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Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race

BUILD a human-powered amphibious art sculpture that crosses streets, sand, mud and Baltimore's harbour.

Team entryWatch & buy local
1 May 2027Next date
None listedNext deadline / key date
Early May (a Saturday)Usual timing
Baltimore, Maryland, USAWhere
01 · How to take part

Your way in

Build a sculpture with a team and enter it with AVAM (pilots and pit crew), or watch along the 8-hour route.

Team entry

Race a human-powered amphibious sculpture

Build a fully human-powered art sculpture with a team (pilots plus pit crew) that crosses city streets, sand, mud and the harbour, and enter it with AVAM. No motors, batteries or stored energy.

Watch & buy local

Watch along the route

The race runs for about 8 hours from AVAM, with the water entry at the Canton waterfront and mud and sand obstacles in Patterson Park.

You build or use
BUILD a human-powered amphibious art sculpture that crosses streets, sand, mud and Baltimore's harbour
Participation
Build-compete
Entry and deadlines
Entry through AVAM's race page; sculptures must pass a safety inspection and carry the safety gear set in the rules
Where
American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) and city route, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
02 · Dates

Dates and deadlines, Jan 2026 to Dec 2027

Usual timing: Early May (a Saturday). Dates are only shown where a source publishes them; everything else is marked TBC.

  • 1 May 2027Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race 2027AVAM: next race Sat 1 May 2027. · sourceTeam entry

Already passed this season: 2 May 2026: Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race 2026.

See it on the calendar →

03 · Skills you'll need

Skills you'll need

What to learn and practise before you go. Each resource is marked Official or Community-accepted and names its publisher. Difficulty and prep time are our estimate.

Core skill

Building a human-powered amphibious vehicle (pedal drive, floats, brakes)

Also useful:

  • Art and costume design on a working machine
  • Team roles: pilots and pit crew
Difficulty our estimateSkilled team
Prep time our estimateseveral months of team build sessions

Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures.

Refresher

  1. Sculptures must be human-powered: no motors, batteries or stored energy for propulsion.
  2. Water, wind, sun and gravity may help.
  3. Required safety gear on board includes a life preserver for each person in the water, working brakes, a tow ring and a tow rope.
  4. Inspections happen before the start, at the water entry and along the course.
  5. The route runs about 8 hours through streets, the harbour, sand and mud.

Practise before you go

  • Test flotation and steering in calm water before race day.
  • Ride the full distance on your machine at least once.
  • Rehearse the water entry with your pit crew.

Safety notes

  • Wear a life preserver in the water.
  • Working brakes are mandatory.
  • Heat and exhaustion over an 8-hour course.

Resources

Officialofficial rules

Kinetic Sculpture Race Rules

The official race rules and required safety equipment.

Publisher: American Visionary Art Museum (organiser)

Officialofficial event page

Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race

Next race date, schedule and entry downloads.

Publisher: American Visionary Art Museum (organiser)

Officialofficial tourism-board page

Kinetic Sculpture Race

Visitor overview of the race.

Publisher: Visit Baltimore (official destination marketing organisation)

See also the skills guide: Human-powered craft → · All skills guides

04 · Check before you go

What we could and couldn't confirm

Before you book

  • 2027 entry details aren't published yet; the 2026 rules are on AVAM's site.
  • Costs are not listed on Nomad. Check them, and the latest dates, on the official site.
Discuss

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