," Solleder said. "Honestly, I think at the time everybody thought he was maybe a little bit crazy, but after he passed, everybody was like, 'Actually, that's a pretty great idea.'"
Video not playing? Click here https://www.youtube.com/embed/jTVhRdrOVdc
The races, which consist of "costumed teams pushing bathtubs on wheels down historic Bathhouse Row," start on Central Avenue at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, and finish near the Buckstaff Bath House. The teams will face three obstacles given to them by local celebrity judges.
The winning teams in the various categories will receive a large trophy they will get to hold on to until next year. Each winning team also will receive a handmade trophy created by local artist and potter Zack Dryden of Dryden Pottery.
Dryden said Solleder asked him to make the trophies for last year's canceled race and he made six trophies in total.
"I was asked to make them for Visit Hot Springs and Bathhouse Soapery sponsored it ... each one of them was handmade by me and each one is slightly different," Dryden said.
The trophies are in the shape of bathtubs, and sit on a wooden box. Dryden said he was inspired by the historic bathtubs that attracted visitors to Hot Springs National Park during the town's golden days of bathing.
"I wanted them to look similar to the ones from the past that are in the bath houses," Dryden said. "That was a nice form anyways."
As the trophies were built well over a year ago, Dryden said he is excited to finally see them get handed out this weekend. "It's good to see that they get to be used, not wasted," he said.
Dryden said he has attended the race in the past. "It's a fun time, that's all I can say about that," he said, noting he plans to attend this year's race if his schedule allows.
The races start at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
