Photos: Remembering the Anything That Floats races in Peru

The Anything That Floats races were held from 1978-1986 each year in Peru. Contestants received a free case of Old Style beer upon entering. The rules were simple. To enter, participants needed to build a raft less than 50 feet in length and each person had to have a life jacket on board whether you wore it or not. A rope had to be attached to the raft for towing. Rafts were made from styrofoam, inter tubes or barrels. A minimum of two paddles were required on the float. Rafts were launched at the Starved Rock Boat Ramp and finished at the Peru boat launch area. Over time, the event grew and got to big and out of control that organizers had to scrap it. This photo was found in the La Salle NewsTribune archives. (Shaw Local New Network File Phot)