Chattahoochee Ramblin’ Raft Race remembered as a messy party

Q: What is the history of the Chattahoochee River’s Ramblin’ Raft Race?

A: The Ramblin’ Raft Race, held on the Chattahoochee River every Memorial Day weekend during the 1970s, started with a few fraternity brothers and a local radio station. The first annual race took place on July 26, 1969. The now-legendary event began when Larry Patrick, a Geor- gia Tech student at the time, asked Atlanta’s WQXI radio to help him promote a river rafting competition on the ‘Hooch. The station agreed to spread the word, and around 500 people turned out for the inaugural event, which stretched down the river from Sandy Springs to Vinings. From there, the Ramblin’ Raft Race was held every May, with the event’s popularity booming in its early years. “It started out pretty innocently, and then it took on a life of its own,” said Joe Tanner, who was the commis- sioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at the time. “It grew beyond anybody’s imagination.” Tanner, whose organization was partly responsible for cleaning up the river after the event, said it had turned into a “catastrophe” by the mid ‘70s. Attendance at the race peaked during these years, possibly reaching as high as 300,000 between spectators and participants. The Guinness Book of World Records even named it as the world’s largest spectator sporting event. The mass turnout took a toll on the Chattahoochee and pollution became a major issue for state officials. Tanner, who flew over the event multiple times during its heyday, said beer cans, makeshift rafts and assorted trash littered the river for miles after each race. Then, there were the logistical concerns. Tanner said he remembers several dozen off-duty police officers being called up to help control the attendees, whose rowdy behavior often disturbed nearby residents. “People would be floating down the river, and if they wanted to stop and go to the bathroom they’d just do it on other people’s lawns,” Tanner said. Still, the race remained popular through the end of the decade. But it faced increasing pushback from both the state government and the National Park Service, which became responsible for the area after President Jimmy Carter established the National Chattahoochee Recreation Area in 1978. Things came to an end in 1980 though, after state officials told organizers they refused to keep paying for cleanup and security. In its final year, the event saw its sole fatality, an attendee who drowned before the 1980 race. Despite all of the chaos and pollution, Tanner can still see the the positives of race’s legacy. Today, Atlantans still shoot the ‘Hooch every summer, albeit in a less rowdy manner. Actual Factual Georgia now runs on Sundays. If you’re new in town or have questions about this special place we call home, ask us! E-mail q&a@ ajc.com or call 404-222-2002.