Kinetic Grand Championship
The “Triathlon of the Art World”
Pictured: Reigning 2024 Grand Champions HumBULLdt Pie Factory
Full list of winners coming soon!
Memorial Day Weekend - May 24th - 26th, 2025
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What IS Kinetic Sculpture Racing?
A local tradition since 1969, the Kinetic Race is no parade! In the Kinetic Grand Championship bodies of art and artist's bodies are put to the test. There's 50 miles to go, over land, sand, water, and mud. These intrepid Kinetinauts are a unique breed of human. With a heart full of joy and a bucket full of tools, they face innumerable obstacles for just one reason ... For the GLORY!
Founded by metal sculptor Hobart Brown in 1969, this North Coast tradition has grown from a two block dash down Main Street Ferndale to a 3 day marathon spanning over 40 miles of Humboldt County California’s towns, beaches, trails, and Rivers every Memorial Day Weekend.
We’re slowly digitizing our backlog of VHS, Betacam, and 16mm video.
Do you have historical footage you’d like us to digitize? Send us an email at info@kineticuniverse.org.
Kinetics through the decades…
Racers
Build your team. Make your vehicle. Create your art. Perform your Pageantry. Try to ACE. Don’t flip over in the bay. Don’t flip over in the sand. Get to Halvorsen Park before 6:32. Repair the drivetrain. Carry a toothbrush. Remember to smile at the Glorious Spectators.
And above all: Have fun!
Go here for rules, registration, and information regarding the upcoming race.
Spectators
We’ve got lots of great spots to view our race, from the Arcata Plaza at noon on Saturday to the Eureka Waterfront on Sunday to the Finish Line on historic Ferndale
’s Main Street.
Please follow the instructions from course officials and don’t impede the racers. Also, it’s poor form to directly ask for one, but if you’re nice to the racers, they are very likely to give you a lovely bribe!
Volunteers
The Race runs because of the legion of volunteers who work astonishingly hard to bring Glory to everyone. From directing traffic to working the merchandise tables to monitoring racers for hyperthermia and dehydration, volunteers are the heroes of this event.
Volunteering is a great way to work closely with a fantastic group of people and get up close with your favorite racers — and maybe even boss them around a little bit!
Glorious Sponsors
Kinetic Universe is a non-profit, all volunteer organization. The Kinetic Grand Championship is an expensive race. All that is to say: we couldn’t do any of it without our GLORIOUS SPONSORS!
