Red Bull wants you to get wet. And they want you to do it with panache. The energy drink company — which now sponsors everything from soccer clubs to incredible snowboarding documentaries to jumping from really, really high up — is bringing its Flugtag event to North Texas on September 21 as part of the first-ever “National Red Bull Flugtag.”
In case you're unfamiliar with the activity, Flugtag involves teams of five attempting to fly man-powered vehicles over water after leaping off a 28-foot-high platform. The tradition has been around for centuries according to Red Bull, but the company first began doing these events in Vienna in 1992.
The first U.S. Flugtag took place in 2002, but September marks the first time Red Bull will host multiple Flugtags across the country simultaneously. In addition to DFW, there will be Flugtags in Chicago; Miami; Washington, D.C.; and Long Beach, California.
North Texas teams will jump out on Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas, but first they have to apply by June 1. If you’re concerned at all about flying a man-powered vehicle, know that most teams make it about 20 feet before they meet the water.
As Woody from Toy Story might say, “It’s falling with style.”
Teams are encouraged to be a little out there with designs and themes, because who wants to watch a boring plummet into the water? To be fair, not everyone crashes so easily. The American Flugtag record is 207 feet — which, wow. That’s some serious engineering right there.
If your fear of heights/water/being awesome prevents you from vying for a spot, you can head out to Lake Carolyn and watch some crazy people try and fly for a few seconds. Gravity don’t play.
The National Red Bull Flugtag takes place September 21 in five cities, including Las Colinas, at Lake Carolyn.
