Flugtag Flying from the Camden Waterfront this Labor Day Weekend
Outrageous Competition Presented by Red Bull and the Freeholder BoardFlugtag, sponsored by Red Bull and the Camden County Freeholder Board will take place on the Camden Waterfront on Saturday, September 4. Themed “flying machines” will be launched into the Delaware River from the RCA pier beginning at 11:00 AM.
“We are glad to bring this thrilling event to the Camden Waterfront,” said Freeholder Ian Leonard. “We are even more pleased to have our friends in Camden City and at the state level as excited as we are to host this creative competition.”
Flugtag, which means “flying day” in German, features 34 teams that presented their themes before at pre-event gatherings followed by voting. The winning teams then design, build and pilot homemade flying machines off a 30-foot high ramp into the Delaware River. While distance is important, creativity and showmanship are necessary to impress the judges.
According to the Red Bull website, these criteria have inspired such outrageous crafts as a sky-high taco, an airborne outhouse, a flying fire engine, and even a replica of Santa and his sleigh to test their wings.
While the sky may be the limit on creativity, there are still a few flight regulations. All flying machines must be entirely human-powered, all crafts must be less than 30 feet wide and must weigh no more than 450lbs (including the pilot).
“It is impossible to fully describe this event – you just have to see it for yourself,” said Freeholder Leonard. “Bring your entire family to the Camden Waterfront for a free day of fun and plenty of laughs – you won’t be disappointed.”
Since the first Red Bull Flugtag took place in Vienna, Austria, in 1991, more than 80 Flugtags have been held around the globe, attracting up to 300,000 spectators for a single event. The record for the farthest flight-to-date currently stands at 195 feet and was set at Red Bull Flugtag Austria in 2000, but the U.S. record is not far behind, standing at 155 feet and set in 2007 at Red Bull Flugtag Nashville.