Looking to escape the rigors and isolation of Covid-19 for a bit? The Niagara County Historical Society is hosting our first-ever Road Rally fundraiser on June 12, 2021. The entry fee is a $50.00 donation to the Society per vehicle, and a driver and at least one crew member are required, but you can add more, as long as you finish with everyone who started.

Unlike the Memorial Day Indianapolis 500, our Rally is NOT a race but a contest that will test driving skills, knowledge, powers of observation, memory, and the ability to do simple calculations while maneuvering your vehicle across a timed course over the roads of Niagara County.

Participating vehicles will be given departure times between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM, route instructions, and a sealed envelope containing the Rally endpoint, just in case you get hopelessly lost. Participants will not have to leave their vehicles for anything. The drive will take approximately 2 hours.

The “fun” doesn’t end with just the leisurely drive through the country, your team will also be tasked with decrypting clues, identifying landmarks, and recording information as you travel along the route.

Upon your arrival at the destination, you will turn in your driving log with your recorded information for scoring. For timing concerns, much of the route was planned below the posted speed limits but you will be responsible for obeying all traffic and civic laws.

Due to this year’s pandemic, there will be no post-Rally Award Ceremony, but final results will be emailed/mailed to you within a few days of completing the course. Winners will be posted at the Niagara County History Center, 215 Niagara St., and in the Erie Canal Discovery Center, 24 Church St., both in Lockport and prizes TBA. Rally Instructions will be mailed/e-mailed to each competitor upon registration, but your route instructions will be handed to your navigator only four minutes prior to your departure time.

You can have fun and raise money for educational programming at The History Center. For questions and registration information, contact the History Center at (716) 434-7433 or info@niagarahistory.org.