Arcata’s government decided to pay the fee to rent the plaza for the Kinetic Grand Championship race after the race’s organizers asked for it to be waived.

Race director Karin Columbell sent a letter to Arcata’s city council in January asking for the $1,300 fee to be waived. Columbell said Kinetic Universe, the organization behind the race, was doing poorly post-COVID because of the rising cost of goods and services and a drop in donations. 

City council members voted unanimously to pay the fee with money from a $25,000 fund the city earmarked for events.

Council members also emphasized the race’s cultural importance and their own personal ties to the event, as well as its immense economic impact from racers and spectators coming from out-of-town.

Councilmember Meredith Matthews said the Kinetic Sculpture race was one of the reasons she fell in love in Arcata, and said she would be setting up signs the night before the event. She implored other residents to volunteer as well.

“This is something that’s been around for a long time,” said council member Sarah Schaefer. “It’s quintessentially Arcata, and brings a lot to our local community. Supporting events like this is a no-brainer.”

Kinetic Universe’s Outreach and Engagement director Jennifer Thelander told the Outpost that the race had only been getting more and more expensive to put on. In years past, the budget was about $50,000. Now, it’s around $65,000. 

Thelander said it would be almost impossible to get that number down. Kinetic Universe has very little overhead; they don’t have an office and are entirely staffed by volunteers. Almost all of that $65,000 goes toward paying permitting fees, renting toilets and fences and trash removal. It’s almost entirely paid by fees racers pay, small local business sponsorships and merchandise sales. They usually break even, but Thelander said she was nervous about the future of the race. 

“The [financial state of Kinetic Universe] is not good,” Thelander said. “Not good at all…I don’t see how this is sustainable.”

Thelander said they were trying to save more money by working with the cities the race runs through. Arcata paying the fee to use the plaza is a first step; Kinetic Universe hopes more cities do similar or sponsor them outright. 

Thelander also said they were hoping more spectators would pay for the privilege of watching the race by buying an “invisible ticket” or by buying merchandise. They also want more volunteers. 

“This is Humboldt’s oldest tradition,” Thelander said. “It was born in Humboldt. It embodies the spirit of the area; the silliness, the wackiness, but also the dedication to the arts. We’d be losing the joy of it all.”