OTW karting barricades at the Helena Septemberfest Soapbox Derby 2025

Rev your engines because… It’s karting season! 

One of our most recent sponsorships was the Helena Septemberfest Soapbox Derby, and we were thrilled to be a part of it. OTW provided top-rated barricades for use as crowd control, as well as karting barricades for the go-kart track set up in the historic downtown heart of Helena, Last Chance Gulch, and fun was had by all who attended.

What is the Helena Septemberfest Soapbox Derby?

Each year, locals flood the streets of downtown Helena to support the annual Soapbox Derby and its beneficiaries (generally local non-profits). This year, during Septemberfest’s fifth annual event, September 13-15, 2025, all donations were made to the United Way Lewis and Clark Area and its supporting charities. The Soapbox Derby weekend was also combined with two other events, the Sauter Balloon Sculpture Festival and the United Way Family Funfest.  

Dinosaurs took over Downtown in 2025, with dinosaurs as the theme for both registered racers and the sculpture festival. Giant dinosaur balloon sculptures filled the art walk of the Walking Mall on a Friday evening, bringing whimsy and cheer as guests placed their bets on which would be the winning go kart the following day.

Contenders built their own karts (with specific sets of rules). The theme this year was dinosaurs, but the race saw karts of many kinds over the weekend. Some carts created include: 

• Flintstones style “Yabba-derby-doo”
• A giant Hot Dog
• Modelo beer box cart
• Acme rocket (driven by Coyote and Road Runner)
• And more! 

The winning cart was made by Stonetree Climbing, with Acme voted as the fan favorite. As mentioned above, all proceeds from the event went to United Way LCA.   

What barricades work well for go-karting tracks?

OTW Safety, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, offers barricade services that encompass construction & traffic, crowd control, airport usage, and yes, go karting! Some of the most common barricades chosen to create excellent go kart tracks are the 10” low-profile barricade, 24” mid-profile barricade (our most recommended choice), and the 32” compact LCD barricade. Each offers great protection and guidance for those racing, yet each also provides different benefits depending on the type of course needed. 

What event barricades did the Helena Septemberfest use?

With onlookers to protect, Septemberfest organizers chose the 24” mid-profile karting barricade (at a cool 15% discount as part of our sponsorship) as the perimeter of their track. These were a great choice for the event because they are tall enough to stop a collision but low enough to be easily seen over, so that attendees could enjoy the race in all its glory. With alternating colors of bright white and safety orange, the track was highly visible and safe for people on both sides of the barricades. 

For crowd control, we sent 30 [sponsored] stunning red Billboard Barricades and 30 custom sponsor signs. These signs were available to purchase for sponsors on the official website, and each sponsor sign purchase included three years of presence on the crowd control barricades. This is a great return on investment for sponsors and the event alike, as this directly helped fund the event this year and the next two years to come!  

On the Saturday of the event, the karting barricades were set up by volunteers and filled by a water truck. Because set up was so quick, thanks to OTW plastic barricades, volunteers had an extra hour before the event began to eat and get ready for the day! In previous years, they used hay bales, which took longer to move, were heavier, took more volunteers, and left behind a huge mess. No problems there this year! Crowd control with sponsor signage was placed along the street entrances and also formed a corral for the judges, keeping everybody safe and highlighting those who helped make the event possible.

Go kart events are fun for all. Let OTW Safety barricades help make your next one incredible 

With decades in the safety business, OTW Safety is no stranger to what helps make an event successful. We were honored to be a part of this years Helena Septemberfest and can’t wait for the next. 

Are you planning a go kart event? Get in touch with OTW experts today, and we’ll help get you started on all things barricades. For a quote, find our Go Kart page here.