It won't be long before young racers go driving through Okotoks for the Okotoks Rotary Club's 27th Annual Soap Box Derby.

The event is now open for youth ages 8-14 and $10 will be donated from the first 80 contestants to the Okotoks Food Bank and Car Star Okotoks will be matching that donation.

Mark Kharfan, organizer, says soap box car kits are available for purchase but aren't mandatory.

"The kit consists of the standard soap box derby cart and all the instructions that come with it, the wheels, the mechanisms, the steering, and a four by four sheet of plywood," he says. "Of course other cars get made with great creations and we get to see those wonderful creations go down the hill."

Kharfan says pricing for the race is different for competitors depending on their needs.

"New kits and the entry fee are $225 and just the participation fee is $100... usually we have about 120 participants but we want to get the contestants in and give them an opportunity to give back to the community."

Prizes will go out to the individual heat winner, most creative cart, best paint job, most original costumed driver, most enthusiastic driver, best crash recovery, and the Sop Box Cup go to the driver with the faster time of the day in the final heat.

All cars will go through inspection and a practice run on June 3rd from 5:30- 7:00 p.m. and race day will follow on June 4th with the line-up art 8:30 a.m. at the top of the hill of Crystal Ridge Drive between Downey Road and North Railway Street, with a start time of 9:30 a.m.

Participant forms and kits can be picked up from Car Star Okotoks.