All rowing aboard giant pumpkins, the Giant Pumpkin Regatta is back (and the contestants’ costumes are hilarious)

It happens in Oregon: in Tualatin, a suburb of Portland, every October the city’s artificial lake is transformed into the theater of the Giant Pumpkin Regatta, a competition as absurd as it is loved. Participants do not use canoes or kayaks, but giant hand-carved pumpkins transformed into real boats.

This year the victory went to Gary Kristensen, dressed as Buddy, the protagonist of the film “Elf” with Will Ferrell. Aboard his 425 kilo pumpkin, he crossed the finish line first, to the applause of hundreds of spectators. The event, born in 2004, attracts large crowds of onlookers every year ready to cheer on contestants dressed as Elvis, Shrek, Luigi from Super Mario or even TV chefs.

Six months of cultivation to make the pumpkin ready for the event

Behind every race there is a year of work and passion. Members, like veteran Brad Bahns, dedicate six months to growing their own pumpkin, following a true agricultural art. Bahns, dressed as a “Squid Game” character, competed with a 624-pound pumpkin, the largest he has ever grown.

Before the competition, huge cranes and forklifts transport the pumpkins to the water. Then the most challenging phase begins: cutting the top, emptying the inside with spoons and bare hands, and creating the space needed to sit inside. The lighter the pumpkin, the faster it slides on the water: a detail that can make the difference between glory and inevitable sinking.

Making all this possible are the members of the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers, an association of enthusiasts who define themselves as dedicated to “fun and competitive hobby of growing huge vegetablesIn fact, watching those pumpkins sail amid the laughter of the audience, it’s hard not to think that the Giant Pumpkin Regatta perfectly represents the spirit of Oregon: creative, community and a little crazy, just like its giant floating vegetables. And we just hope that all the pulp removed is consumed and not wasted, it would be a real shame!

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