DO NOT FORGET (unless of course, you hate hella fun) that tomorrow, Saturday, August 22 is the annual PDX Adult Soapbox Derby—and for my money? It’s THE funnest Portland event of the summer! Every year the most creative and technologically brainy people in Portland design and build amazing art cars and speedsters and race them down the nearly mile-long track at Mt. Tabor. And while some of the cars reach speeds up to 40 mph, others are there simply to laugh at or lust over.
Races go from 10 am – 4 pm, with a big booze-fueled afterparty and awards ceremony (complete with bands) afterwards at the Tonic Lounge (3100 NE Sandy) beginning at 8 pm.
This is one of those rare Portland events that really spotlights what we’re all about: creativity, smarts, and drunken ignorance of personal safety—SO DON’T MISS IT!
- Photos courtesy: PDX Adult Soapbox Derby
- “Lou’s Woody”
- The Mercury’s 2004 entry “Baby Buggy” which came close to careening into the crowd, before collapsing mid-race.
Derby Day may be my favorite thing about Portland.
You forgot to mention that you can bring your own booze to the park. The organizers always get some sort of waiver from the OLCC to ignore open container laws in the park.
Also: get there in the morning. In the afternoon it’s just the fast cars racing off against each other for speed; the fun ones get three runs each from 10am until about 1pm.
it’s the most wonderful time of the year…
It really is one of the best events of the whole year. Don’t miss it!
Make sure to check out soapboxracer.com
“really spotlights what we’re all about”
What WE’RE all about? In what possible way could your sleazy, smelly, greasy excuse for a newspaper even SUGGEST an association with something as cool as the soap box derby?
Step aside, fakers!