Name: 9th Cottbus Soapbox Derby 2026
Start: 2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-13T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Gelsenkirchener Platz, Stadtteil Sachsendorf

Soapbox Derby

About Soapbox Derby

On Saturday, June 13, 2026, the self-built soapbox cars will roll for the 9th time across the Gelsenkirchener Platz in Cottbus's Sachsendorf district. The race is part of the 26th Sachsendorf Community Festival (June 12-14) and brings together tinkerers, drivers, and spectators from the Lausitz region and all of Brandenburg from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registrations are open until June 5, 2026, 3 p.m. The organizer is the Stadtteilladen Sachsendorf-Madlow – a neighborhood project that culturally enlivens the large housing estate from the GDR era.

Dates 13 Jun — 13 Jun 2026

Venue Cottbus (12052)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Soapbox Derby — edition 2026

Tickets →

The 9th Cottbus Soapbox Derby rolls on Saturday, June 13, 2026, across the Gelsenkirchener Platz in Cottbus-Sachsendorf. Motto: “Tinker, Roll, Win!”. Part of the 26th Sachsendorf Community Festival (June 12-14). Registration deadline June 5, organizer Stadtteilladen Sachsendorf-Madlow.

On June 13, 2026, the Cottbus Soapbox Derby will hold its 9th edition. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the race will take place on the Gelsenkirchener Platz in the Sachsendorf district. The race is part of the 26th Sachsendorf Community Festival, which transforms the entire neighborhood into a festival stage from June 12 to 14.

Participants register their homemade soapbox cars by June 5. Helpers are needed: track marshals, timekeepers, organization team.

Highlights Soapbox Derby 2026

9th Cottbus Soapbox Derby, motto “Tinker, Roll, Win!”, Gelsenkirchener Platz Sachsendorf.

Programme Soapbox Derby 2026

Race Schedule

10:00 a.m. — Opening, Soapbox Car Line-up
10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. — Races in several classes across the Gelsenkirchener Platz
3:30 p.m. — Awards Ceremony
4:00 p.m. — Conclusion

Community Festival June 12–14, 2026

Stage program in the Sachsendorf tent
Food stalls, gastronomy, family activities
Neighborhood activities by local clubs

Registration

Until Thursday, June 5, 2026, 3:00 p.m. Online at my.raceresult.com or via PDF form.

Prices Soapbox Derby 2026

Free admission for spectators. Registration fee applies (see festival website).

Practical information

Practical information — Soapbox Derby

Getting There

Take the Cottbusverkehr tram to the final stop Sachsendorf. By car, take the A15 (exit Cottbus-Süd). Parking around the Gelsenkirchener Platz.

Registration

Until June 5, 2026, 3 p.m. Online or via PDF form at sachsendorf-madlow.de. Contact: Sven Feldner, +49 355 58507955.

Tip

Even if you're not racing, you're welcome: the race seeks helpers every year – the best view is at the start and finish line.

Tinker, Roll, Win!

The motto of the 9th Cottbus Soapbox Derby sums it all up: “Tinker, Roll, Win!”. One day in June, a course across the Gelsenkirchener Platz, lots of homemade, engine-less vehicles – and spectators cheering them on.

As Part of the Sachsendorf Community Festival

The race is embedded in the 26th Sachsendorf Community Festival, which takes place from June 12 to 14, 2026, under the Sachsendorf festival tent. Stage program, food stalls, and family activities characterize the entire weekend. The race itself runs on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Who's Racing

The race is open to self-built soapbox cars in several classes. Registrations have been open since February 22, 2026; the deadline is June 5, 2026, at 3 p.m. Helpers are also sought: track marshals, timekeepers, organizational assistants.

Community Culture in Sachsendorf

Sachsendorf is a district of Cottbus, characterized by prefabricated apartment buildings from the GDR era. The Stadtteilladen Sachsendorf-Madlow at Heinrich-Mann-Straße 11 has been the neighborhood project for years, culturally and socially enlivening the residential area. The soapbox derby is its most popular event, attracting families from all over the city.

Brandenburg Folk Culture

The state of Brandenburg, the city of Cottbus as the region's second-largest city, and the Sachsendorf district form a special context: here you can see how a classic neighborhood project can grow into a widely appealing event. The soapbox derby combines GDR tradition (homemade vehicles), maker culture (tinkering and building), and folk festival.