Oregon Town Turns Giant Pumpkins Into Boats for a Quirky Fall Tradition
Fall is generally thought of as the season when people “pumpkin all the things.” And while that joke generally pertains to foods and scents (like the beloved pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin-scented candles), it means something else in one Oregon town.
According to a Facebook post from kerws.onthego, Tualatin, Oregon, hosts an annual pumpkin regatta. For those unfamiliar with the term, a regatta is a series of boat races that typically takes place using rowboats. However, in Tualatin, they do things a little bit differently and use giant pumpkins instead.
And that’s not all; rowers tend to get in on the fun as well, donning Halloween costumes while they are competing to see who can sail their pumpkin the fastest.
The Tualatin race has already taken place, as have most of the other regattas for this year. That being said, if you find an event happening near where you live, you can always plan to attend one next year instead.
The Oregon Pumpkin Regatta is a Beloved Tradition
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People are really falling for Oregon’s unique regatta tradition. According to the post, the event happens annually on the Lake of the Commons. There is no admission charge to watch the race, and they run from 12 until 2 p.m.
A post from Instagrammer daniee.marieee even showed how they carve the giant boats, which it looks like they do right ahead of the race as people gather to watch the show.
But that’s not the only fun spectators can have when they attend the race. There is also food, live entertainment, and other pumpkin-based activities, including pumpkin bowling and pumpkin golf! “You see costumed paddlers, pumpkin-themed activities, food vendors, and live entertainment,” the video’s caption says. “The perfect mix of Halloween vibes and community fun. It’s a must-see October event!”
Other Towns Host Similar Events
You don’t have to live on the West Coast to attend a pumpkin regatta since there are a lot of U.S. cities and towns that host their own. In addition to the Tualatin one, there are also races hosted in Damariscotta, Maine; Goffstown, New Hampshire; South Jordan, Utah; Mayville, New York; and Elk Grove, California.
However, if you want to attend, you’ll need to plan, according to the Washington Post. That’s because these events tend to be held at the very start of October so that they can be timed with the harvesting of the massive gourds that are used as boats for the races.
That means now may be the best time to start figuring out where you’ll need to go if you want to watch a pumpkin regatta next October.
