Guest post by Chris Howell
Picture this…a quiet neighborhood on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Suddenly the silence is shattered with the sounds of music, cheering and screams of joy from the children! This is how Kirby Derby started–a noisy neighborhood gathering of “creative” types parading through an otherwise quiet little corner of downtown Raleigh in celebration of nothing other than their own creative spirit…and so it has been for 10 years now.
Kirby Derby is the yearly neighborhood get together for Pullen Park Terrace, also known as the Kirby-Bilyeu neighborhood. What started as a one time parade and party has grown each year to include a Pine Wood Derby, Soap Box Derby, and Drag Race. There is always an after party with either live music or a DJ. It all started at a neighborhood association meeting to elect a new president. The floor was open to nominations, but there weren’t any hats in the ring yet. No one wanted the job that hadn’t already had it before. Then someone nominated Aly Khalifa, local creative mind and owner of downtown hotbed of creativety, DesignBox with his wife Beth…of course Aly wasn’t in the room at that moment. By the time he returned, he had been seconded, voted on and won the presidency. If only REAL politics were so easy!! Aly, being a wee bit shocked, agreed but on one condition…he wanted to have a parade. The neighborhood agreed as well and Kirby Derby was born!
The first year was just a parade and party with kids games and distractions during the afternoon. Without a real “theme”, the first year was a true testament to the creative minds here in Raleigh. There were clowns, evil clowns, hayrides for the kids and all manor of walking and pulled floats and entries. With the success of the first one, the 2nd one was a given and was quickly planned for the next year.
As each year evolved, the idea of “themes” evolved as well–with “The Bride of Kirby Derby,” “Search For Bridezilla,” “Pirates of the Kirbybbean,” the nod to the Vegas craze with “Lucky #7- What Happens on Kirby, Stays on Kirby.” Then a look back to the past “80’s is Enough” and of course the next logical step was one to the future with “The Future Is Now”.
By the 5th year, real derby races were added in the forms of the Soap Box–well, creative soap box derby and the ever popular Drag Race (men in dresses, ALWAYS a hit). The rules were VERY simple for the soap box derby. No one under 18 could enter the race. Each entry had to have at least 3 wheels and brakes, as there is a tight 90 degree left turn in the race course, and every contestant had to wear a helmet and race at their own risk. A quick search on Youtube by year, Kirby Derby 2010, etc. will result in some fun clips of races and past parades. The Pine Wood Derby was added during the 8th year.
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This year marks the 10th Kirby Derby and the theme is KDX–A Decade of Derby. Reaching back and re-using or recycling old themes and rethinking them. This gives people a chance to do that “other” idea they had, or that person that missed the pirate year, to do a pirate themed entry etc. With hopes for good weather and a great crowd, Kirby Derby will kick off it’s 10th year at 4pm on June 25th.
The Derby is open to anyone who would like to participate, rules and limitations are listed on the Kirby Derby website, as well as directions to and more information about the best kept secret in downtown Raleigh. The neighborhood only asks that spectators and participants remember that there will be children and families, it WILL be hot and the idea is to have a good time.