Georgia Expo Takes on the ATA Tent Expo Soap Box Derby

There’s something special about building something with your own hands — especially when it brings a team together for a little friendly competition.

This January, Georgia Expo entered the ATA Tent Expo Soap Box Derby, a beloved tradition held every two years during the Tent Expo event. The race took place on January 28th at the Margaritaville Resort in Orlando, Florida, drawing hundreds of spectators from across the tent, rental, and event industry.

For us, this marked our very first year competing, and while some teams focused purely on speed, we leaned into what we do best: creativity, craftsmanship, and having fun as a team.

A Classic Design with a Georgia Expo Twist

Our soap box derby car featured a vintage-inspired design, built on a classic kids’ go-kart frame with a wooden body. We intentionally kept the look nostalgic, paying homage to old-school racing while incorporating meaningful Georgia Expo details throughout the build.

The car was painted in our original peach branding color from 1986, a subtle but intentional nod to our roots. Our car number was 86, representing our founding year, and we proudly displayed our anniversary logo as part of the overall design.

Built by the Team, for the Team

Ian, VP of Production, led the overall design of the car. Dionicio from our welding department played a key role in fabrication and assembly. Justin from marketing brought the vision to life visually, designing the decals, overall aesthetic, and race apparel.

Justin also designed the driver outfit and pit crew shirts, complete with thoughtfully designed custom patches that tied the whole look together.

Race Day at Tent Expo

Race day brought chilly temperatures in the low 40s, but that didn’t stop hundreds of attendees from lining the sidelines to cheer on the teams.

Representing Georgia Expo as our driver was Amanda Gray, VP of Sales and Marketing.

The Results (and the Real Win)

We competed against 12 other teams and finished second to last. While prizes were awarded, we didn’t take home a trophy this year.

Why We’d Do It Again

Because at Georgia Expo, whether it’s Pipe and Drape or a soap box derby car, we believe in building things that bring people together.