While the 2024 Boo-coda Spook-tacular Casket Races didn’t have the speed or star-power of last weekend’s Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix, hundreds of people still descended on Boo-coda — normally known as Bucoda — to watch casket pushers sprint their way through the small Thurston County community on Saturday, Oct. 19.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office team took first place. Sheriff Derek Sanders rode the casket as the team’s “corpse.”
The hometown Joe’s Place team finished second and the Thurston County Economic Development Council came in third.
Taking the “Dead Last” Award for the slowest time was the Bucoda Improvement Club team, which also won the “Rob Gordon Spirit of Bucoda” Award.
Other awards included the funniest casket, won by the Thurston County Public Works Department team; the most original casket, won by The Holy Lamb team; and the scariest casket, won by the Containment Failed team.
Along with the casket races, Boo-coda’s Haunted House welcomed visitors with spooks and frights. It will be open again on the following days leading up to Halloween:
Friday, Oct. 25, from 7 to 11 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 7 to 11 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 31, from 7 to 10 p.m.
The Haunted House is located at 403 N. Nenant St. in the old Bucoda gymnasium built in 1939, where many have reported encountering paranormal activity.
Tickets for the Boo-coda Spooktacular haunted house are $13 per person plus a canned food donation with VIP tickets available for $20.
A special family-friendly haunted house geared toward those 12 and under who want Halloween fun but aren’t ready for the full Spooktacular haunted house will be held on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the north room of the Bucoda Town Hall and Community Center, located at 101 E. Seventh St.
The family-friendly haunted house costs $5 per person or $20 per family with two adults and up to four kids, or free with a donation of four non-perishable food items or children’s books. Donations of clean, usable blankets and coats along with bikes will also be accepted.
Proceeds and donations benefit the Tenino Food Bank, the South Sound Reading Foundation, the Alaffia Global Alliance for Community Empowerment’s bike program, KCCO Mixx 96.1 Radio’s “Wrapping up the Holidays” toy drive and local shelter programs.
Also on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m., the final Haunted Market in Boo-coda will open, featuring local vendors in the Bucoda Town Square, located at 112 S. Main St. between Joe’s Place and the Liberty Market.
The final event on Saturday will be Boo-coda participating in the annual worldwide simultaneous dance to Michael Jackson’s famous song “Thriller.”
In the past, this event has featured over 23,000 dancers representing 32 different countries on six different continents, all dancing to “Thriller” at the same time.
Free to attend, registration and dancing practice begin at 1:30 p.m. with the synchronized dance scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
It will be held in front of the Bucoda Town Hall and Community Center. Awards will be given for best costume, best dancer and best overall performance.
Before the synchronized “Thriller” dance takes place, the month’s final costume contest will be held in the Bucoda Town Square at 2 p.m. with the theme being best 80s, Michael Jackson or zombie and dance costumes.
After the dance and costume contest, a free trunk-or-treat event will be held for young trick-or-treaters starting in front of Joe’s Place at 4 p.m.
For more information, visit https://boo-coda.com/ or follow Boo-coda on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BOOCODAWA/.