Before the horses race in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening, Baltimore had an annual race of its own with a poodle, a crocodile and other sculptures trekking around the city through sand, water and mud.

Celebrating its 25th year, Baltimore’s favorite spectator sport, the Kinetic Sculpture Race, took to the streets Saturday. Upward of 30 sculpture teams navigated the citywide obstacle course, testing their engineering skills and patience.

The rules are simple: Build a human-powered bike from recycled materials and make it through the 15-mile course in one piece. Themes are encouraged, as are bribes to race judges — they’ll be happy to look the other way during a cheat for some homemade cookies or a unique piece of art.

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After 25 years, the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore is as weird and wonderful as ever

Participants began at the American Visionary Art Museum and climbed the steep hill at the base of Federal Hill Park. They continued to Canton Waterfront Park, where they tested their flotation calculations by doing a U-Turn around the singular pier.

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Cyclists prepare to launch with the “blessing of the feet.” (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Nan McKay prepares for her fourth year cycling with FiFi at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Nan McKay prepares for her fourth year cycling with FiFi, a kinetic sculpture created by the American Visionary Art Museum. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
A little girl runs down Federal Hill to check out the pre-race festivities at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
A girl runs down Federal Hill to check out the prerace festivities. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Spectators cheer on cyclists as they enter the water at Canton Waterfront Park during the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Spectators cheer on cyclists as they enter the water at Canton Waterfront Park. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Team BLT — dressed as ingredients in the famous sandwich — at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Team BLT cycles its sculpture. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Team BLT — dressed as ingredients in the famous sandwich — at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Team BLT dressed as ingredients of the sandwich. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Participants from Jemicy School wear lego heads as part of their kinetic sculpture project at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Participants from Jemicy School wear lego heads as part of their kinetic sculpture project. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)

After surviving the tides of the bay, they went to Patterson Park to see if they could outsmart the sand and mud pits. It’s here where many tears are shed — it’s said, if you listen closely, you can hear the frustrated screams of cyclists past.

Spectators watch from Canton Waterfront Park as sculptures take on the water obstacle during the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Spectators watch from Canton Waterfront Park as sculptures take on the water obstacle. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Spectators react from Canton Waterfront Park as The Park School’s bear sculpture falls down during the water obstacle of the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
The Park School’s bear sculpture falls down during the water obstacle. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Spectators react from Canton Waterfront Park as The Park School’s bear sculpture falls down during the water obstacle of the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Spectators react from Canton Waterfront Park. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
FiFi, the race’s mascot, handled the mud pit with ease during the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
FiFi, the race’s mascot, handled the mud pit with ease. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Participants with the “Off the Deep End” sculpture get cheered on after completing the mud obstacle at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
The Off the Deep End team gets cheered on after completing the mud obstacle. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Cyclists get a cold rinse-off after conquering the mud pit at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Even the shiniest bits of flair got caked in mud. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Cyclists get a cold rinse-off after conquering the mud pit at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Cyclists get a cold rinse-off after conquering the mud pit. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
Spectators reflected in a puddle of water as cyclists get hosed off after racing through the mud pit at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Spectators reflected in a puddle of water as cyclists get hosed off. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)
August DiMucci, a teacher at Jemicy School, gets a cold rinse-off after conquering the mud pit at the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
August DiMucci, a teacher at Jemicy School, gets a cold rinse-off before the last stretch of the race. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner)

At the end of the day, they made their way back to the AVAM for a celebration and award ceremony, ranging from “Grand Mediocre Champion,” celebrating the sculpture that finished in the middle of the pack, to the “Golden Dinosaur,” awarded to the vehicle that experienced the most memorable malfunction.

Kinetic Sculpture Race celebrates its 25th year