The Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race (LKSR) returns this Saturday, September 20, for its eighth year, and the Lowell Sun has a detailed look at the teams, the course, and the community that powers this one-of-a-kind event. Among the teams featured are two projects built right here at Lowell Makes.
Brendan Falvey and Stampede
In his first year competing, Lowell Makes member Brendan Falvey is bringing a five-person cow-themed machine called Stampede to the race. The Sun writes:
“His sculpture consists of five tricycles welded together to work in tandem ‘serpentine’ style with five pilots, with larger wheels ready to install before the mud pit and water obstacle to help the sculpture float. Every team must also have a theme and decorative piece to their sculpture, so Falvey and his four teammates will be dressed up in cow colors, and their flotation wheels will be painted as such as well, hence the name Stampede.”
Falvey credits Lowell Makes with helping him expand his skills:
“I joined Lowell Makes to learn new skills, and took a welding class. I have a wood shop at home, but I don’t have a metal shop, so I use the one there quite a bit,” he told the Sun.
Rudy Dominguez and The Aluminum Falcon
A documentary produced by Golde Cinematics has been following progress on The Aluminum Flacon for this year’s race. Watch the full video on the Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race website.
Also highlighted in the article is longtime member Rudy Dominguez, who returns for the third time with The Aluminum Falcon, his Star Wars–inspired sculpture. According to the Sun:
“The sculpture is themed after the iconic Millennium Falcon from ‘Star Wars,’ and is powered by two sets of bicycle seats with a model of the ship placed over the top. Dominguez said the sculpture failed two obstacles into their last two attempts, but they are bringing it back for a third try, with some modifications.”
Dominguez explained one major upgrade:
“This entire front end is completely new and built from scratch,” he said.
A Celebration of Making and Community
The Sun’s article captures the spirit of the Kinetic Sculpture Race—where art, engineering, and perseverance all come together. For Lowell Makes, it’s also a chance to see our members apply their creativity and technical skills to one of the city’s most unique events.
👉 Read the full article here: Lowell Sun – “Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race returns for eighth year”
Festivities begin at 9 a.m. Saturday with Meet the Machines on Market Street, followed by the race start at 11:30 a.m. Be sure to cheer on Brendan, Rudy, and all the competitors as they take on cobblestones, mud, and the Merrimack River!