A Wacky Race Rube Goldberg Would Appreciate…

In its 11th year, the annual Kinetic Sculpture Race brings together the wackiest, strangest and most fantastic custom built Rube Goldbergian, human powered, land-water contraptions.

Participants create these unique sculpture watercraft vehicles out of bicycle parts and when completed, look more like parade floats on bad acid. Some keep their designs very simple and streamlined, while others are exceptionally elaborate, complex and Wile E. Coyote-ish.

Pit crews and support personnel get into the fun as well, dressing in elaborate themed costumes and entertaining the audiences with synchronized marching and silly dance routines.

While some sculptures are rather simple two-person vehicles, others, such as the 2007 winner, was a 24-foot (7.3 m) human-powered smoke belching, elaborately decorated paddlewheel riverboat.

Last year, 28 team participated, with names such as Coca-Cobra, Running with Scissors and last year’s winner, Rat Rod.

The eight-hour race covers 15 miles—mostly on pavement, but also including a trip through mud and sand and eventually into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

The race rules are designed for safety, to promote out-of-the-box engineering, and to add to the enjoyment and fun of the participants and spectators (see the Mandatory Fun Regulation rule).

There’s lots of wacky awards,  for best pit crew costumes and for the worse theoretical concept, among others.

And if you’re not racing, feel free to dress up in your own wacky costume as many of the spectators do.

The Baltimore race is one of the eight Kinetic Sculpture Races across the U.S., including the three-day championships held near San Francisco.

Kinetic Sculpture Race XI
Baltimore Inner Harbor 
American Visionary Art Museum
800 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230 (map it)
410-244-1900
More Information

Date and Time – Saturday, May 2, 2009. The first race starts at 9:30 a.m. with the competitors crossing the finish line around 3:00 p.m., The event ending with awards at 5:00.

Admission – FREE

Parking – Finding meter street parking near the Inner Harbor on weekends can be tough.  Paid garage parking is available in the area.

Images – Flickr – riverboat, chicken pit crew, pigs,

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