A paratrooper leaps from the tail of a Chinook CH47 helicopter at 1,500 feet during the 2003 rendition of Leapfest, in South Kingstown.

AP / JOE GIBLIN JOE GIBLIN

Don’t just leap. Compete.

This weekend, for the 27th consecutive year, the Rhode Island National Guard conducts Leapfest, which is pretty much as it sounds: a festival of leaping parachutists — all military personnel — from this country, and several others.

This is reportedly the largest continuously conducted military parachute competition.

It may be fun to watch, but it is serious competition. Last year a team from Germany won the contest, which involves teams of four people taking three jumps from a helicopter to a target on the ground. The team with the lowest combined score (distance from the target) wins.

The event, which is free, is Saturday beginning at 7:30 a.m. and running through the afternoon, at the West Kingston Elementary School, Ministerial Road, Route 110, Kingston.

There’s also an American Jump Wings presentation at 11 a.m. Sunday at Camp Fogarty, Route 2, East Greenwich. For more information, visit www.riguard.com.