Punkin chunkin facts for kids

"Big 10 Inch" takes a world record shot in Moab, Utah, September 9, 2010

Punkin chunkin (also called pumpkin chucking) is a super fun sport! It's all about launching a pumpkin as far as you can. But there's a catch: you can only use machines! Think of awesome devices like slingshots, catapults, centrifugals, trebuchets, and powerful air cannons.

These cool competitions happen all over the United States. They usually take place in the fall, especially in early November. It's a great way to use up all those extra pumpkins after Halloween. The biggest event used to be the World Championship Punkin Chunkin. It was held every year in Delaware from 1985 to 2013. After that, some problems caused the event to be canceled often. Now, it happens less regularly. There's also a European Championship held every year in Bikschote, Belgium since 2004.

The world record for the longest pumpkin launch belongs to a machine called "Big 10 Inch." It launched a pumpkin an amazing 5,545.43 feet (1,690.25 m)! This happened on September 9, 2010, in Moab, Utah. The record was officially confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2011. "Big 10 Inch" has also competed many times at the World Championship in Delaware.

The record at the World Championship event itself is held by Team American Chunker. They launched a pumpkin 4,694.68 feet (1,430.94 m) on November 1, 2013. This happened in Bridgeville, Delaware. Why the difference in distances? The air in Utah is higher, thinner, and drier. This means less air resistance, so pumpkins can fly farther!

How far a pumpkin flies depends on many things. It depends on the pumpkin's weight, shape, and size. It also depends on the machine's strength, how stiff it is, and its launch angle. Even the weather plays a part! The type of pumpkin is also very important. "Casper," "Lumina," and "La Estrella" are popular choices. These pumpkins have thicker skins. This helps them stay whole when launched with great force.

A key rule in these contests is that the pumpkin must stay in one piece. It has to be whole when it leaves the machine and until it hits the ground. If a pumpkin bursts in the air, it's called "pie." These "pie" launches are not counted in the official results.

Many other Punkin Chunkin events happen across the United States. You can find active yearly contests in places like Clayton, New York, Ellicottville, New York, and Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County, Pennsylvania.

There's also a different type of competition called a pumpkin shoot. Instead of distance, this one is about accuracy. Competitors try to hit a specific target. A "Great Pumpkin Shoot" has been held in Olean, New York almost every year since 2010.

World Championship Punkin Chunkin: The Big Event

"Yankee Siege" trebuchet, from New Hampshire, at 2008 Punkin' Chunkin'

The World Championship Punkin Chunkin (WCPC) was a famous yearly contest. It took place in Delaware from 1986 to 2013, and again in 2016. It was managed by the World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA).

Teams competed in many different groups. These included Air Cannon, Catapult, Trebuchet, and even Human Powered machines. There were also special groups for youth teams. Most groups competed to see who could launch a pumpkin the farthest. But the "Theatrical" group was different. They relied on a fan vote for their performance!

Each team got three chances to launch their pumpkin. They took one shot on each of three days. Only a team's longest shot counted for the official results. Spotters on ATVs would find where the pumpkin landed. Then, a professional surveyor used GPS to figure out the exact distance. They marked the landing spot with colored spray paint.

The event was more than just pumpkin launching. It also had fun amusement rides and lots of food. There were fireworks, live music, and even a pumpkin cooking contest! Plus, a chili cook-off and the Miss Punkin Chunkin pageant added to the excitement.

The first event was held in 1986 in Lewes, Delaware. As the event grew, it needed more space. The pumpkins flew farther, more teams joined, and more people came to watch. So, new locations in Sussex County were needed. In 2007, the WCPC moved to Bridgeville. This new spot was near the intersection of Seashore Highway and Chaplains Chapel Road. About 75 teams competed that year. More than 20,000 people attended. The event made over $800,000 from ticket sales and other income. Over 70% of that money was given to different community groups.

In 2014, the event planned to move to Dover International Speedway in Dover. However, the 2014 event was canceled. The speedway didn't have a long enough straight path for the pumpkins to fly the required distance. There were also concerns that the contest might stop forever due to insurance problems.

After thinking about moving to Maryland, the organizers decided to bring the World Championship back to Bridgeville in 2016. They had solved the insurance issues.

No World Championship was held in 2017. This was due to another legal issue related to an injury. Before canceling, organizers had hinted that 2017 might be the last championship. The event also didn't happen in 2018.

In May 2019, the World Championship announced a new plan. They would move to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois for 2019. Organizers said Illinois offered better legal protection. Illinois is also a top pumpkin-growing state. The former air force base was a brownfield site. This meant it didn't need to be cleared of crops. So, the event could happen earlier in the season. Police and fire protection costs were also lower.

The 2019 World Championship was smaller. Many teams from Delaware didn't want to travel so far. This made the event more personal for spectators. They could visit the teams before the competition. But the organizers thought they might lose money that year.

For 2020, organizers wanted to return to the eastern United States. But coronavirus rules made it impossible. They also couldn't find a host state with "favorable liability laws." They decided not to hold the event in 2021 either. They mentioned "many obstacles" in their path. They felt that some groups in Delaware would prevent the event from returning there. They also said it was against the law to host the event in Maryland because of gun laws. This limited their options for returning to Delmarva.

The organizers hoped to return in 2022. They were looking at North Carolina for its legal protections. They also wanted to talk with officials in Virginia. If the event couldn't happen in 2022, they said it might be "effectively over." They might need to "rebuild the World Championship Punkin Chunkin from the ground up."

Television Coverage of Punkin Chunkin

Pumpkin chucking, Pumpkin chucked from trebuchet in Ohio

The Science Channel showed the World Championship from 2009 to 2016. They even signed a new contract to continue coverage through 2016. In 2009 and 2010, the "Punkin Chunkin" special aired on Thanksgiving Day. Each year, there was also an hour-long show called "Road to the Chunk." This show aired before the main event. Older contests were often shown around Halloween.

The first TV special about Punkin Chunkin was on the Discovery Channel in 2002. It was hosted by Bryan Callen. After six years, Punkin Chunkin returned to TV in 2008 on the Science Channel. Brad Sherwood hosted that one-hour program. In 2009, there were two episodes. They covered teams getting ready and then the event itself. Zach Selwyn and Mike Senese hosted these. In 2010, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage from MythBusters hosted. From 2011 to 2013, the "Build Team" from MythBusters hosted. These were Tory Belleci, Kari Byron, and Grant Imahara. In 2014 and 2015, clip shows of past events aired.

During the filming of the 2016 event, one of the air cannons had a problem. Pieces of metal flew off and hit a TV production staff member. She was seriously hurt. After this, the Science Channel decided to stop filming. They did not air Punkin Chunkin that year. The staff member is believed to have recovered. She filed a legal case against the WCPCA and others in 2017. This led to the cancellation of the 2017 World Championship. The legal case was dismissed in early 2019.

The 2019 event was not shown on regular TV. Instead, the organizers streamed most of the fun on Facebook Live.

World Championship Punkin Chunkin Champions

World Championship Punkin Chunkin Records by Machine Type