Tamworth Canada Day Soap Box Derby 2026

Indeed, it was another memorable day of downhill gravity racing in Tamworth, in home built carts of all sorts and colours!. What better way to begin the summer holidays? Racers came from far and near to attend this annual event, along with over 250 spectators lining Bridge Street West, to cheer on all of the racers. Those proud racers of all ages, from 6 to 72 years, showed off their racing skills in carts of many designs, hard work and paint jobs! The cart racers came from our home town of Tamworth but also from nearby villages of Erinsville, Enterprise, Newburgh, Roblin, Napanee, Deseronto, Belleville, Embrum, Odessa, and Ottawa!!! From far and near!

We’re not sure who were more excited, the racers, the parents and families, or the cheering spectators? It was in true Tamworth fashion, after the practice runs, down the 180 foot race course hill, that every cart racer was ready to take on their opponents!

The day before Canada Day, the weather was pretty scary, with torrential rain, thunder storms and high winds! We wondered, if it would be a washed out Canada Day? But the next morning the sky was clear and the weather very hot and extremely humid!

With the help of several volunteers we all got the race hill prepared, roads closed, start ramps put together, center line chalked, tire barriers and straw bales put in place, FINISH banner put up, the registration tables, chairs and canopy erected, and got the sound system up and tested. It was ready to go.

The ladies were frantically working at getting all of the registrations recorded and written in place and scheduling the racing pairs for each division, along with the wireless headset sound checks with the timers at the bottom of the hill. None of this can be a success without all of the volunteers who assist us with: organizing, set up, administration & co-ordination, timing, catching cars that have trouble stopping, the ramp helpers, the starters, race course take down and clean up. In addition, to loaning of sound equipment, wireless head set walkie talkies, and the technical assistance of our drone pilots and video camera artists.

Many thanks go out to all of those people who give their time freely to see it all come together, in our welcoming community, for the enjoyment of many, whether you are a local or come from afar. Many thanks and appreciation is given to the supporting businesses, the Tamworth District LIONS, the Tamworth Boosters, and those individuals who give the Soap Box Derby their support, to make it such a success! Including the residents of Bridge Street, and the Township of Stone Mills Works Department. Plus the generous support from John Trotter every year, who allows the Jimmie John to be on his property and who gave out the free snow cones, water, freezies, and candy to youngsters.

Despite the extreme heat and humidity, the derby races went smoothly. There were a few mishaps of out of control carts, and even had a couple crashes…(by the eldest drivers) at the end. Maybe next year those older drivers should get a few lessons or pointers from those ‘Young Drivers of Canada Day!’ Thanks to the bystanders who

helped get the all of the misfortunate drivers back on track and pointed down the hill to the Finish line.

This year several local people and businesses, VanNess Automotive; Robert Storring, S’Cooper’s Ice Cream and The Blue Door Café, donate prizes to the winners, and random racers. We again gave out custom Tamworth Soap Box Derby brass medals to all drivers ages 6 to 15 years, The Tamwoth District LIONS donated the trophies and Marg Weese for donated ‘The Spirit of the Races’ Trophy, in memory of soap box supporter, Brian Weese.

We all survived the heat and the humidity of the day, by keeping in the shade and drinking lots of water. All races were completed around 2:30, when we began the draw for two Soap Box carts, Then the brass medallions were handed out to the younger racers, and then the random cash awards, and culminating finally with the trophies. None too soon as the sky darkened, when we started dismantling the race course, and then the sky opened up. We got all the races, all the awards and all the trophies given out, just in time. Thankfully the weather held out so we could complete the races!

After the brief storm and downpour, we finished the race hill clean up,

The Canada Day parade had to be cancelled due to an unfortunate tragedy, where both the Tamworth fire department and the Enterprise fire department attended a major house fire north of the village. Later after dinner, the events, activities, band and fireworks at the ball park, too were cancelled around 7 pm due to another bad storm. So were glad that we got our whole Soap Box Derby in again this year!

Thank you one and all for your continued support and enthusiasm in this annual event ! It is so gratifying to see all those smiling faces and cheering spectators every year! We hope to see you all again next year. We are hoping we do not melt next year! This year’s Trophy Winners are listed on the next page. Only first names are used to protect the individuals privacy.

If you wish to view this year’s exciting 5 minute derby video, you can Google ‘Tamworth Soap Box Derby’; or Google ‘Don Joyce’. Previous years videos are also there to view.

We trust this event will continue each year! Thank you to all for coming out!

Tamworth 2026 Canada Day Soap Box Derby Results

Ages 6 to 10 Years Trophies

1st Place ……..Odin

2nd Place ……..Atlas

3rd Place ………David

Ages 11 to 15 Years Trophies

1st Place ……….Devina

2nd Place ……….Deider

3rd Place ………..Jack

Ages 16+ Years Trophies

1st Place ……….Susie

2nd Place ……….Malcolm

Best Decorated Cart Trophy

Ben – for the LEGO Cart

Most Patriotic Cart Trophy

Zoey – for the Rainbow / hockey stick Cart

The Spirit of the Races Trophy – The Brian Weese Memorial

Logan – in the Cyber Truck Cart