Abingdon Soap Box Derby

About the Event

The Abingdon Soap Box Derby invites a wide range of participants, including local businesses, individuals, and educational groups, to showcase their creativity, engineering skills, and community spirit by building and racing their own soap box cars. This event will blend competitive racing with family-friendly entertainment and community engagement, while fostering valuable partnerships with local businesses and organizations.

Event Highlights
The derby will feature three race categories:
• Big Wheel Race: Open to ages 3-7, Big Wheel Track located in Fan Zone available throughout the day
• Youth Division: Ages 8-15
• Grand Prix: Ages 16+ with a valid driver’s license

The competition will focus on creativity, speed, and finish line celebrations. Special awards include “Most Creative Design,” “Best Finish Line Celebration,” and “Fastest Car.” The First Place Overall Team will receive a trophy and a $500 Food City gift card, with additional category recognitions.

Abingdon Soap Box Derby 2026 Schedule
Saturday, September 5, 2026

10:00 AM
Load-In & Racer Registration Opens

10:30 AM
Youth Division Preliminary & Trial Runs

11:00 AM
Adult Division Preliminary & Trial Runs

11:00 AM
Big Wheel Track Opens for Youth Participants

12:00 PM
Youth Division Competition Begins

1:00 PM
Adult Division Competition Begins

2:30 PM
Live Music Featuring Phillip Bowen Band
Soap Box Derby Awards & Winner Announcements

Schedule subject to change. All racers must complete registration and safety inspection prior to participating.

Races Offered

Youth Division

Sep 05, 2026

straighten

Distance — 0.11 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

12:00

sell

$0.00

Grand Prix Open

Sep 05, 2026

straighten

Distance — 0.11 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

13:00

sell

$0.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for September in Abingdon.

thermostat Temperature

14.3° / 25.3°

wb_sunny Feels like

13.9° / 24.8°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

5h 59m

water_drop Avg rainfall

3.1 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

—

air Avg wind speed

7.0 km/h (Light breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

Moderate

terrain Course conditions

Firm and slightly soft

sunny Max UV Index

Moderate (5.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

72.7%

wb_twilight Sunrise

07:10

nightlight Sunset

19:34

About Abingdon

Learn more about the host city, Abingdon.

Abingdon is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, Virginia, United States, 133 miles (214 km) southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,375 at the 2020 census. The town encompasses several historically significant sites and features a fine arts and crafts scene centered on the galleries and museums along Main Street.