Drillers make a SPLASH & Introduce Brand New Raft Racers Alternate Identity!
Tulsa, OK, May 28, 2024- Memorial Day Weekend has passed & summer is officially here in Oklahoma! To celebrate fun in the sun, the Tulsa Drillers today announced a vibrant new, alternate identity as part of their annual 918 Weekend presented by Chick-fil-A Tulsa. For five games in August, the
Tulsa, OK, May 28, 2024- Memorial Day Weekend has passed & summer is officially here in Oklahoma! To celebrate fun in the sun, the Tulsa Drillers today announced a vibrant new, alternate identity as part of their annual 918 Weekend presented by Chick-fil-A Tulsa. For five games in August, the Drillers will become the Tulsa Raft Racers with accompanying uniforms & logos that will pay homage to the newly revitalized Tulsa’s Great Raft Race, the iconic Labor Day Party! This new identity is sure to make a SPLASH!
The first Raft Race took place in 1973 as Tulsans watched home-made constructed rafts float down the Arkansas River in what would soon become a time-honored Tulsa Labor Day tradition. Debbie Jackson, editor of the Tulsa World, wrote an article in 2015 stating, “At its peak, the event drew more than 600 rafts carrying 4,500 racers while 150,000 spectators lined the banks of the river between Sand Springs and Tulsa.”
Tulsa’s Great Raft Race has taken a hiatus since 2020, but in big DAM fashion, the Great Raft Race is returning in 2024 on Labor Day in conjunction with the grand opening of Zink Lake during the Big Dam Party!
To honor this great Tulsa tradition and this year’s revitalization of the raft race, the Drillers will rebrand from August 14 – 18 as the Tulsa Raft Racers! For over two years, the Drillers have worked with renowned graphic artists, Brandiose to create this unique Raft Racers identity.
The Raft Racers will don an aqua & orange hat with a custom “Ronny The Raft Racer” logo; an aqua, white, navy & orange “life jacket style” jersey with a custom Raft Racers script on the front, a Drillers T logo on the sleeve and unique, paddle-like numbers on the back. White pants and orange socks will complete the uniform.
The “Ronny the Raft Racer” logo was designed to show the fun and nostalgia of Tulsa’s Great Raft Race, while also paying homage to Ron Blue, the former GM of Tulsa radio station KRMG, who was credited with the original Raft Race idea.
“Each year, we’re proud to celebrate 918 Weekend presented by Chick-fil-A Tulsa at ONEOK Field,” said Justin Gorski, Assistant GM/ VP, Marketing with the Drillers. “This annual tradition has given us the opportunity to collaborate with different groups of Tulsans and to dig into what makes our city so great! I believe this may be one of my favorite 918 designs, yet. The original Tulsa Flag design, the Tulsa Noodlers, the TulsaSound and now the Tulsa Raft Racers. Our city is unique in many different ways! Talking to people about Tulsa’s Great Raft Race and being able to learn its history and tradition has been quite the experience. We (the Drillers) are proud to be a small part of the rejuvenation of this celebration!”
The Drillers have partnered with the raft racing experts of Tulsa’s Great Raft Race Committee to help bring the fun and tradition of this unique event to ONEOK Field during our 918 Weekend. There will be rafts at the ballpark, water wars, drink specials & more ideas that we’ll float your way soon!
“We’re pumped to have the Tulsa Drillers choose to highlight Tulsa’s Great Raft Race as their show of city pride with their new Raft Racers identity,” said Seth Erkenbeck, Executive Director of Tulsa’s Great Raft Race. “It was our love of Tulsa that inspired us to bring back the raft race nearly a decade ago, so it’s only fitting that the Drillers highlight this tradition as part of 918 Weekend ahead of our return. Their support is helping to build some serious buzz, and we can’t wait for everyone to join us this Labor Day weekend.”
The August 14-18 weekend at ONEOK Field will be presented by our great partners, Chick-fil-A Tulsa. Chick-fil-A Tulsa is comprised of 13 stores from Tulsa to Bartlesville and everywhere in between. Chick-fil-A Tulsa prides themselves on being a great community partner and a sponsor of the Drillers annual 918 Weekend. Be on the lookout for the Chick-fil-A Cow at the games plus, the annual Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich toss!
The entire extended weekend will have Tulsans paddling their way down to ONEOK Field for one of the best parties yet!
Wednesday, the 14th, we start the extended 918 Weekend right! It’s a Bark in the Park & $3 White Claws night. Fans can bring their dog to the ballpark, plus our 21 & over floaters can enjoy discounted $3 White Claws throughout the game. PLUS, as a special first time EVER giveaway at a stadium, the Drillers will give away 1,000 pairs of custom Raft Racers Hawaiian shorts! The first giveaway of the set. Get here early as these will go fast! Wednesday’s game is courtesy of City of Tulsa: Save our Streams, City Vet Hospital, 94.1 KXOJ & 100.9 KTSO.
Thursday, the 15th, will be a FOX23 Triple Play Thursday with $3 beers, sodas and live music from the King Cabbage Brass Band. The first 1,000 fans will receive a custom matching Raft Racers Hawaiian shirt courtesy of FOX23, 97.5 KMOD & AM 1430 the Buzz! Trust us, you’re going to want this full set!
Friday, the 16th we’ll light up the downtown skyline with News on 6 Friday Night Fireworks courtesy of 98.5 The Bull & The Blitz 1170 AM.
Saturday, the 17th will start with our final 918 BeerFest of the season, where fans can sample local Tulsa Beers and play with adoptable puppies presented by Skiatook Paws & Claws. We will conclude an eventful evening with a huge postgame Fireworks Show courtesy of Chick-fil-A Tulsa, NewsChannel 8 & News 102.3 KRMG.
The home stand will conclude on Sunday, the 18th with a NewsChannel 8 FUNday Sunday. All kids ages 14 & under will eat FREE, plus the first 500 fans into the stadium will receive a life jacket Raft Racers koozie courtesy of Ferguson Kia, NewsChannel 8 & Mix96.5.
Throughout the weekend, we’ll have footage from Great Raft Races of the past, 2024 rafts on display, exclusive ballpark food offerings, and more sandy details floating down stream.
Exclusive Tulsa Raft Racers gear is now available at ONEOK Field at the Official Team Store and online at TulsaDrillers.com/shop!
To purchase tickets to Tulsa Raft Racers Weekend presented by Chick-fil-A Tulsa click here.
About Tulsa's Great Raft Race
Tulsa’s Great Raft Race is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to activating the Arkansas River through an annual event held on Labor Day. Established in 1973, the race became the largest single-day event in state history, drawing 600 rafts, 4,500 racers, and 150,000 spectators at its peak. After a hiatus, the event returned in 2015, driven by local river advocates and community leaders in partnership with Tulsa’s Young Professionals. Today, Tulsa’s Great Raft Race continues its mission to celebrate the spirit of the Arkansas River, fostering connections and enriching the community through outdoor recreation. For more information, visit www.tulsaraftrace.com.