16TH ANNUAL KINGSTON ARTISTS’ SOAPBOX DERBY
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Old-fashioned fun and creative ingenuity come together in the Artists’ Soapbox Derby, a wild art extravaganza on wheels down lower Broadway that attracts thousands and has become one of Kingston’s most beloved and eagerly anticipated annual events. The 16th Annual Artists’ Soapbox Derby, which is sponsored by Donskoj & Co. and the City of Kingston, will take place this year on Sunday, August 22, beginning at 1 pm. It promises to be better than ever, with a new sound system that ensures all spectators will be able to hear the witty repartee of the announcer and a photo show at the Donskoj Gallery, located at 93 Broadway, commemorating past Derbies. This year’s Derby is dedicated to the late Kathy Janeczek, who served as city clerk for many years. combination of a traditional soapbox derby and kinetic sculpture competition, the Derby attracts entrees from dozens of area artists and residents. Participants are required to design what is essentially a non-motorized kinetic sculpture capable of “rolling” down a three-block-long hill in the Historic Rondout section of Kingston; beyond that, anything goes. Spectators arrive from near and far curious to see what strange, marvelous craft the artists have dreamt up this year. Past winners include a US Post Office truck, giant topiary, inch worm, spider, toaster complete with crumbs, cars blowing bubbles, encrusted with ice, or blowing smoke, and a dinosaur made out of a thousand wrenches. Prizes are awarded for the first, second and third place finishes in the Adult, Youth and Family Group Categories. The judging is based on creativity and engineering, rather than speed, although the sight of a giant lobster or tiny Santa Maria going full tilt down Broadway certainly adds to the thrill. This year, the colorful commentary accompanying the race by Studio Stu and David Haight will be broadcast throughout the entire course, thanks to an FM modulator that will be installed. The modulator will transmit the sound to radios set along the course that will be dialed to the Artists’ Soapbox Derby frequency. The Ellenbogen Group, based at the Seven21 Media Center, in Kingston, is providing the new technology. After the last car careens down the hill, the Percussion Orchestra of Kingston (POOK) will lead the crowd down Broadway to the Award Ceremony, their drum beats keeping up the pitch of excitement. The Award Ceremony will be held on the newly constructed Kathy Janeczek Memorial Stage. Before, during and after, people are invited to attend the Artists’ Soapbox Derby Photo Show at the Donskoj Gallery, a juried exhibition of 15 years’ worth of fabulous photos of Derby high points, including past creations, crazy crowds, and eccentric navigators. (The opening reception for the exhibition is August 7th, 5-8 pm and is up for the month of August.) The neighborhood also is full of wonderful specialty shops, museums and excellent restaurants.The Kingston Artists’ Soapbox Derby is brought to you by Donskoj & Company Gallery and sponsored by WKZE 98.1, Chronogram and the Daily Freeman, Van Kleeck’s Tire, Anaconda Sports, Big Guy Media, with help from the Mid Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, R&F Handmade Paints, Rondout Savings Bank, Mariner's Harbor Restuarant, SUNY Ulster and Timely Signs.
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