that Celebrates

BY EMILY HELCK

Soap box derbies may call to mind a bygone era, but this quintessentially summer spectacle is alive and well in the Catskills. Visit Delhi, in the Western Catskills, this July to watch, and maybe even take part, in this uniquely American tradition.

Begun in the 1930s, in the depths of the Great Depression, soapbox derbies were a mid-century childhood staple, with some events attracting tens of thousands of spectators. The rules are simple: build a small, gravity-powered car (the first cars were built from repurposed – you guessed it –soap boxes), and race it down a steep hill. At their most competitive, the meticulously built derby cars can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour purely by exploiting gravity – no other form of acceleration is allowed. The Soap Box Derby World Championship finals continue to be held annually in Ohio each July.

For the last 10 years, Delhi’s Annual Fair on the Square (FOTS) has hosted its own soap box derby, with locals racing playful, gravity-fueled cars down an intimidatingly steep hill in the town square. Many entrants seem thouGh time is kept for eaCh run, it’s not really Competitive, per se. people have fun With the event anD really Get into the Whole mooD.” more interested in whimsy than engineering; recent derbies have seen giant hot dogs, mini tractors, tin foil-coated airplanes and a crazed SpongeBob SquarePants flying down Court Street.

The mood on the spectator-lined streets is convivial, the derby cars offering a mashup of nostalgia and irreverence. And, organizers noted, there’s no winning or losing in Delhi’s soap box derby.

“Though time is kept for each run, it’s not really competitive, per se,” organizers Joan Barriger and Jerry Fitch said together. “People have fun with the event and really get into the whole mood.”

As the cars speed shakily down the hill to cheers from the crowd, it becomes clear that this derby is special. It’s a celebration of creativity and weirdness.

Entries are open to all and there is no cost to attend the derby.

This year’s soap box derby will take place Friday, July 28 during Fair on the Square. More information, including event schedules, is available on the Delhi FOTS Facebook page.

If you’re feeling inspired (and brave), join the derby by emailing delhifots@gmail.com.