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Folsom is celebrating the city\u2019s 80th birthday with a snail race.<\/p>\n
The race will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at Folsom City Lions Park, according to the city\u2019s website. There will be several races to narrow competitors<\/a> to the quarterfinals and beyond until a winner is named.<\/p>\n Snails will race up a wooden pole, according to the April 27 \u201cMonday\u2019s Minute with the Mayor.\u201d The three divisions are youth, business and general entry.<\/p>\n Special competitions include best presentation, best-named snail and best-dressed snail handler, as participants are encouraged to wear costumes.<\/p>\n \u201cNow\u2019s a good time to start working on your costume,\u201d Mayor Justin Raithel said in his Monday video.<\/p>\n The first Great Folsom Snail Race was held in 1981, according to the city\u2019s website, which says the event continued through the 1980s and 1990s.<\/p>\n Nearly 75 snails participated in Folsom\u2019s first snail race, according to Bee reporting from the time. Snails were expected to race down the foot-long poles at the time, but that changed that year when organizers discovered snails preferred to climb up the pole.<\/p>\n In 1984, the winning snail, Prince, climbed up his pole in four minutes and 53 seconds.<\/p>\n It costs $50 to participate in the snail race. Proceeds go toward the Folsom Athletic Association\u2019s \u201cNever in Our Town\u201d Youth Assistance Program.<\/p>\n Snails are available at check-in for those who don\u2019t have their own, according to the city.<\/p>\n Information about registration can be found on the city\u2019s website, folsom.ca.us<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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