Navigating Worlds
Participation details are outlined below.
Check out our Worlds FAQ for further information!
Schedule By Day
Saturday, May 4th
Arrival Day!
We encourage teams that have difficult travel routes to arrive on Saturday.
Sunday, May 5th
Check In & Testing Day!
12:00PM - 5:00PM: Check-In at the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) in Hall A.
1:00PM - 4:00PM: Open Wind Tunnel & Solar Testing - Run your turbine through any of the wind tunnels and test your solar structure under our competition solar array.
We will begin to close down for the day at 4PM. Teams can leave their turbines and solar structures at their team tables overnight.
Here's what you can expect at check-in:
- Coaches will check-in with our KidWind Team to let us know you arrived. Woohoo!
- Find your team's assigned table & get started assembling/constructing your wind turbine and/or solar structure.
- Check out the goodies and materials related to the competition on your team table.
- Run your turbine through any of the wind tunnels for pre-competition tunnel testing.
- Test your solar structure/device under our competition solar array.
- Pro tip: The earlier you arrive, the faster you'll get your turbine set-up, and the more tests you'll get in before the competition begins on Monday!
Monday, May 6th
Competition Day 1!
Doors to Hall A will open at 8AM. Competition elements will be scheduled between 9AM-6PM.
- 9:00AM: World KidWind Challenge Kick-Off
- All Day: Wind Tunnel & Solar Array Testing
- Scheduled: Quizbowl, Judges Presentations, Instant Challenges -10:30AM-11:15AM: Middle School Quizbowl -11:30AM-12:15PM: High School Quizbowl -12:30PM-1:00PM: Elementary Quizbowl
- 6:30PM - 8:30PM: Worlds Team Celebration at CanCan Wonderland (Optional, free for team members & coaches, $5 for guests. Dinner & transportation provided between MCC and hotels)
Tuesday, May 7th
Competition Day 2!
Doors to Hall A will open at 8AM. Competition elements will be scheduled between 9AM-6PM.
- Scheduled: Judges Presentations, Instant Challenges
- All Day: Wind Tunnel & Solar Array Testing
- 12:00PM - 1:30PM: CWC/KidWind Joint Instant Challenge (Optional)
- 6:30PM: Minnesota Twins Game (Optional, $5 per ticket, 20 min. walk from MCC)
Wednesday, May 8th
Closing Day!
Doors to Hall A will open at 8AM. Competition elements will be scheduled between 9AM - 12PM.
- 9:00AM: Judges Callbacks (for top teams in MS and HS division)
- 1:30PM - 2:30PM: AWARDS CEREMONY! (we'll be setting up a virtual viewing option for those who couldn't make it to Minneapolis!)
- 2:30PM - 4:00PM: Breakdown & Pack-Up
Resources
Lodging
Please reach out to Zella (Zella@kidwind.org) if you have issues acquiring lodging for Kidwind Worlds.
Attendee Checklist
Be sure you complete following before coming to Worlds!
- Place at a regional or state KidWind Challenge and receive an official invitation from KidWind.
- Register your team by Friday, April 5th (see your official invitation for the registration link!).
- Complete Attendee Forms. Each person attending Worlds including student team members, coaches/chaperones, teachers, parents, siblings, friends, grandparents, etc. MUST complete this form in order to attend.
- Start a fundraising campaign.
- Book your travel to Minneapolis.
- Book your hotel in Minneapolis (KidWind hotel block information above).
- Refine your turbine
- Plan how you'll get your turbine(s) to Minneapolis (teams must bring a COMPLETE device - we will only have tools and limited supplied to make repairs)
- Prepare your team's Executive Summary. (Instructions for MS & HS teams and Fillable PDF for ES teams])
- Bonus Points: Complete your Team Profile with a working video (1 point) & submit ALL Attendee Forms for people joining your team for Worlds (students, coaches, and chaperones) with Liability & Media Release Forms (2 points). These must be completed by April 28th in order to receive the extra points.
Check out the following to learn more before coming to Worlds:
- Check out our Worlds FAQ.
- Watch the 2024 Worlds Info Session recording & check out the slides.
Liability and Media Release Forms
Each person planning on attending Worlds must complete the Attendee Form (student team members, coaches/chaperones, teachers, parents, siblings, friends, grandparents, etc.) and the Liability and Media Release Form you are directed to upon completing it. Students under 18 will not be able to complete the form on their own. They will need to complete the form in the company of a guardian. Here are the Liability & Photo Release Form options:
Airport Transportation
It is not necessary to rent a car for the 2024 World KidWind Challenge. Once you get to your hotel, you will be within walking distance of all events, and when you aren't we've taken car of booking shuttle buses.
For travel to and from the airport, there are app-based ride services like Uber/Lyft, and van & shuttle services, and public transportation options.
The Twin Cities metro area has plenty of Ubers and Lyfts available at all hours of the day, making them the most reliable method of transportation during Worlds. It costs about $25-$40 for a single ride in a 4-person car between the airport and Convention Center.
If you are staying in one of the hotels in our KidWind hotel block and are looking to save money, we recommend taking the Twin Cities Light Rail from the airport to the hotel. There are Light Rail stations (Blue Line) in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which operate every 15-20 minutes from about 5 AM to midnight. All hotels are located within 5 minutes of a Light Rail stop and it takes about 40 minutes to get from MSP to these hotels. A one-way ticket on the light-rail is $2-$2.50, depending on the time of day.
Please note, though, that while public transportation is a great option for traveling around the Twin Cities, there is not a direct train from the airport to the Minneapolis Convention Center and the trip requires one transfer from the light rail to a bus. You can plan your METRO trip here.
Parking
There are several parking options available near the Convention Center at Plaza, 11th and Marquette, 11th Street Underground, and Leamington for a range of prices starting at $5 for the first hour. You can find the parking options and prices here.
You can create a parking reservation ahead of time on the Park Whiz or Spot Hero apps.
Food
There are no scheduled lunch breaks during Worlds. Coaches can work with their teams to find the time that works best based on their individual team schedule. We’ll make sure that you have at least a 1 hour break midday each day for lunch.
A concession area will be open in Hall A for lunch on Sunday, and breakfast and lunch Monday through Wednesday.
Breakfast options will include coffee, juice, pastries, bagels, and yogurts. Lunch options will include salads, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, fries, chips, and drinks. There are also other concession areas and a Dunn Brothers coffee shop on site in the Convention Center. Teams may also head to nearby restaurants or bring in takeout or bagged lunches to each on-site.
Note: You may not get food delivered to the Convention Center.
Questions?
- Watch the 2024 Worlds Info Session recording & check out the slides
- Join us for Monthly Office Hours on the 3rd Wednesday of each month beginning in January. Register here on our website.
- Check out our FAQ.