OUR STORY

The Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby (KKSD) is an annual design competition and parade of human powered vehicle floats that is an economic development initiative of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing the East Kensington, Fishtown and Port Richmond neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

A Kinetic Sculpture is a human-powered vehicle that also has an artistic theme. Think of parade floats on bicycles, or mummers on hand crank driven pirate ships, or an alien space ship on two welded together bikes. It's zombie Amish folks, it's a bar and bar stools on a bike, it's anything you can dream up – the wackier the better. The Sculpture Derby is all about fun and ingenuity, making the most creative, interesting contraption is the goal – finishing the course or winning is not. 

This truly unique event has become a beloved spring tradition in Philadelphia, and a representation of the many talented, creative and community-minded individuals that live and work in what we believe is Philadelphia’s most amazing community. This year’s Sculpture Derby on May 17^th will be an opportunity for us to showcase our neighborhood’s trajectory, one that has put ART & SUSTAINABILITY at the center of revitalization.

WHAT WE NEED & WHAT YOU GET

The Sculpture Derby has grown tremendously since it started, and now attracts over 10,000 spectators each year. It has become a day where people all over Philadelphia and beyond come to our neighborhood to celebrate art and ingenuity and to support our local businesses. But let’s face it – as the Derby has grown, it’s simply gotten more expensive to organize.

We need more resources this year than ever before, but we are committed to staying true to the values of the event – we want to keep it fun, accessible and unique. Quite simply, we don’t want to sell out. We want to keep organizing the Derby, while ensuring it stays authentic – a celebration of the things that make THIS local community truly special.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP

We are asking everyone who believes in this community and loves this zany event to pitch in a little to help keep the Derby going strong. We need $10,000 this year to help us cover the costs – seemingly minor things like street barricades, fencing, insurance, bleachers, signs – that make the event work, but that quickly add up. 

Please help us by chipping in whatever you can -$5, $10, $25 – small gifts add up. And if you can give a little more, we can use it! The magic of crowd sourcing is that if we ALL give a little, it adds up to something much larger than any of us could give individually.

Oh, and did we mention
 the first $5,000 in contributions were DOUBLED by Philadelphia Brewing Company? (Thanks PBC!) 

And now, Solar States has issued a CHALLENGE MATCH to make it easier (and more fun!) to give in the campaign's final days. 

We are thrilled to announce that our friends at Solar States, headquartered right here in South Kensington, have agreed to MATCH the next $1,000 in pledges received from now until the end of the campaign. That means that they will DOUBLE your gift and help us raise additional funding for the Derby! 

If you support the Derby through Indiegogo and then change your electricity provider to their partner, The Energy Co-op, Solar States will match your gift AND provide you a $25 credit toward your energy bill. It's simple - you switch you provider through a form on their website, and then you continue paying your PECO bill like normal. 

With one gift you put more solar energy on the grid in Philly, support a local business that is building and installing Philly's solar infrastructure, AND support an authentic community event. Pretty cool. 

We also have RAD PERKS at every level – vintage Derby shirts, limited edition photographs of the neighborhood by Meredith Kleiber, gift certificates to Little Baby’s Ice Cream and Pizza Brain and even the opportunity to stand on the bottling line - hairnet and all - and bottle a case of your favorite PBC brew. Solar States is also offering contributors who switch to solar by signing up with their partners at The Energy Co-op a $25 credit toward their next energy bill. So many reasons to give!

EVERY GIFT MATTERS

Your gift ensures we can continue to organize a FREE, unique and true-to-the-neighborhood event that we can all enjoy. It also supports your neighbors and local businesses. Your gift is really an investment in the continued revitalization of this community – revitalization that is driven by the values of creativity, sustainability and local support for one another.

As the unofficial Derby saying goes, “Do it for the GLORY!”

LIKE OUR VIDEO? THANKS PHILLY IN FOCUS!

A huge shout out to the Official Media Platform of the 2014 Derby, Philly in Focus, for the fantastic job on our campaign video and for capturing such great footage of last year’s event. Again this year they are donating the crew and technology to bring a live feed of the Derby to a jumbotron at the finish line so that you won’t miss one single moment of Derby madness.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP 

Please help us spread the word about the Indiegogo campaign. You can use the share tools right here in Indigogo. Facebook, Twitter, email – however you choose, please share with your friends and neighborhoods – anyone you know who loves this neighborhood and the Derby.

Also, many neighborhood businesses are supporting the Derby as sponsors. Please support our sponsors and tell them THANK YOU for investing in the event and in the neighborhood. If you are a business owner or know of one who wants to become a sponsor, contact us directly and we’ll get you set up.