What screams fall more than climbing into a 1000-pound pumpkin dressed as a disco ball? Over 20,000 people from around the country ask themselves this every October, at the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta. This unique event began in 2004 and has been ongoing for over 20 years. Over the last two decades, this yearly celebration has become a booming tourist destination.
The end of the pumpkin-growing season falls in October — no pun intended. Members of the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers (PGVG) found themselves lacking a way to celebrate their new harvest of giant pumpkins. That was, until they decided to turn them into boats and paddle across Tualatin Lake in Tualatin, OR.
Over time, this celebration has evolved into what is now the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, a fall festival on the third weekend of October. The event begins with a giant vegetable weigh-off at Stickmen Brewing Company on Oct. 18 from noon to 5 p.m.. The contest is open to anyone who believes they possess the heftiest harvest worthy of the cash prize.
October 19 is the day of the most festivities, starting with a quarter-mile race for kids at 8:45 a.m., followed by an all-age 5k race at 9:00 a.m.. Held at Tualatin Community Park, these scenic races help fund scholarships for first-generation college students through Tualatin Rotary.
An hour later, the main attraction begins- the regatta. Surrounding the lake are an abundance of festive stalls and pumpkin-themed games. “It’s just a spectacle,” says Gary Kristensen, a member of the PGVG. “[It’s] something different and joyful. [I] love everything about it: The costumes, the competition, and the other entertainment around the lake.” In past years, the games have included pumpkin bowling, pumpkin golf, pumpkin checkers, pumpkin carving, face painting, and a costume contest.
Pushing past the crowds into the center of the plaza reveals front row seats to various paddling races, all utilizing hollowed giant pumpkins. Prospective competitors must enter into an online lottery called the Giant Pumpkin Paddling Quest for a chance to score one of the 20 available racing spots. However, with the unpredictability of growing, racers won’t know if they’re racing until the day of the festival, when it’s confirmed that their pumpkin is intact.
“It’s wet and slimy,” says Olivia Braveboy, social media manager of the PGVG, regarding the inside of the pumpkin. “My first pumpkin was a really funny shape … so [I] was folded like a pretzel inside of it.”
Paddling such an unusual vessel does not come without its challenges. “Last year there was a breeze that hit the lake, and there were times when I was paddling very hard and my pumpkin was literally going backward,” says Braveboy, who has raced twice. Kristensen says, “It’s surprising to me that the shape and size of the pumpkin have more to do with how fast the pumpkin is than the person paddling it.” He seems to have gained a reputation among the other members of the club for his sheer determination to win.
Kristensen has taken advantage of being a pumpkin grower for the regatta by applying different techniques to make his pumpkin as raceable as possible. “Ideally, you’re in around the 6-800 pound range,” says Braveboy. Thus, to lighten his pumpkin, Kristensen scrapes the insides as much as possible. In addition, he grows them to be a more boat-like shape. “They [normally] grow tall and skinny, and that doesn’t make a very good boat. But ones that are shaped like a barrel make a really good boat,” he says.
At this point, he has won the regatta race four times and set the world record for the longest distance paddled in a pumpkin at 58.57 miles. The story behind his success will be showcased at the festival in an OPB documentary premiering at 2 p.m. on Oct. 19.
Not only is paddling a giant pumpkin hard, but so is growing one. Braveboy says, “I would think of them as … being a purebred dog, in that they’re a little more susceptible to disease.” Growing giant pumpkins takes a lot of space, time, and energy, all while promising nothing but uncertainty. “Last year, my pumpkin cracked, but it was more than 1000 pounds,” she adds. When they grow successfully, they can reach even larger sizes — PGVG member Jim Sherwood’s 2453-pound pumpkin from last year is enough to prove it.
Apart from the giant pumpkins, the festival is a spectacle in itself. “There’s not a lot of events like it … It’s just enough of that kind of whimsy and crazy … that it just hits right,” says Braveboy. The festival provides access to a multitude of autumnal activities, refreshments, and entertainment free of charge. Cheering for races until your voice is hoarse creates the sense of community and connection that this festival is all about — as Heidi Marx, program coordinator of the event, states, “My favorite part of the job is on the day of the event, where I can look around the lake and see thousands of people with their phones out ready to take pictures.”
What started as a casual celebration among community members has reached a national audience and will likely continue to be a fall staple for years to come. Although there are other pumpkin regattas around the country, Kristensen says the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta is “the biggest and the best.”
