For the past 15 years, Elk Grove County’s Parks & Recreation department in California has thrown a Pumpkin Regatta on the first weekend of October. Unilad posted footage of the event on Instagram on Oct. 13, and so far the video has gotten 35,000 likes. Watch this pumpkin boat race in honor of National Pumpkin Day, Oct. 26.
The Cosumnes Parks & Recreation website explains the event, saying, “For the 15th year at the festival, courageous seafarers will race their giant pumpkin boats across the lake in the Pumpkin Regatta. If you are over 18, have access to a giant pumpkin, and think you have what it takes to cross the lake in these devious vessels, join us on the first weekend in October!”
Check-in for the event started at 9 a.m. on Oct. 8, and the race began at noon. Participants had to be at least 18 years old.
The event also included a giant pumpkin competition with the heaviest pumpkin taking home some prize money. The department provided a packet outlining the rules of the competition, one notably being that, “The Judges reserve the right to probe cracks, holes, and to dig out soft spots to judge a fruit official or not. Before the Judges can execute any of the previous they must have the grower present.”
If the two heaviest pumpkins came out as the same weight, they would “equally split the total award for the places that are tied.”
This year, prizes were sponsored by Kids Care Dental & Orthodontics and Sky River Casino.