Rite of Summer

The Martins Ferry Soap Box Derby has rightfully earned its niche as a heavyweight summer event. The early June extravaganza marks the closure of schools in the Ohio Valley and serves as a gateway into more summertime activities. The Derby has muscled itself alongside Jamboree In the Hills, the OVAC All-Star Football Classic and the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival as popular rites of summer. The Derby, however, provides life values, foreign to the other spectacles as the Ferry race is home to teamwork, cooperation and a sense of focus amongst workers and competitors alike. The Soap Box Derby is much like athletics, as many life lessons can be learned along the way.