More than 300 Soap Box Derby racers from the United States, Japan and Canada marched downtown Monday afternoon in the Champions Welcome Parade, jump-starting a week of gravity-powered events tied to the 87th annual FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby.  

Participants walked down South Main Street from Canal Park to Lock 3, organized by their racing regions, and waved to the crowds as they threw swag to kids. The marchers then proceeded to the opening ceremonies at Maynard Performance Pavilion.

The week-long race program culminates Saturday, July 19, at Derby Downs in Ellet, just east of the Akron Fulton Airport. Heats of the World Championship races run from 8:30 a.m. to about 2 p.m. 

Tickets to Saturday’s event are $10. Children 6 and under are free.

Johnny Buehler, a 2021 World Champion in the stock division from Kansas City, Missouri, jumps from the cab of Troy Woodall's pickup truck at the end of the 87th All-American Soap Box Derby parade in downtown Akron. Drew Brand (in white shirt,) a 2024 stock World Champion from Omaha, Nebraska, Brayden Locher (third from left), a 2022 stock World Champion from Owensboro, Kentucky, and Caleb Gilbert, far right, a 2024 super stock World Champion from Harrisonburg, Virginia, were all headed to the opening ceremonies at Lock 3.
Johnny Buehler, a 2021 World Champion in the stock division from Kansas City, Missouri, jumps from the cab of Troy Woodall’s pickup truck at the end of the 87th All-American Soap Box Derby parade in downtown Akron. Drew Brand (in white shirt,) a 2024 stock World Champion from Omaha, Nebraska, Brayden Locher (third from left), a 2022 stock World Champion from Owensboro, Kentucky, and Caleb Gilbert, far right, a 2024 super stock World Champion from Harrisonburg, Virginia, were all headed to the opening ceremonies at Lock 3. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)

2025 Soap Box Derby race week schedule

Monday, July 14

4 – 5 p.m. — State of the Derby Meeting at Akron-Summit County Main Library

5:30 – 7 p.m. — Movie Night at Akron-Summit County Main Library 

Tuesday, July 15

Rally Challenge Day and Swim Night

7:30 a.m. — Rally Stock
10 a.m. —  Rally Masters
12:30 p.m. —  Rally Super Stock
5 – 7:30 p.m. — Family swimming at the Shaw JCC of Akron, 750 White Pond Dr.

Wednesday, July 16

Local Challenge Day

7:30 a.m. —  Local Stock
9:30 a.m. — Local Masters
12:30 p.m. — Local Super Stock
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Soap Box Derby participants, friends and family can visit the Akron History Center in downtown Akron for free 
4 – 6 p.m. — Championship Derby Cars Public Open House at Topside, Derby Downs 

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Thursday, July 17

All-Star and Legacy Race Day and Topside Show

8 – 9 a.m. — All-Star alignment
9:30 a.m. — All-Star Race
12:30 p.m. — Legacy check-in
1 p.m. — Legacy race
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Soap Box Derby participants, friends and family can visit the Akron History Center in downtown Akron for free 
4 – 6 p.m. — Topside Show, where participants can check out everyone’s derby cars, mini-car races and vendors, then vote on who they think has the best car designs. Winners receive a trophy and their cars are featured on social media.

Spectators line the west side of South Main Street in downtown Akron during the All-American Soap Box Derby parade Monday morning as the 87th annual race week kicks off.
Spectators line the west side of South Main Street in downtown Akron during the All-American Soap Box Derby parade Monday afternoon as the 87th annual race week kicks off. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)

Friday, July 18

World Championship race alignment, wheel selection, weigh-in
SuperKids parade and race

8 a.m. — Local and Rally Masters
9 a.m. — SuperKids Parade; race immediately following
9:30 a.m. — Local and Rally Super Stock
11:15 a.m. — Rally Stock
Noon — Local Stock
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. — Vintage Derby Car Show at St. Matthew’s Church Recreation Center. Features displays of cars entered by former racers that highlight nine decades of evolution in the design of derby cars.

Saturday, July 19

FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship Races

6:30 a.m. — Gates open
6:30 a.m. — Shuttles start running; parking only on Derby Downs Road lower lot – there is no parking at Topside. 
7 a.m. — Local Champs and car handlers check in at Topside at the scales.
7:20 a.m. — Rally Champs and car handlers check in at Topside at the scales.
7:45 a.m. — Line up by regions for parade at Topside.
8 a.m. — Parade starts. National Anthem and opening ceremonies at the bridge.
8:30 a.m. — First heat of the 87th FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby
7 p.m. — Awards ceremony at the Akron Civic Theatre in downtown Akron.

Sunday, July 20

8 a.m. to noon
Car pick up (ID required), car crating for racers.
The parts store will be open and vendors will be available for last-minute purchases.

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.