Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival
14th Annual Festival ——— Sunday, October 1, 2023 ——— Mayo Farm Event Fields, 120 Weeks Hill Rd, Stowe, Vermont 05672
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Craft Fair Vendors
Thursday, September 7, 2023
Pumpkin Chuckin' 2023 - Sunday, October 1st - Schedule of Events
8:00 AM:
- Trebuchet contestants begin setting up
- Volleyball set up and registration
9:00 AM:
- Volleyball tournament begins
11:00 AM:
- Doors open to public
- Food trucks open
- Craft Fair starts
- John Smyth (local singer/songwriter) begins performing
- Kid activities start
- Trebuchet registration
11:30AM:
- Deadline for Chili Cookoff contestants
- Giant Robot demo
11:45 AM:
- Kirkland the Band begins performing
12:00 PM:
- Festival introduction covering rules and motivation for event
- Chili Cookoff starts: Tastings begin, public vote for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place
12:30 PM:
- First round of chuckin'
- Announcing by Sean Morrissey and Jake St. Pierre from the award winning local
- TV program “Grand Isle Back Yard”
- Stowe track team provides accurate measurement of shot distance
1:15 PM:
- Giant Robot demo
1:30 PM:
- Second round of chuckin'
2:00 PM:
- End of Chili Cookoff
2:15 PM:
- Announce Winners of Chili Cookoff
2:30 PM:
- Third round of chuckin'
3:30 PM:
- Announce winners of Lightweight, Middleweight Junior, Middleweight Open and Heavyweight divisions and Grand prize awarded to most efficient trebuchet across all divisions.
3:45 PM:
- Kirkland the band plays
4:00 PM:
- Winners of volleyball tournament announced
- Craft fair ends
- Food trucks close
- Kid activities end
- Festival closes
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Press Release: 14th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Person: Dave Jordan
Phone: 603-630-4800
Email: Djordan@gmavt.net
Website: VTPumpkinChuckin.blogspot.com
Charity name: Clarina Howard Nichols Center, Morrisville, VT
14th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival
Held at the Stowe Events Field, Weeks Hill Road in Stowe, VT
Proceeds of October 1st event to benefit Clarina Howard Nichols Center
The VTPC Festival is a one-day event that benefits the Clarina Howard Nichols Center. Founded in 1981, the Center works to end domestic and sexual violence in Lamoille County.
Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 1st, 2023. The Festival runs from 11am to 4pm and features three rounds of competitive pumpkin chuckin at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm, with awards shortly after the last round. No dogs, outside food or beverage are allowed at the event.
New to the festival this year is a craft fair with over 20 crafters already signed up. Attendees can purchase amazing Vermont made products including candles, jewelry, maple syrup, pottery, art work, clothing, and so much more. Last year’s 3 food trucks were a big success so we’ve expanded to 6 this year. Bring your appetite and enjoy food from Vermont vendors – The Melted Cheesiere, Taco Truck All Stars, Pizza Bottega, Mediterranean Mix, Green Mountain Kettle Corn, and Street Treats Ice Cream Truck.
Back again from last year are announcers Sean Morrissey and Jake St. Pierre of the award-winning local TV program “Grand Isle Back Yard”. Along with the pumpkin chuckin’ contest there will be live music, a chili cook-off with cash prizes, a giant robot demo and kids’ activities; all creating an enjoyable fall day. Music for this year’s festival will be provided by two bands: Kirkland the band and John Smyth. Green Mountain Volleyball will be running a volleyball tournament featuring the best players in the state. Check their website at gmvb.com for details. There is plenty of time to build a fine trebuchet or prepare your best chili for the chili cook off. Pre-registration is not required for the trebuchet contest or chili cook off.
It costs $10 to enter the festival if you are a spectator, trebuchet or volleyball competitor, but you get in free if you make 2 gallons of chili and compete in the chili cookoff. Chili must be on-site by 11:30am. Entrance is free for children 5 years and younger and parking is free.
INFO: Specifications, rules, and entry information can be found on the festival’s website at www.vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com or contact the festival organizer Dave Jordan, at Djordan@gmavt.net
Monday, July 31, 2023
The Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival Will Include a Craft Fair
Here is our call for crafters that we put out on the Vermont Front Porch Forum:
Michelin Cote • Maple St, Morrisville
Announcement Event
When: Oct 1, 2023, 11 AM to 4 PM
The 14th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival will take place on Sunday October 1st from 11:00am – 4:00pm at the Stowe Events Field on Weeks Hill Road in Stowe. The festival celebrates the sport of "chuckin" pumpkins, for distance, using a do-it-yourself constructed trebuchet, which is a gravity powered catapult. The festival raises critical funds to support the Clarina Howard Nichols Center's work of ending domestic and sexual violence in Lamoille County.
New to the festival this year, is a craft fair! We are inviting area crafters to join us for this family-friendly event. Approximately 1,000 locals and tourists generally attend this event. Download the craft vendor application and return it with payment by September 1st. Spaces are 10x10 spaces outside. The cost is $25 per space (non-refundable). Tents, tables, and chairs are not provided and electricity is not available. Set up starts at 9am. If you have questions about the craft fair, please email chndrivevt@gmail.com.
Public admission to the festival is $10 (5 years and under are free). Parking is free. In addition to the pumpkin chuckin' and craft fair, a variety of food trucks will be on-site selling delicious items including pizza, tacos, and sandwiches. There will also be live music, a chili cook-off, and kids' activities.
For more information about the festival including specifications, rules, and pumpkin chuckin' entry, go to vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com or contact the festival organizer Dave Jordan, at Djordan@gmavt.net
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
October 1st, 2023 - New date for 14th Annual VTPC
Short announcement: This year's 14th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023. This change from September 24th was due to a scheduling conflict at Stowe.
So now there are just over 7 months, or only 215 days until our 14th Annual VTPC. The festival is again at the Mayo Farm Event Fields, 120 Weeks Hill Rd, Stowe, Vermont.
- Date: October 1, 2023
- Time: 11am - 4pm (1st round starts at 12:30)
- Free Parking
- Admission: $10 for ages 6 and over, free for 5 and under. Proceeds benefit the Clarina Howard Nichols Center in Morrisville, VT.
- Please feel free to bring umbrellas, chairs or blankets. But please no dogs or outside food or beverages.
Remember the VTPC is the USA Today Reader's Choice Best Fall Festival!!
See you all there!
Thursday, January 12, 2023
No off-season for Worldwide Catapulters, Pumpkin Chuckers, and Siege Engineers!
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Results of Sept. 25th, 2022 — 13th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival
We had a mostly clear day at the Mayo Event Fields in Stowe for the thirteenth annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival with 9 teams competing in the chuck, 4 teams in the Chili Cookoff, 3 food trucks, 31 volunteers and over 1000 spectators enjoying the chuckin', chili, food, band, kid activities, volleyball tournament, games and a tortoise roaming the field. We believe we have the longest active running trebuchet contest in the US. Over $14,000 was raised for the Clarina Howard Nichols Center (Morrisville) whose staff and volunteers did an amazing job running the festival. The Clarina Howard Nichols Center is doing great work combating domestic and sexual violence and they did a fantastic job running the festival for the fourth year in a row!