Giant pumpkin regatta makes a splash in Oregon

The annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, now in its twenty-first edition, drew crowds eager to see competitors turn enormous gourds — some weighing over 1,000 pounds — into colourful floating boats.

The event, first held in 2004, celebrates the region’s pumpkin growers and creative spirit. Using forklifts, organisers carefully lowered the massive pumpkins into the water before racers carved out their interiors, transforming them into makeshift vessels. Participants dressed in elaborate costumes — from elves to video game characters — competed in a series of friendly races, cheered on by hundreds of spectators lining the lake’s banks.

The regatta is supported by the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers association, whose members cultivate the colossal pumpkins throughout the year. Beyond the spectacle, the event has become a seasonal tradition that marks the start of autumn festivities in Oregon. For both growers and racers, the regatta combines sport, agriculture, and community celebration in one of the region’s most unusual and entertaining annual gatherings.