Get ready for Pinewood Derby with these virtual events

It’s Pinewood Derby season!

This year’s favorite Cub Scout event will look different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve shared how to host a virtual or socially distant event here.

To help you make sure everyone can prepare for your pack or den’s big day, Champ Camp workshops will be online. These workshops demonstrate how to build and decorate cars and how to have a successful event.

Tune into the Scout Shop’s Facebook page for the workshops. The first live event (embedded below) covered how to host a virtual Pinewood Derby. Anthony Berger, the national director of the Cub Scout program, shareed how to create an event that is both safe and super-fun. Leaders and parents, this one’s for you to help you feel supported in creating something fun for everyone.

On Jan. 11 we talked “Wheels, Weights and Shapes.” Gina Circelli from Scout Life magazine and her dad shared a few easy-to-use weights and how to best make use of them, along with basic tips on how to cut your wooden car into some of the most common car shapes. Parents, your Cub Scouts should check out the video below to get ideas.

The last live workshop will feature Aaron Derr and Gina Circelli, both from Scout Life, who will be talking about how to decorate your Cub Scout’s car with decals and how to install sound and light kits. The workshop, entitled “Decorate with Decals and Effects,” will be Jan. 12 at 4:30 p.m. EST, and will include some unboxing fun and then a walk-through of the installation steps. It’s way easier than you might think! To wrap it up, Mallori Winters of the BSA’s Supply Group will talk about how to run a “Black Light Race” to better to show off those light kits and glow-in-the-dark accessories. Again, parents, this event is for you to watch with your Cub Scouts.

Be sure to tune into these live events and have your questions answered. Share pictures of your Cub Scout’s creation by using the #PinewoodDerby hashtag on social media, sharing through Scouting magazine’s Show and Tell form or sending an email to onscouting@scouting.org.

For more on Pinewood Derby events, see the links below:


About Michael Freeman 459 Articles
Michael Freeman, an Eagle Scout, is an associate editor of Scout Life and Scouting magazines.