Toy Car Drivers Wanted on Feb. 6 as Museum Goes 'MODarri'

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Build a Modarri miniature car, then race it around a model city created by local children! From 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, the Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery (MOD) goes “MOD-arri.” Local company ThoughtFull Toys, maker of Modarri, is partnering with the museum to bring this Family Fun Night to life.

Children will choose their Modarri wheels and other car parts, assemble the cars and then have the opportunity to road test. Driving areas within the museum will include the downhill Energy Racetrack, an off-road area, and a city with buildings made by children during MOD’s City Building workshops. A car detailing station with paint and “bling” will be set up for additional customizations. All participants and their cars can have their photo taken in the Winners’ Circle by Priscila Luna Morris of Luna Morris Photography. Whole Foods Market is sponsoring healthy snacks for the event.

The $10 Driver Registration Fee includes a Modarri car, which has a retail value of $19.95. Spectators accompanying a child (or adult) driver will be admitted for free. Only 50 driver slots are available. A limited pre-registration will be open for museum members, with the remaining drivers to be registered at the door. Interested museum members should call (888) 424-8035 or stop by the museum to reserve space.The museum will be closed between 5 and 6 p.m. Friday for event setup.

“This is going to be an event that I wish I could have gone to as a child,” said organizer Mike Maraldo, who is building off-road tables for the children, Maraldo, a Santa Cruz local and a father who volunteers with the museum, has been leading the City Building workshops in preparation for the event.

This will be the first large-scale Modarri event in Santa Cruz. The cars, which were named best of the 2014 New York Toy Fair by Popular Science, are modular. Using a hex tool, Modarri owners can rebuild each durable, parts-compatible car in different ways. Real suspension and patented finger steering let children “feel the road” as they drive. A successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign provided funding for the initial construction.

“It’s a really exciting opportunity to partner with a local company that we’re really happy to support,” said Patrice Keet, the museum’s executive director. “This brings fun adventures for children using our new racetrack.”

ABOUT THE SANTA CRUZ CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY

The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit located in the Capitola Mall, aims to delight, inspire and challenge children by providing an exciting and interactive learning environment. The museum has 8,000-plus square feet of exhibits, classrooms and store space. Its hands-on exhibits bring learning to life by showcasing the wonders of Santa Cruz County: the place where the ocean meets the redwoods, where technology meets recreation, where agriculture meets health. Since opening in November 2014, more than 10,000 children and adults have visited.

The Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery, located at 1855 41st Avenue in Capitola, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the museum is $7 adults 18 and older, $5 children ages 2 to 17, and free for children under the age of 2. Learn more by visiting www.sccmod.org.

ABOUT MODARRI

Modarri cars are a creation of ThoughtFull Toys, a small toy company based in Santa Cruz, Calif. Started in 2013 by David Silverglate, creator of the Oball, the company is dedicated to creating and selling beautiful, functional, durable toys. Modarri — a portmanteau of “modular” and “Ferrari” — are miniatures built to be “driven.” The cars feature real suspension and patented finger steering so that kids become the drivers. The seven car models have compatible parts, making millions of hybrids possible. The Modarri line, which just closed on $800,000 in equity investment, will be returning to the New York Toy Fair in February 2015. Visit www.modarri.com