There's still time to send in your entry form for the Montague Soapbox Races on Sunday, September 19th. Print one out from the website or go to the Montague Town Hall clerk's office, any of the three Montague libraries, or to MCTV at 34 2nd Street in Turners. Get 'em in. We still need drivers!

http://www.MontagueSoapboxRaces.com

Also, you can call Mik at 413-320-5336 for more info.

Schedule of Soapbox Race shows this coming week on MCTV, channel 17 in Montague, Gill and Erving.

Friday, August 20
9:30 AM - Block Party Parade 2010 <-- See Joe's cart in the parade!
9:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
10:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008

Saturday, August 21
9:00 AM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
6:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
7:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008

Sunday, August 22
8:00 AM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
12:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
1:00 PM - Block Party Parade 2010 <-- See Joe's cart in the parade!
9:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
10:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry

Monday, August 23
7:30 AM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
12:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
8:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry

Tuesday, August 24
9:00 AM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
12:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
5:30 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
10:00 PM - Soapbox Derby Cart Construction Party

Wednesday, August 25
8:30 AM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
11:00 AM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
4:00 PM - Block Party Parade 2010 <-- See Joe's cart in the parade!
8:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
9:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008

Thursday, August 26
10:00 AM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
3:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
6:00 PM - Soapbox Kornguth 2008
10:00 PM - Build A Soapbox Cart With Joe Landry
 

Turners Falls - People wishing to enter the Montague Soapbox Races who haven't yet sent in their entry form now have an extra two weeks to get them in. The new entry deadline is Monday, August 30th, 8:00 PM.

The Montague Soapbox Races, the first of a new annual event, is a fundraising event for Montague Community TV, and will be held on Sunday, September 19th, from high noon till the last cart goes down the hill. Winners will be handed real metal trophy cups in a winners ceremony at the end, hosted by Russ Brown, State Senator Stan Rosenburg, and Montague Selctboard chair Pat Allen.

Entry forms are still coming in to the TV station every day. The race will stop at a maximum of 150 racers. The race entry fee is $25. Spectators attend for free.

Race entrants who need technical assistance putting their cart together will be invited to a cart building party on Sunday, August 29th, in Turners Falls. Some of the Race Inspectors and Race Officials will be on hand as well to give professional advice.

Racers should bring whatever they have already completed, as well as all parts and supplies they intend to use, including bolts, screws, nails, wood, concept drawings and their own tools (very important). the build party host has a large supply of bicycle parts and wheels to provide for free. All racers under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Race rules and applications can be downloaded from the official race website and printed. If you don't have a printer you can pick up a pre-printed application at the Montague Town Hall clerk's office, any of the three Montague public libraries, or the TV station itself, at 34 Second Street in Turners Falls.

The race is still looking for vendors, either to sell food or wares, or distribute their information or fundraise. Please contact Nancy Paglia (413) 548-9015.

The race is also looking for sponsors and hay bale advertisers. Please contact Doug Fontaine (413) 522-8382.
 

Tim,

Yes, you're in (thanks!!), and no, there's no list of racers to review.

We are sending the packets out this week. This is our first year, so there's lots of prep work needed to be done. Next year we'll be more organized, and prepared.

Thanks for your patience, and please email us a photo of your cart in progress!

Mik

 

I was just wondering if there is a list of the people who are in, or if we were supposed to get a letter back saying wether you got our $25 or not. Or what our numbers are, because we do need to know so we can paint them on our cars. I don't want to sound rude or come across like that at all, but I sent my stuff in about 2 weeks ago and I'm still waiting to know what's going on, and I'm sure people who sent in information prior to then feel the same thing. I don't know if I have been over reading that particular information, or I missed the memo, but if I did could someone please guide me to where I need to be? Sorry if this came across in a manner in which I didn't attend for, I'm just getting antsy and would like my number, or if I'm in or not really.
 

The Montague Soapbox Races will be part of the Avenue A Block Party parade

[soapbox_cart1_small] Turners Falls - Entrants in the Montague Soapbox Races will bring their carts to the Avenue A Block Party to show them off in the parade, and display them during the block party.

Daniel Kornguth, the owner of a soapbox derby in Brattleboro and an early registrant in the Montague race, commented "Are you kidding? We'll be there to represent Brattleboro and challenge Montague to beat us."

Joe Landry, a local sculptor and artist, built a cart just for the parade. "My granddaughter wanted to be in the parade, so I built her a cart." He is considering entering the cart into the Montague Race and may be looking for a driver.

All entrants in the Montague Soapbox Races, whether they have completed their carts or not, are encouraged to bring their carts to the parade, and show off their current status with other entrants.

The parade starts at 2:00 PM at Second Street in front of MCTV and goes towards Fifth Street.

The Avenue A Block Party is celebrating its fourth year, and has become a regular annual event in Turners Falls, MA.

For more info, visit the block party webpage.

http://www.turnersfa...rg/arts/block_party/
 

Here's our new color poster for the Montague Soapbox Races

Application deadline is in two weeks. If you're going to do it, get the application in already!

http://montaguesoapboxraces.com/index.cfm?p=f.0

WIN THAT TROPHY!!!
 

Here's the schedule of time the Soapbox Building Party will be shown on MCTV:

MCTV Program Schedule 7/30/10 thru 8/5/10

Friday, July 30
10:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party

Saturday, July 31
11:00 AM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party
6:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party

Sunday, August 1
2:30 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party
9:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party

Monday, August 2
8:00 AM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party
6:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party

Tuesday, August 3
10:00 AM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party
10:30 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party

Wednesday, August 4
5:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party
11:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party

Thursday, August 5
10:00 AM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party
6:00 PM Soapbox Derby Cart Building Party


 

It has been confirmed... we will have State Senator Stan Rosenberg as a guest judge at the Montague Soapbox Races, September 19th at Unity Park in Turners Falls, Montague, MA!



Stan will be one of our Styles Judges, along with Montague Selectboard chair Patricia Allen. We have invited one more person to also be a Styles Judge, but do not have confirmation yet. Look to these pages for news on that front.

Woohoo!
 

http://www.recorder.com/story.cfm?id_no=7750822

Montague Soapbox Race headed for the hills in Sept.
By ARN ALBERTINI Recorder Staff

Published: Friday, July 23, 2010

MONTAGUE -- If you want to hurtle down First Street inches from the ground in a wooden box on wheels, get your tools ready.

The Montague Soapbox Race has been scheduled for Sept. 19.

The deadline to sign up is Aug. 16 and space is limited to 150 racers.

It won't be the first time youngsters have raced down the hills of Turners Falls in homebuilt contraptions.


Buy today's paper to read the whole article.
 

I used to plan a lot of events and this happens all the time. Those religious holidays are sneaky. And it depends on which calendar you consult! You could STILL be offending someone somewhere ;)

I look forward to seeing if my Jewish brethren can best me on the hill! La'chaim!

Mark1
 

The Race Committee mistakenly scheduled the race on Yom Kippor. D'oh!

To ensure that everyone can attend, the Montague Soapbox Races have been moved to SUNDAY, September 19th. High noon.

See you then!

For more information, please visit the official race website:

http://www.MontagueSoapboxRaces.com

Or call Mik Muller at 413-320-5336
 

Hey folks,

A quick note ... the Montague Soapbox Races is looking for vendors, advertisers and sponsors. You're on the inside track to get early signup and first dibs on vendor spaces and placement on the website.

http://montaguesoapb...&title=Business+Info

This is going to be a monster event. You don't want to miss out, and we don't want to miss out on your support... this *is* a fundraiser for MCTV's Low Power FM station, afterall.

Go to the website, grab the appropriate form, and get a move on.

We're also looking for media partners. If you would like to help promote the Montague Soapbox Races through interviews or giveaways, please contact Mik at 413-320-5336.

Mik
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTAGUE TO HOST SOAPBOX RACES, SEPTEMBER 18th, 2010

First Local Soapbox Race in Decades

Montague will host the first Soapbox Race in Franklin County in decades on September 18th, 2010. The gravity-fed race will take place at Unity Park in Turners Falls on the 1st Street hill. Racers must be at least 8-years old. All carts must be made from scratch, not from kits or pre-fabricated, and must include no propulsion of any kind.

The entry fee is $25 per racer and only 150 applications will be accepted. There will be three age brackets: kids, teens and adults. Yes, adults may race! The application deadline is August 15th. Racers may obtain sponsorship to help defray the cost of building their vehicle.

Racers in each age bracket will win real-metal trophy cups based on distance or creativity. The event will be free to watch, and it is hoped families will come out to picnic with the many local food vendors.

Race Director Mik Muller remarked “Unity Park is a perfect location for a downhill race: the 1st Street hill is quite steep and the bend at the bottom requires some skill, both in vehicle construction and driving; the wide lawns in the park are perfect for spectators to gather and cheer; there is plenty of room for vendors to sell their food and wares; and of course there is the Connecticut River spanned by the Turners Falls Gill Bridge as a beautiful backdrop, an icon for Turners Falls.”

This is the first derby since the Old Home Days derbies of the mid-1960’s in Montague Center, and before that the 3rd Street derbies of the late-1940’s in Turners Falls.

Vendors interested in having a table at the race should call Nancy Paglia at (413) 548-9015. Those wishing to advertise, sponsor or underwrite the race please call Doug Fontaine at (413) 522-8382. Anyone wishing to volunteer on race day (free staff t-shirt!), please call Mik Muller at (413) 320-5336.

Race rules, all required forms, and more information can be found on the official race website.

http://www.MontagueSoapboxRaces.com

Logo, photos and artwork available on the website.
 

The Montague Soapbox Race committee is looking for a couple more coordinators, including a Race Official Coordinator, and a Volunteer Coordinator.

We're going to need about 30 or 40 volunteers on race day, to help officiate the race, direct traffic, watch the track, help set stuff up and break it down, etc., and we need a couple of people to help plan and coordinate these people. All coordinators and volunteers will receive a free t-shirt, and have a lot of fun at this great event.

Those interested in being a Coordinator, please give me a call. 413-320-5336.

Our next planning meeting is this Wednesday at the MCTV studios, 34 2nd Street, at 5:30pm.
 

Hey folks
Am I the only one who remembers the same type of race held on what we called Jalicki's hill, now South Main st in Montague? It was in conjuction with Old Home Days. My brother Hugh made his car out of an old baby buggy. I have 35mm slides of it somewhere. Must have been around 1963 or so. It was quite the crowd pleaser.