The rumble roaring down Bloomfield’s Mill Street Saturday could only mean one thing: Prince Edward County’s favourite non-motorized speed competition had returned.

Ran under humid conditions with scores of fans lining up both sides of the sun baked street, Bloomfield-Hallowell Recreation Committee’s annual Soapbox Derby garnered upwards of 70 competitors in its second running since the COVID-19 pandemic paused the competition in both 2020 and 21.

(Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)

Organizer and former councillor Barry Turpin noted the lengthy list of participants and the warm but clear weather that greeted the mini-Paul Traceys and Jacque Villeneuve’s Saturday morning and declared the 2023 races a success.

“It’s wonderful to see some many kids and parents out here today, enjoying themselves,” Mr. Turpin said.

Whether a racer had worked all winter honing their colourful gravity-driven chariot or borrowed one of the community cars (which were running very quick Saturday thanks to maintenance from longtime organizers and volunteers), everyone had a speedy race from the manual starting gate, down the Mill St. ‘Track” and to the finish line where volunteer members of Prince Edward County Fire & Rescue Station 2 ensured breaks were applied and drivers safely exited their carriages.

In terms of the quickest drivers on Saturday, the age categories and podium finishers are as follows: (Age 5) Julia Gulka, Trenton Arnis, Aidan Katz,  (Age 6 Group 1) Gavin Cordez, Huson Peard, Macy Milanovic,  (Age 6 Group 2) Sawyer Koopmans, Sammy Srikant, Bently Jaeger, (Age  7) Eli Crank, Russel Cournyea, Sally Store, (Age 8) Lane Batten, Blake McDermott, Emerson Courtney, (Age 9) Lexi Jenner, Mercy Norris, Bentley Hicks, (Age 10-12) Tyson Bradshaw, Holly McDermott, Ellie Shepard.

Top racers received a medal, a pizza lunch at the Bloomfield park and a Slicker’s ice cream cone while top finishers also earned a trophy.

(Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)