Pumpkin regatta

A pumpkin regatta is a water-based racing competitions where competitors row in giant pumpkins, often over 1,000 pounds.[1] The events often coincide with fall festivals and Halloween celebrations.[2][3]

History

The first pumpkin regatta was organized by Danny Dill and held in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1999.[4] The launch of the Windsor Pumpkin Regatta then inspired the creation of pumpkin boat races across the United States. By 2001, a pumpkin regatta was hosted in Goffstown, New Hampshire.[5] In 2004, Ron Wilson and Jim Sherwood launched the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, which has been held in Tualatin, Oregon annually.[2][4] In 2005, pumpkin regattas were held in Maine, on the Damariscotta River, and on Lake Mendota, Wisconsin.[3][6] The Wisconsin regatta is organized by horticulture faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.[6] The regattas now regularly feature thousands of spectators and are attended by people from across the United States and Canada.[2] Pumpkin regattas have also been held in Burlington, Vermont; Taunton, Massachusetts; and in the United Kingdom and Germany.[7][8][1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Michelle.Williams@MassLive.com, Michelle Williams | (2016-09-06). "Massachusetts man paddles 1,240-pound pumpkin down Taunton River, sets world record". masslive. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  2. ^ a b c "At this regatta, boats are giant pumpkins. It's as chaotic as it sounds". The Washington Post. 2025-10-22. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  3. ^ a b "Pumpkin boat regatta highlights annual festival in Damariscotta". The Portland Press Herald. 2025-10-12. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  4. ^ a b Timiraos, Nick (2007-10-20). "Out of Their Gourds? Paddling Pumpkins On Lake Pesaquid - WSJ". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  5. ^ Staff, Zachary Marano Union Leader (2025-10-20). "Pumpkin Regatta draws hundreds to Goffstown". UnionLeader.com. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  6. ^ a b "Giant Pumpkin Regatta". Goldman Lab - Carrot, Onion, and Table Beet Breeding and Genetics | UW Madison. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  7. ^ Boardman, Brian (2009-10-07). "Burlington VT - Pumkin Regatta". Brian Boardman Group. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  8. ^ Spilman, Rick (2016-10-31). "Giant Pumpkin Paddling ! The Next Big Thing?". Old Salt Blog. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
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