It’s time to gear up and get ready for one of Corvallis’ most unique and vibrant events of the summer - the da Vinci Days' Graand Kinetic Challenge, a two-day, obstacle-filled race featuring wild and whimsically engineered, human-powered, pedal-pushed, all-terrain kinetic art sculptures. This year’s theme is “The Roaring 2020s” blending the jazz-age spirit of the 1920s with the wild innovations through the 2020s.
On July 19th and 20th, teams from California, Washington, and Oregon—including local crews from Corvallis—will be dressed in colorful costumes as they pedal their homebuilt, engineered, artistic vehicles along the course. You can watch them as they pilot city streets, bike paths, manufactured dunes, mud bogs, and the Willamette River.
There will be lots of opportunities to play, meet the racers, and admire their creations. Truly, STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math) in action!
The rules racers follow start with this statement: The most important rule to keep in mind is that the real point of this race is for everyone to have fun.
“The racers and their pit crews are part of the art, decked out in costumes and trying to outcompete each other in the entertaining show they put on for the spectators,” says Race Co-Director Mel Davis. And Hobart Brown, founder of Kinetic Sculpture Racing, would enthusiastically affirm, “It's important for kids to see adults having fun so that they want to grow up."
Teams compete for the many awards for engineering, artistry, timing, and pageantry. Quirky awards include “Cuddly Teddy Bear,” “Wizaard’s Choice,” “Pooh Bah’s Choice,” “Best Song,” and the much-coveted “LEO Award.”
The LEO Award, named after Leonardo da Vinci, will only be awarded to teams who, per the rules, “succeed in having all pilots ride the sculpture at all times over the entire course. Sculptures that are pushed, pulled, winched, or otherwise propelled along the course by pilots or pit crew, or both, will fail to earn this coveted award.” For those of you not from Corvallis, the da Vinci Days Festival ran from 1987 to 2020, featuring exhibitions and activities related to art + science, drawing crowds from all over the country. The kinetic sculpture race began in 1993 alongside this amazing event and continues on under the da Vinci Days umbrella.
Saturday’s events start at Crystal Lake Sports Park (100 SE Fischer Lane) in south Corvallis. You’ll want to be there at 11 a.m. for the “Pageantry” competition when teams perform songs they’ve created. Listen closely, as each tune must contain the words “da Vinci,” “Corvallis,” "Kinetic,” and the team’s name.
Teams get a lunch break (there are food trucks in case you forgot to bring a picnic!), and the race begins at noonish with a “Le Mans Start!” The course proceeds through downtown, heading through Oregon State University's campus - with a Photo Op Stop at OSU’s PRAx (470 SW 15th Street), another great spot to hang out. They will continue through campus, ending up at the Benton County Fairgrounds parking lot for the Sand Dune Challenge.
After maneuvering the dune, teams will pedal through the Bald Hill Loop, head back down Campus Way, past PRAx, and head to Avery Park en route back to Saturday’s Finish Line. (Note, route changes may happen due to road construction.)
On Sunday morning, the competitors pedal to Crystal Lake Park for the day's first challenge: bravely tackling a 175-foot-long mud bog. After that, the machines get a quick rinse, and the crews reconfigure their sculptures to, with fingers crossed, successfully float down the Willamette River to Michael’s Landing. You may notice that all the vehicles are required to carry all their all-terrain equipment with them throughout the entire race. The transitions to mud and water will be entertaining to see!
This year, in keeping with the theme of "The Roaring 2020s," spectators will be treated to vintage automobiles (some from the 1920s!) and New Orleans-style Jazz and Funk performed by the DTW Street Band.
The challenge to watch at the Willamette Boat Landing is how big a splash the sculpture makes entering the water and if it can float! This year, with construction on the Van Buren Bridge, teams will be required to make it through only the center channel before making it to Michael’s Landing. Once the teams have transitioned back to land gear, they will adventure to Riverfront Park for a Meet and Greet with spectators - as they say “For The Glory!” - before heading to the Finish Line.
The race committee would like to note that the $5 daily parking fee is a donation to support the Challenge, and that kids can play in the mud bog after the racers have finished there. In addition to the Schedule and Locations below, for further details and any updates, check davincidays.org, da Vinci Days Graand Kinetic Challenge on Facebook or @graandkineticchallenge on Instagram.
Besides extolling stories of quirky fun times, creative engineering, and oddball events with friends back home, remember to share your vibrant photos of the racers. We'd love it if you posted on social media to tag us on Facebook or Instagram. We may share your pictures with our audience if you tag us or use the hashtag #VisitCorvallis.
NOTE: All times are approximate. Things happen that can throw off schedules. The GKC Committee asks for your flexibility over perfection, and come to play!
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Start at Graand Central, Crystal Lake Park, Fischer Lane
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Start at Graand Central, Crystal Lake Park, Fischer Lane
Article by Stacey Newman Weldon. Photo by Tina Kerrigan Photography. Keep up with Corvallis news, events and happenings by signing up for our email newsletter.
