SFMOMA is bringing back their incredible Soapbox Derby for the first time since 1978! On Sunday, April 10 from 10am-5pm, a fleet of motorless soapbox cars designed by local artists will race down the hill at McLaren Park. The free event will also include fun activities, music, and food at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.
The Soapbox Derby comes on the heels of SFMOMA’s annual Art Bash fundraiser on Friday, April 8
Don’t miss these amazing custom-made vehicles descending down the track! The race begins at 11am, and each racer will get their own turn to race down John F. Shelley Drive. Participants include artists and community organizations such as City College of San Francisco, John O’Connell High School, Adam Savage and Lindsey White. They will be awarded with custom trophies with titles including Best Pun, Most Colorful, and Slowest; and music will come from Science Band and several DJs.
The derby will be a modern spin on the museum’s previous soapbox derbies from 1975 and 1978, where over 200 artists were commissioned to create cars and trophies for the event. This year, local residents who want to design their own soapbox cars can submit a design to the museum’s open call by February 24. Winners will be granted $1,000 to construct it and race alongside other participating artists.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar for SFMOMA’s Soapbox Derby, happening from 10am-5pm on Sunday, April 10 at McLaren Park in San Francisco. The event is free and open to the public, but you can RSVP on SFMOMA’s website.
Be sure also to check out SFMOMA’s Art Bash on Friday, April 8.
Featured image: Richard Shaw, ‘Tuxedo Racing Pencil,’ 1975 (The First Artists’ Soapbox Derby, May 18, 1975); San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Archives; photo by Rudy Bender. Courtesy of SFMOMA