On Saturday, May 4, wackiness returns full-force to Baltimore, bringing a huge opportunity for fun and funny photographs to dazzle your friends. That would be the annual Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, a riotous day-long event sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM).

The race features hand-made, man-powered, art-festooned vehicles that parade around the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, following a course that sends them 50 yards out into the harbor and back, across a sand trap, and through an uphill, mud-covered pit that devours men’s souls. Women’s too. Vehicles range from one- or two-person skeletons made from bicycle parts, to 30-footer creatures powered by perhaps eight people pedaling inside.

Participants are all costumed appropriately for their sculptures; so are many of the spectators and sidewalk enablers. Silliness is everywhere and begging to be photographed.

The most exciting – and hilarious – places to capture the madness are at the water event in Canton’s waterfront, and the mud pit in Patterson Park, an easy walk from one to the other. The water challenge runs from about 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The mud pit runs from around 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. or so.  Park free on a street and walk.

Here are some examples of what you’ll see.  And when you finally run out of film and energy you can recharge your spirits at an eatery in Little Italy, or on a sundeck overlooking the harbor. Many choices for either venue.

With this singular event, Baltimore joins Berkeley, Austin, Boston, and Brooklyn as Capital Cities of Silliness. Do it if you possibly can!

Links to info:

Overall description of race and route:   www.kineticbaltimore.com/

Map of route: kineticbaltimore.com/SpectatorsGuide    

What to wear (to be part of the wackiness and own it): kineticbaltimore.com/whattowear

Race photos from 2018: kineticbaltimore.com/KSR/2018/