Greg Tryon said the Great Pineapple Race was never about corporate sponsorships or fundraising — it was always about fun.

The third annual Great Pineapple Race, hosted by the Lake Havasu Hospitality Association, begins at 5 o’clock this evening in Thompson Bay next to the Nautical Beachfront Resort and is open to the public. The race consists of 20 teams made up of representatives from local companies and Hospitality Association partners using outrigger canoes for the fastest time. The Lake Havasu City Council and Lake Havasu Fire Departments will also field teams this year. The winners receive gift certificates to local companies and the traveling Pineapple Race trophy.

“It’s not about fundraising, it’s about having a good time,” said Tryon, the president of the Hospitality Association. “We do a lot of things with our members that are geared toward hospitality but this event is just about letting our members have fun and let loose.”

The Hospitality Association’s next event will be of a much different sort, Tryon said.

“We’re working hard right now on our next education class for our members,” he said. The organization hosted Hospitality 101 in front of more than 100 businesses in August. “That first one was about engaging our business-owners and seeing what they wanted from the program. The next class is going to be all about the frontline people who handle tourists every day. That’s where we’re going to focus and I think that’s going to be great. But meanwhile, we want to have some fun too.”

Public admission to the Great Pineapple Race is free, but Tryon noted that the Turtle Beach Bar and Grill would be selling snacks and having drink specials for the event.

You may contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com