Twenty-six teams of wacky racers faced off for some good-natured fun during Baltimore’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race on Saturday.
Hosted by the American Visionary Art Museum, the 23rd annual race called upon residents to pedal, push, and steer their way through Baltimore City as they navigated obstacles over land, water, mud, and sand.
This year’s competitors piloted some eye-catching sculptures, including a crocodile, a platypus, a campsite, an Egyptian pyramid, and more.
All vehicles were required to display a sock creature to oversee their travels.
Rather than traditional first, second, third and so on, racers were awarded some more unconventional titles, such as “Grand Mediocre Champion,” “Worst Honorable Mention,” and “Best Bribes,” among others.
If you feel inspired to join the fun, the next Kinetic Sculpture Race is scheduled to take place May 4, 2024, so you have a year to put together your team and sculpture.
Check out some of the photos from this year’s race, courtesy of AVAM:
Fifi Can Do It won the Golden Dinosaur award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Engines & Dragons won the Sock Creature of the Universe award and Next-to-Last award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Engines & Dragons overturns during the water portion of the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Mr. Jon Dig-It won the Grand Mediocre Champion award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Wilson’s Pyramid won the Worst Honorable Mention award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Scrap Life was one of two teams to win an ACE Award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. They also won the Engineering award. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Gettin Gold gets brown during the mud portion of the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. The team was one of two recipients of an ACE Award. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Reverse Dog Sled won the Speed award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Book of Platypology won the Best Costumes award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Neil Mobile participates in the water portion of the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. The team received the 2023 Everyday People Award. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Soccer Moms won the Judges’ Fill-in-the-Blank award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Cut Out to be Royal won the Art & People’s Choice award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
USS Rosie the Recycler won the Best Bribes award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
All Jemicy Teams won the Best Pit Crew award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Nanster Truck won the Golden Flipper award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
The Kinetic Baltimore Team won the Spirit of the Founder award in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Tick Tock the Croc competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Happy Campers compete in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
AuSome competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Working Hard, or Bearly Working competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Steve Punk competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Ridin’ Wormy competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Patent Pending competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Good as Gold competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
Golden Moose competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
CLAWdia in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum. 
2 Bee or Not 2 Bee competes in the American Visionary Art Museum’s 2023 Kinetic Sculpture Race. Photo courtesy of American Visionary Art Museum.
Read more about the race on AVAM’s website.
