Pumpkin Avalanche & Smash Fest, Nov 6

Posted on by glenrunvv

On Sunday, November 6, we will have a little fun. The Pumpkin Avalanche is our famous “roll a bunch of pumpkin down a big hill, watch them fly to pieces and then smash the remaining pieces.”
-At 2:00pm we need volunteers to help load the wagon with pumpkins from the patch. (The more volunteers, the more pumpkins we will have to roll!)
-At 2:30, the volunteers will have a chance to roll a single pumpkin down the hill.
-At 2:45, the Official AVALANCHE will begin. Watch the pumpkins roll and tumble, flying to pieces as the force builds…
-After the “all clear” signal, the crowd will be able to enter the meadow and SMASH any remaining pumpkins.

Note: NO ONE may be in meadow during the avalanche. Please watch the avalanche from the road bank, or the adjacent pumpkin field.

Admission Fee: Bring a donation for the Octorara Food Cupboard.

Pumpkin Olympics this Saturday (Nov 9)

Posted on by glenrunvv

The Pumpkins Olympics is this Saturday, Nov 9, 11:00am – 4:00pm. We have started to set up the Pumpkin 30 games, including Giant Checkers, the new Pumpkin Derby race track and the Survivor-inspired Pumpkin Lift challenge. (Games open 11-3:00)

Giant Pumpkin Checkerboard
Survivor-inspired Pumpkin Lift challenge, mega and mini versions.

Smokin Lamas and Tree Buckets will be flinging pumpkins up to 2300ft with their amazing machines.

Punkin Chunkin’

About 3:00, The Giant Drop will feature a 818 pound beauty (grown and donated by Ken Redcay), dropped (by Null’s Towing) onto a car (donated by Fling’s Towing.) Congratulations to Seth, Isaac and Jodi for their closest weight guesses in the contest.

The day ends with the famous Pumpkin Avalanche & Smash Fest. It’s smashin’ good fun for kids & adults of all ages.

For a complete schedule, see our website or Facebook
https://facebook.com/events/2537478846484096/?ti=icl

Pumpkin Olympics 2017 a BLAST!

Posted on by glenrunvv

The artic temperature wasn’t the only BLAST on Nov 11, 2017.  The Pumpkin Olympics featured three Punkin Chunkin’ teams BLASTing pumpkins up to 2000+ feet, with the Smokin Lamas’ human-powered centrifugal machine leading the way! Chucksters and Tree Buckets also BLASTed pumpkins to the edge of the field.

Participants had a BLAST playing the 25+ pumpkin games, including the new additions of Hockey Scoop & Score, Pumpkin Pitch and Giant Pumpkin Checkers.  Pie Eating contestants BLASTed through a portion of pie, sometimes wearing more on the face than went into their mouth.

The day ended with a select group of Top Of The Hill winners rolling large pumpkins down the hill and watching them BLAST apart, and Null’s Towing BLASTing a giant pumpkin through the windshield of a Honda.  Then, the avalanche viewers witnessed 1000 pumpkins careening down the hill, BLASTing pieces high into the air.  The crowd finished off the day of fun by smashing and BLASTing the remaining pumpkins to smithereens.  Finally, the cows’ are having a BLAST cleaning up the carnage.

Pumpkin Olympics 2017

Posted on by glenrunvv

It’s coming!  Soon!  The 18th annual Pumpkin Olympics is on Sat, November 11, 11am to 4pm.  We are gearing up for a rolling, throwing, smashing good time.  See the Punkin’ Chunkers, play the games and have an awesome lunch, 11am-3pm.

At least 25 game stations will be running, for all ages to participate in the activities.  Game stations include: Pumpkin Basketball, Gourd Fishing, Pumpkin Bowling, Skee-Pumpkin, Gourd Toss, Hockey Scoop & Score, Shuffle Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bocce, Obstacle Course, Pumpkin Seed Spit, Target Shoot, Hill Roll, etc.  Stamps are earned on the “Game Station Stamp Cards” by playing 5 different games at the any of the 25 stations. (Multiple cards can be earned.)  Previous record holders & scores are posted for each game, and “Today’s Highest Scores” winners can earn a green raffle ticket, plus possibly get their name on the board for next year!.

Special Events Include:  Several pumpkin races, with prizes for winners of the 3 age categories (kids, teens, and adults).  12:20pm features the much anticipated crowning of the Pumpkin-Pie-Eating champion.  At 1pm, guest carver, Kelinda Ganow, will demonstrate a professional pumpkin carving on a 100+ pound pumpkin.  Also at 1pm, the punkin’ chunkers take a break so that fans can get a close-up look at the machines during the “Meet & Greet.” The final signature contestant at 2:30pm is the Pumpkin Throwing Finals, where the top 3 male & female pumpkin athletes in each age category, each throw 2 pumpkins to determine the Grand Prize winners. (Finalists must qualify at the Throwing station earlier in the day.)

After 3pm we shift the festivities to the meadow hill, starting with the “Top of the Hill Roll.”  Participants who guess the closest weight on the 15 large pumpkins, each win a trip to the top to roll their pumpkin down the hill.  Also, more participants win the coveted “Top of the Hill” tickets in a raffle of complete game station stamp cards, and a raffle of green highest score cards.

This year’s Giant Drop will be a 760lb pumpkin grown and donated by Ken Redcay.  Ken’s giant will be dropped by Null’s Towing, onto a car provided by Fling’s Towing.  Thanks guys!

The final portion of the meadow activities features the highly acclaimed “Pumpkin Avalanche.”  You’re in for a unique experience as you watch about 1000 pumpkins cascade and careen down the hill, flying to pieces and shooting into the air.  Look for the cloud of pumpkin juice mist as things settle down.  After every pumpkin has come to rest, the crowd is invited to smash any remaining intact pumpkin on the ground.  Who cleans up this huge mess?  Our beef cows!  They love pumpkins and will spend the next week eating to their heart’s content.  You may even see the results of pumpkin mousse on their faces.

The gate fee covers most all of the activities, except for the Pie Eating contest and Cow Patty Bingo.  ($7 per person, or $25 for a family)  All proceeds from the event go to local non-profits.  In 2016, recipients included: PCCO (Parkesburg Churches Community Outreach), Romano 4H Center, Maple Grove Mennonite Church’s community giving project, Octorara Softball Boosters, Octorara FFA, and Hans Herr FFA.  Lots of yummy food options are available also, for a fee.  Stampede Smokin BBQ will have a variety of hot food options, Maple Grove will have a a baked goods and dessert stand, and Octorara Softball will provide the drink options.