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In Portland, Oregon, soapbox racing is part parade, part spectacle and full-on community fun

At Portland’s annual soapbox derby, contestants build motorless cars and race them downhill pulled by nothing more than gravity. It’s part race, part parade, with derby cars built to look like sharks, beer cans, guitars and slices of cake.

Deena Prichep reports from Oregon.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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