The first ever Campfire Cup was hosted at Woodgrove Centre on Saturday, April 4, with local kids racing homemade gravity cars on a specialized track. (Image Credit: Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

ready, set, go!

VIDEO: Local kids test gravity with homemade cars

Apr 6, 2026 | 12:15 PM

NANAIMO — Around 100 racers honed their skills and tried their luck at a first-of-its-kind event.

The 1st Departure Bay Scouts hosted the inaugural Campfire Cup at Woodgrove Centre on Saturday, April 4, seeing racers construct gravity cars to race on a track, reinforcing key STEM principles and having a lot of fun in the process.

Cup chairman Dean Rispin told NanaimoNewsNOW the event is all about new opportunities for scouts, with kids as young as five taking part.

“Help them have experiences that they wouldn’t normally have, and just have a whole lot of fun. This is one of our kids’ favourite events, and the more spectacle and the more excitement we can create for it, the better experience that we can give them.”

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A variety of prizes were on offer, including for the fastest and best-designed car.

The goal is to turn the cup into an annual event, Rispin said.

“We are wanting everyone to race, you don’t have to be a scout, and you don’t have to be a Scouter. It would be great to have more racers, and we’d love to grow this event every year.”

In addition to being a great experience for racers and their family, the event served as a good community awareness tool for the public.

Rispin said they’re always looking to establish new connections in the community.

“We’re looking for venues to help these kids have camping experiences or a woodworking shop. Anything that you feel that would help us give these kids a better experience, please reach out, we would love to have your help.”

More information on the event is available on their website.

A collection of cars made for the event. (Image Credit: Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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