March 4, 2026. Louisville, KY. – Let’s get ready to RoboRumble! The 2026 Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation annual RoboRumble Regional Robotics Tournament powers up at duPont Manual High School on Saturday, March 7 for a day of engineering excitement and challenges. The regional STEM robotics competition, hosted by the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation and coordinated by Jefferson County Public Schools, challenges students and teams to design, build and compete with robots. The competition begins at 9 a.m., with doors opening at 8 a.m.
The 2026 RoboRumble will include four events:
• SumoBot Competition draws its inspiration from the traditional Japanese sport of Sumo Wrestling, with robots facing off in a circular arena trying to push each other out of the ring, mimicking the Sumo wrestlers’ objective.
• RCX Challenge – LEGO Robot Competition brings LEGO robot enthusiasts together to showcase their programming and design prowess on a rectangular playing field. Robots are tasked with a series of missions, each with unique obstacles and goals.
• Sphero Hero features a team of students creating an original (short) dramatic story, making an obstacle course as the stage for their story, and programming a Sphero to navigate the stage autonomously while students narrate their tale to a judge.
• Automata Box Design Competition showcases students merging artistic expression with mechanical skills by designing an Automata Box themed around the Kentucky Derby Festival. Automata are mechanical devices designed to imitate human or animal actions.
RoboRumble, a high-energy celebration of innovation and robotics, is one of the educational programs supported by the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. Along with JusticeFest and the Derby Festival Royal Court Program, it supports meaningful learning experiences that connect students with their community throughout the year. There will be more than 500 students participating, representing around 40 schools.
COVERAGE NOTE: This event is not open to the public, but media are welcome to cover RoboRumble. The best time to cover the event is from 9 a.m. to noon, before the Awards Ceremony. To coordinate advance coverage with any of the schools or teams, please contact the JCPS Communications Team.
RoboRumble is coordinated by Jefferson County Public Schools. Official Credit Union: Class Act Federal Credit Union. Contributing Sponsors: Kentucky Office of Highway Safety: Buckle Up Phone Down and Western Kentucky University. Supporting Sponsors: C&I Engineering and City of St. Matthews. A Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation Event.
