Kinetic is kontageous in Port Townsend this weekend

peninsula daily news

PORT TOWNSEND -- Racers, get ready to peddle, push, row or otherwise humanly power those kinetic contraptions to the finish line for the 24th annual Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race beginning this weekend.

Events start Friday with a slew of activities taking place through Sunday.

So far, 15 racers have signed up to see what their mobile sculptures have got.

Some racers have spent all year fine tuning their engineering works of art.

The sculptures must be able to go through mud, also known as the ``dismal bog,'' float on water and transverse hilly neighborhoods.

This year's theme is Follywood, so racers and spectators alike are encouraged to dress as their favorite movie stars.

One twist on the typical, run-of-the-mill race that the Kinetic Sculpture Race provides is that the top prize is known as the Mediocrity Award.

It goes to the sculpture that finishes in the very middle of the pack.

One might wonder how to strategize to win such an award, and that is anybody's guess.

But the point is it's not whether you win or lose, but whether you have fun while doing it and make a true spectacle of yourself.

Throughout the race, kinetic kops will be roaming around ready to bust any racer for improper activities and issue a citation.

But, unlike real cops, the kinetic kops encourage bribes and are quick to accept them.

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, an early ``K-Bird'' hospitality party will take place at Port Townsend Brewing Co., 330 10th St..

On Saturday at 10:30 a.m., racers, their sculptures and Wanna-Be Parade participants will assemble for the parade that begins at noon at U.S. Bank, 1239 Water St., and ends at Monroe Street.

Break and floating tests for the registered sculptures happens at 1 p.m. at the corner of Monroe and Water streets.

The big koronation and kostume ball will take place at 8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 209 Monroe St.

Sunday is the big race, where participating sculptures line up at Port Townsend City Hall, 250 Madison St., at 10:30 a.m.

The race begins at noon, with the route including Fort Worden State Park, the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and Kinetic Koffee Kompany, 520 Kearney St.

The race will conclude back at City Hall at about 5 p.m.

Awards will be given at American Legion Hall at about 5:30 p.m.

To wrap up the weekend's events, a ``Survivor's Post-Party'' will get under way following the award ceremony at the American Legion Hall at about 6 p.m.

An annual event since 1983, the race is sponsored by the Port Townsend Kinetic Konsortium.

For more information, go online to http://www.ptkineticrace.org