PORT TOWNSEND — This time every year, many in Port Townsend suffer from festival burnout after a summer of events honoring fiddles, blues, jazz, ukuleles, wooden boats and films.
But there is one festival left.
And it’s a doozy.
The Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Sculpture Race — today and Sunday — unites the town’s eccentrics after most tourists have left for one last blast before the cold weather and the dark days set in.
“People come here year after year because it’s fun,” said Janet Emery, who has served as the sort-of executive director of the 32-year-old event for the past several years.
“There are a lot of people that we’ve seen for years because they want to be a part of this,” she added.
Entry fees for the race to win the coveted Mediocrity Award — the entry in the exact middle of the race — are $20.14 for the first pilot and $10.14 per additional pilot. Late registration, that after Sept. 20, tacks on $15 to the fees and leaves off giving a T-shirt.
Fees include the race entry and tickets to the Kween Koronation Ball.
There are a few revisions this year, with the main event split into two days instead of taking place Sunday, when attendance generally decreases.
“We have found that a lot of people come in for the parade on Saturday who don’t always stick around for the race on Sunday,” said Michael Bittman, who identifies himself as the event board president.
A kinetic sculpture is a human-powered, “artistically enhanced” vehicle that must go through sand, described as kwick sand, and mud — the Dismal Bog — float on water and transverse hilly neighborhoods, according to the website at www.ptkineticrace.org.
In years past, the kickoff parade at “low noon” Saturday has brought a certain measure of controlled chaos to the downtown area, followed by a float test, during which machines that sink are disqualified.
This is followed by the Kinetic Ball, the non-race main event where a Rose Hips Queen is selected, followed by the complete race Sunday.
The new plan streamlines the process, making the Saturday float test part of the race.
This means that sculptures that sink are, well, sunk.
If they make it through the float test, the sculptures then take a few laps around downtown for what will become the race’s first heat.
“Day one is the Glorious Parade and Water Kourse, while day two includes the Road, Sand, and Mud Kourse,” the website says.
On Sunday, each team that has entered must perform a song and submit to a “sobriety test,” which involves a special task determined by the judges that won’t have any resemblance to walking a straight line or blowing into a tube.
Emery said Wednesday that 19 racers had signed up, many repeat competitors and some from as far away as California.
Bittman said most racers spend at least a few months on their craft, although he had a different strategy when he first entered 30 years ago.
“We started working on it the night before,” he said.
“But it failed, so that probably wasn’t a good strategy.”
Many racers use the same chassis every year but change the decoration and the theme, he said.
On Sunday, the race will begin at around noon and circle through Uptown to Fort Worden, as the Monroe Street hill is a bit too steep for kinetics.
After the sand event, the crowd moves over to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, 4907 Landes St. in Port Townsend, to roll around in the mud for a while before gathering in the Safeway parking lot for the final dash downtown.
“Change is good,” Emery said about this year’s schedule.
“We are really excited about this year.”
Said Bittman: “People like participating in this because they like showing off and having others look at them and wave.
“They are like actors, and this is improv.”
The theme this year is “A Kinetic Mythos: Goddesses and Gods.”
“This year is great because telling people what to wear at the ball isn’t a difficult question to answer,” Emery said.
“Since they are supposed to be gods and goddesses, they can just grab a sheet, wrap it around themselves and call it a toga.”
Parade today at noon
On Saturday, all parade participants will begin lining up at 10:30 a.m. at the U.S. Bank parking lot near the ferry terminal.
The parade will begin at noon and head down Water Street to the Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water St.
After a brake and safety test, the pre-race will begin at 1 p.m. with a water course from Point Hudson to the maritime center, followed by a few laps around downtown.
The Koronation Kostume Ball, where attendees are instructed to dress as their favorite god or goddess, will begin at 8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 209 Monroe St.
Tickets are $20 each or $35 for a “kouple,” with Freddy Pink the featured entertainment.
Funds raised will be used to sponsor next year’s event.
The popular cover band will play three sets, which will be interspersed with the coronation ceremony.
On Sunday, the race starts at the Legion at noon and is expected to finish around “5-ish.”
Once racers complete the course, there will be an awards ceremony and a Survivor’s Post-Party, both taking place at the Legion.
For more information, a map and registration details, visit www.ptkineticrace.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
