The Great Crate Race

After blueberry picking, ice cream making, sidewalk chalk, and the excitement of helping pack away the hot air balloon (among other things) the day before, the sight above was a very rare one indeed for Auntie early this morning at 7AM. But within minutes we were rip roaring and raring to go to be ready for the 22nd Annual Great Crate Race in Sergeanstville, NJ!

The Great Crate Race is Sergeantsville way of celebrating the 4th.of July. Since Independence Day falls on a Sunday this year, the race down the "Big Hill" is held on Saturday morning for the younger residents of Sergeantsville. Think pinewood derby for Cub Scouts on steroids - with older elementary and middle school aged kids in actual crates they built themselves zooming down a big hill on a closed course.

Watching the kids come down the straight away

Here are some of the "crates" the kids create for racing. There are standards and inspections of the cars before they come zooming down the big hill at top speeds of 20-25 mph. Yes, there are girls who race in styling cars, too!

The purple flower power was a favorite of many young ladies.

There is a car show too at the Crate Race and this go-cart was there for some kids to try out.
Of course, my nephew loved the opportunity to get behind the wheel!

Auntie's convertible was there!

If you have ever spent the 4th of July in Wilmore, KY you know why I took this picture. The Great Crate Race may not have hosted a fleet of John Deere tractors or featured a lawn mower brigade with Dads in ties pushing mowers doing routines in formation that rival baton and flag teams, but kids flying down the Big Hill in homemade over sized soap box derby cars is the special way Independence Day is celebrated in this corner of Hunterdon County, New Jersey.