Kinetic Sculpture Race East Coast Championship Spectator’S Guide Saturday, May 6, 2006
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Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race May 6, 2006 Lombard Street Central A venue Patterson Park Pratt Street Obstacle Course President Street 1:00–3:00pm Eastern Avenue Eastern Street Inner Avenue Harbor Light treet Aliceanna S enue Lancaster Street Boston St Fells reet Key Highway AVAM Point Battery Av Kenwood Avenue Fed. Covington Hill Street Park Cross Street Baltimore Riverside Av Key Harbor Highway Canton enue Waterfront Water Loop 11:15am Fort Avenue Morning route Domino Sugar Turnaround 3:45pm Lawrence Afternoon route Schedule (subject to change) Street 8:00-9:30 Sculpture Brake Test and Safety Check at AVAM 9:30am Opening Ceremonies at AVAM 10:00 LeMans Start at AVAM, up into Federal Hill Park 10:30-11:15 Race down Riverside, Fort, Lawrence, Key Highway past AVAM, For photos and information about past and future around the Inner Harbor, AliceAnna to Boston to Canton Waterfront Park races, visit KineticBaltimore.com. 11:15-12:30pm Canton Waterfront Water Loop 12:30-1:00 Race to Patterson Park The Kinetic Sculpture Race is hosted by the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), www.avam.org 1:00-3:00 Patterson Park Obstacle Course 3:00-3:45 Race down Lombard, Central, Eastern, Pratt, Light, Key Highway This map was prepared by Tom Jones 3:45-4:30 Key Highway Extension to Domino Sugar “Home Sweet Home (Almost)” Turnaround [email protected]. back up Key highway, Cross Street and Covington Street to finish line at AVAM 4:30-5:00 Dinner! 5:00-6:00 Awards Ceremony at AVAM Kinetic Sculpture Race East Coast Championship Spectator’s Guide Saturday, May 6, 2006 The Day 8:00–9:30 Pre-Race Activity: You can come to 12:30–1:00 Up the Hill! Race to Patterson AVAM early to see all the sculptures in their original Park: The race goes near some delis and a Safeway glory, before being sullied by mayhem or mishaps. grocery store. If you didn't pack a lunch, this could You will see the Kinetinauts frantically working on be a good time to dash in for victuals. But don't miss last-minute whatnot. But don't disturb them, they're the next part... busy! Park at the Digital Harbor High School 2 1:00–3:00 Through Mud and Sand! Patterson blocks South on key Highway (free), or at the Rusty Park Obstacle Course: Here lie sand and mud. Scupper garage next to AVAM (bring cash!), or in There are no spectator stands, so everyone simply the neighborhood (mind the signs!) crowds around the race areas, trying to see what's 9:30–10:00 Opening Ceremonies: Things start going on. If you're going to bring stilts to get a better happening at 9:30. There are kickoff speeches and a view, this is the place to use them. There’s plenty of telepathic monk blesses "de feet" of the Kinetinauts, parking along the park perimeter. who lie on their backs. It's best seen up close. 3:00–3:45 Down through the City Again! Back 10:00–10:30 The Start! Up Federal Hill and through town past AVAM all the way to the the Southern Loop: The racers first climb Federal Domino Sugar factory: The Kinetinauts are tired Hill, which separates the Kinetinauts from the mere now, so it goes slower. sculptors. (Anybody can make a sculpture; it's the 3:45–4:30 Domino Sugar “Home Sweet Home human-powered part that's hard.) Some sculptures (Almost)” Turnaround, and return to AVAM. don't make it this far. This is a great place to 4:30–5:00 Kinetinaut and Volunteer Dinner. photograph the sculptures with the city skyline. You should eat, too, because you’ll be exhausted. 10:30–11:15 Through the City! Past the Inner For $10, spectators can join the fun at AVAM. If Harbor: This is where the sculptures get into the you’re still clean, the Rusty Scupper (across the heart of Baltimore's tourist district. street from AVAM) or the Joy America Café (atop 11:15–12:30 Into the Harbor! Canton Water- AVAM) are great options (reservations front Park Water Entry: (at the Korean War recommended). There’s a Subway a bit south on Memorial) The sculptures go down a ramp, out Key Highway, too. around the pier, and back on the other side. If any 5:00–6:00 Awards Ceremony at AVAM: Even as drift away, the Coast Guard nabs them. If any a spectator, you're probably getting tired now, so sculptures are utterly unseaworthy, watch them imagine how the Kinetinauts are feeling after sink. There's some parking in the lot, but it fills up piloting their sculptures all day. Come cheer on the early. There's plenty of street parking nearby. winners! Glossary of Important Kinetic Sculpture Race Terms ACE: An especially difficult way of entering the KSR— Hobart (Brown): The artist from Ferndale, ACE sculptures are required to ride the entire race California, who created the first Kinetic Sculpture without changing pilots, without direct assistance by and was in the first race in 1969 in far northern anyone else (including a pit crew), and not get out to California. The World Championship race runs push or pull except in specially-designated legal-push every Memorial Day weekend. Unfortunately, areas. If you see a sculpture listed as “ACE” violating Hobart couldn’t come to Baltimore this year. these rules, tell a Kinetic Cop immediately! Kinetic Chickens: Volunteers who keep the race AVAM: The American Visionary Art Museum, sponsor on track. Many carry a chicken on a stick. If you of the race and a great place to visit. have questions about the race, ask them! Bush League: Sculptures that follow the racecourse Kinetic Cops: Officers who issue tickets to except for the water. It’s a lot easier to build a Bush sculptures who violate the rules, and sometimes League entry. when they don’t. Each issued ticket results in a Bribes: If a sculpture receives a ticket from a Kinetic time penalty. Cop, they may attempt to bribe the issuing officer. Kinetinaut: One of the brave individuals who There’s even an award for Best Bribes. builds and pilots a sculpture through the race. Checkpoints: To prevent Kinetinauts from taking People’s Choice Award: An award given to the shortcuts along the racecourse, they are required to stop spectators’ favorite, based on crowd surves for a photo. conducted by Kinetic Chickens. Grand Mediocre Champion: This most esteemed Volunteers: Folks who have a lot of fun helping award is given to the sculpture finishing in the middle, the race happen. If you’d like to volunteer for next after time penalties for Kinetic Cops’ tickets. year’s race, sign up at www.KineticBaltimore.com. Kinetic Sculpture Race East Coast Championship Spectator’s Guide Saturday, May 6, 2006 What to Wear How to Get Around Something absurd! Lots of onlookers wear all sorts of One of the more interesting things about the race is goofy outfits (see photos below!) and you should too. that the sculptures are moving. That means that, if This is a good time to rummage through your attic or a you'd like to see the sculptures do more than simply thrift store for the perfect KSR Outfit. If you have a pass you, you need to move, too. Here are some good outfit, find one of the photographers from options to view the race: KineticBaltimore.com to take your photo for the website, and maybe next year’s Spectator’s Guide! 1. Stay in one place: You can park yourself along a street where the race comes, and see the Check the weather forecast the day before the race— excitement from the comfort of a lounge chair. Verizon provides a free Baltimore weather update at 2. See the sculptures where they're in one 410-936-1212—and plan accordingly. But remember place for a while: You can see the sculptures up that the race goes on no matter what the weather! close at various points while they're not actively Also on Race Day racing. The best are: If you’d like to watch the Sculpture Race for just part • The Brake Test and Safety of the day, there are other places to see in the Inner • The top of Federal Hill Harbor. These include: • The Canton Waterfront Park Water Entry 1. AVAM: The KSR sponsor, the American • Patterson Park Obstacle Course Visionary Art Museum is a gallery dedicated to • Awards Ceremony showing art created by people without formal 3. Follow along: If you have time, this can be the artistic training—in other words, artistic most exciting way to follow the action. But you renegades! The current exhibit is “Race Class need a plan. Some means of transport are: Gender ≠ Character.” It's a great place to spend a • Golf carts: AVAM uses these to shuttle VIPs few hours where the race begins and ends. Open (such as the Glorious Founder, Hobart Brown). 10am to 6pm on race day. Travel in style and bring your own. 2. Maryland Science Center: A great place for • Bicycle or roller blades: An excellent choice for kids, they have an exhibit about dinosaurs, the physically fit. The human-powered sculptures interactive science exhibits, an IMAX theatre aren’t particularly fast, so if you can ride or blade showing Wild Safari 3D and Journey into 15 miles, you can probably do it while keeping up Amazing Caves, and a planetarium. They’re open with the sculptures. If you bicycle, bring a lock— from 10am to 6pm on race day.