Brantford and District Labour Council (BDLC) hosted its 70th annual Soapbox Derby on Monday, September 7, 2026.
This year, a total of 39 participants, ages five to 12, came out to be a part of the end-of-summer race down the Elgin Street hill between Stanley and Rawdon streets.
Traditionally held on Icomme Drive, this was the second year the race was held at the Elgin Street location due to ongoing construction taking place at the former site.
Ten-year-old Marshall Alford, who’s been participating in the derby since he was six, is no stranger to either course and much prefers this location.
“This is better by a long shot,” he said. “There’s no staggering here, but with Icomm there’s a giant turn; so let’s say you have two evenly matched carts, the one in the outside lane? It loses every single time, and I say this from experience. Here, the course is straight, so it’s more fair.”
While several participants were sporting brand new soapbox cars built over the course of the last year, many were riding in cars that have been handed down through the generations, as well as others that had been lent by various organizations.
Driving a third-generation soapbox car passed on through his dad’s side of the family, Alford said he and his father modified the cart in preparation for the big event after he grew taller over the past year.
“We actually had to chop off part of the back, it used to be pointed like it is in the front, but I didn’t fit in there anymore so my dad had to cut it and move the seat back,” he said.
With two more years left to participate in the end-of-summer tradition, Alford said he has no plans to stop racing until then, and encouraged others to give it a whirl too.
“Oh heck yeah! I’ll keep doing it. This is one of my favourite things to do in the summer,” he exclaimed. “I think everyone should definitely try it because this is amazing. It’s a lot of fun to do but you could also volunteer, or even just come out and watch too.”
Win or lose, and even after a few mishaps along the course, participants were all smiles as they lined up behind the ramp, raced down the hill, collected their toonie reward at the finish line and headed back up for another go.
Later, after all the participants had taken their turns and the four finalists had been chosen, the children took part in one last race to determine the final standings.
In the end, 11-year-old Kinslee Carson secured the top spot on the podium again after winning first place last year. In an incredibly tight race to the finish, her younger brother Jacob, 9, placed second as the siblings went toe-to-toe for gold. Kingsley Moskala took home third place, while fourth went to Jack Foerster.
While the main focus of the annual event is to provide fun for local youth, one of the things that stood out most about this year’s Soapbox Derby was the way organizers dedicated its 70th anniversary to longtime volunteer and lifelong trade union activist Bob Sardinski.
Having passed away on December 25, 2025, Sardinski was not in his usual spot at the finish line this year. However, organizers found a way to make sure he was still there in spirit, with a life-sized cardboard cutout of him. Complete with a big smile and thumbs-up, Sardinski’s cutout was set up at the end of the track to greet racers as they crossed the finish line.
“Bob wasn’t just someone who could help make this derby happen, he was the heart and soul of it. He understood that events like this are much more than a race. They’re about community and about giving kids an opportunity to experience something special. They’re about families, friendships, volunteers and about passing traditions from one generation to the next, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here today,” said Don Guest, President of the BDLC. “Bob isn’t standing beside us this morning, but we found a special way for him to be with us today. If you look down at the finish line, you too will again see Bob waiting for the race to begin. In reality, we all know Bob is actually watching from heaven, sitting front row Garry MacDonald, Dan Webster, and so many more who kept this race alive over the years. They’re all cheering every car that comes down that hill and keeping a close eye on all of us.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
