🐩💗 Fifi Isn't Feeling Her Best — And She Needs Your Help! 💗🐩

If you've ever seen a giant pink fluffy poodle pedaling proudly through Baltimore's streets during the Kinetic Sculpture Race or coming down the street in a parade, you've met Fifi — the American Visionary Art Museum's beloved, one-of-a-kind kinetic vehicle (and her adorable pup, Baby Fifi!). Fifi is a fan favorite at the Kinetic Sculpture Race (KSR) every year, which is attended by over 10,000 people and spans multiple neighborhoods on its 15-mile course.

But right now, both Fifi and Baby Fifi are feeling a little ruff. 🐾

After years of pedaling through parades, splashing through the Kinetic Sculpture Race, and charming crowds across Baltimore, our girls need some serious TLC. Various mechanical parts need fixing, otherwise, neither beast can go outside and get fresh air. It's time for a trip to the "vet!"

Here's what Fifi's vet visit will cover:

🩺 The Vet Check-Up (Mechanical Repairs)
Just like any senior pup, Fifi's joints need some work. Her wheels, gears, and pedaling mechanisms need repairs to get her back to her bouncy, race-ready self.

🚚 The Ride to the Vet (Transportation)
Fifi's a big girl — moving her (and Baby Fifi!) to get the care they need isn't cheap. We need support to transport them safely to and from repair sites.

💅 The Grooming Appointment (Costume & Decoration Repairs)
A poodle's gotta look good! Fifi's fabulous fur, decorations, and costume elements need some fluffing, patching, and pampering to make sure she's looking as fabulous as ever.

Our Goal: $10,000 to cover Fifi's full vet bill, transportation, and grooming needs.

Fifi isn't just a kinetic sculpture — she's a Baltimore icon, a beloved member of the AVAM family, and a symbol of the joy, whimsy, and creativity that visionary art brings to our community. She's paraded through countless events, splashed through the Harbor during races, and put smiles on the faces of thousands of Baltimoreans and visitors alike.

With your help, Fifi and Baby Fifi can get back on the road (and in the water!) where they belong — pedaling proudly, waving happily, and reminding us all that even giant pink poodles need a little help from their friends sometimes.

Suggested Donation Tiers:

$3,000 - Grand Champion: Become a Fifi guardian!
$1,000+ - Best in Show: Be a major hero in Fifi's recovery story!
$500 - Vet Visit Sponsor: Cover a significant chunk of mechanical repairs
$250 - Grooming Session: Support Fifi's costume/decoration repairs
$100 - New Squeaky Toy: Help fund a small repair part
$50 - Pep Talk: Cheer Fifi on toward her vet bills
$25 - Kibble Fund: A small treat to help Fifi's recovery

Every donation helps Fifi wag her tail again! 🐩✨

Whether you can give $5 or $500, you're helping keep this beloved piece of Baltimore's creative spirit alive and kicking (er, pedaling).

Thank you for supporting Fifi's road to recovery! 💗

Donation Perks:

AVAM will acknowledge every donation to help get the Fifis moving again! Here are the details about our acknowledgment of each level of contribution. All physical donation perks are to be picked up at the American Visionary Art Museum between February - April 2027.

SURPRISE! AVAM and Checkerspot Brewing Company are working together on a special Fifi-themed beer this spring! The Checkerspot Brewery tours for top-level sponsors will be coordinated in small groups with the Brewery and those contributing donations. We are deeply grateful to Checkerspot for this collaboration.

$3,000 - Grand Champion:
Limited-edition Fifi bumper sticker and mug; Tour and tasting of Checkerspot Brewing Company for you and 3 guests during the Fifi beer brewing window in January–February 2027; Private tour of AVAM for you + 5 guests; Credit in AVAM's Kinetic Sculpture Race eblasts (17K+ subscribers) and website (306K+ site sessions), have your very own decorated golf cart (with snacks!) during the 2027 Kinetic Sculpture Race

$1,000+ - Best in Show:
Limited-edition Fifi bumper sticker and mug; Tour and tasting of Checkerspot Brewing Company for you and 3 guests during the Fifi beer brewing window in January–February 2027; Private tour of AVAM for you + 5 guests; Credit in AVAM's Kinetic Sculpture Race eblasts and website

$500 - Vet Visit Sponsor:
Limited-edition Fifi bumper sticker and mug; Private tour of AVAM for you + 5 guests; Credit in AVAM's Kinetic Sculpture Race eblasts and website

$250 - Grooming Session:
Limited-edition Fifi bumper sticker and mug; Free AVAM Core Dual Fan membership for you or a friend

$100 - New Squeaky Toy:
Limited-edition Fifi bumper sticker and mug

$50 - Pep Talk:
Limited-edition Fifi bumper sticker

$25 - Kibble Fund:
Limited-edition foil Fifi bookmark

About the Kinetic Sculpture Race
The Kinetic Sculpture Race is a race of monumental works of art which are human-powered, all-terrain, homemade contraptions that travel over 15 miles of downtown Baltimore streets. Now in its 27th year in Baltimore, KSR commences rain or shine from 9:30 AM to an early evening finish, boasting over 32 vehicles and over 10,000 onlookers. Participants ranging from teenagers to octogenarians. Vehicles explore an annual theme in their design and theme songs, traveling through mud and sand pits at Patterson Park, the dreaded Inner Harbor waters, and the most feared hazard: Baltimore’s paved streets.

About AVAM

The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) offers an immersive journey into the boundless creativity of self-taught artists. Located along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, AVAM reimagines the museum experience as a vibrant exploration of human imagination, where monumental sculptures, intricate works, and kinetic installations fill each space with energy and discovery.

Exhibitions invite visitors into deeply personal worlds shaped by creativity, humor, spirituality, and lived experience—presenting art that challenges and inspires. Designated by Congress as the Nation’s museum for intuitive artistry, AVAM has earned national acclaim. CNN has called it “one of the most fantastic museums anywhere in America,” while readers of The Baltimore Sun and Baltimore Magazine consistently rank it among Baltimore’s leading cultural destinations.

Fifi & Baby Fifi Need Your Help!

Fifi & Baby Fifi's Vet Fund: Help Our Kinetic Poodles Pedal Again!