Thank You for All Your Support. It was an Incredible Day!

We will provide a detailed update of our festival in the coming days - trebuchet winners, chili cook-off winners, funds raised, t-shirt orders, etc. - but for now, we just want to say thank you to everyone who attended the 15th Annual VT Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival and supported the Clarina Howard Nichols Center! It was an incredible day, and we hope you all had fun!

VTPC Schedule of Activities: Sunday, September 29th

We pack lots of action and activities into our short 1-day festival. You are all invited to stop in next Sunday, Sept. 29th at the Stowe Events Field, 120 Weeks Hill Rd., Stowe, VT, and support a very worthy cause: The Clarina Howard Nichols Center

Chili Cook-Off at Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

Are you undecided about whether to compete in the chili cook-off? Need a little extra incentive? We've added a new prize - in addition to $100, the 1st place winner will receive a gift certificate for a free 3-course meal for two, prepared in your home by the personal chefs from G Willikers Catering! Thank you G Willikers Catering for donating this prize!

To compete - Bring two gallons of chili (and a crock pot to keep it warm) to the event by 11:30am. Beginning at noon, event attendees pay $5 to taste samples of the chili and vote for their favorite. Cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25 are awarded to the top three vote-getters.

 
The $10 event entrance fee is waived for chili competitors.

The Craft Fair at Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

Just one more reason to attend the 15th Annual VT Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival - an amazing craft fair! See you there next Sunday, September 29th.

Food Trucks at the 15th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

We have a great lineup of food vendors at this year's festival on Sunday, September 29th:

The Melted Cheesiere, Hook & Peel Mobile Pizza Kitchen, Deb's Place, Stowe Sandwich Company, El Gato Cantina, streettreatsvt, Jenna's Promise Roasting Co., Mediterranean Mix

12 Days Until our 15th Annual VT Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

Kirkland the Band performing at VT Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

In case you missed it. We are so lucky to have Kirkland the Band performing at our 15th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival on Sunday, September 29th at Mayo Farm Events Field, Stowe, VT!

Kirkland the Band Live at Pumpkin Chuckin' Fest
Stowe, Vt - Sunday, September 29, 2024

Here we go for the 15th Time - September 29th, 2024

15th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival is in 30 days!

Only a few summer days left to build your trebuchet and chuck your way to fame and riches. $200 top prize for the best trebuchet design, $100 for the winner of each division, and $100 to the winner of the Citizen’s Choice Chili Cookoff.

Here is our press release talking about all the great stuff going on at the festival:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact person: Dave Jordan
phone: (603) 630-4800
email: Djordan@gmavt.net
blog: VTPumpkinChuckin.blogspot.com
Charity: Clarina Howard Nichols Center, Morrisville, VT

15th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival

Held at the Stowe Events Field, Weeks Hill Road in Stowe, VT

Proceeds of the September 29th event to benefit the Clarina Howard Nichols Center

Stowe, Vermont / Aug. 30, 2024: This year marks 15 years of the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival, awarded USA Today’s best fall festival in the nation. This festival celebrates the sport of chuckin' pumpkins for distance, using a do-it-yourself constructed trebuchet, which is a gravity-powered catapult. The event is a cross between a Soap Box Derby competition involving amateur building skills and a shot put contest. This is a great opportunity for kids and adults to design and build something and engage in some family-friendly competition.

The festival is a one-day event that benefits the Clarina Howard Nichols Center’s work to end domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, and stalking in Lamoille County.

Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 29, 2024. The festival runs from 11am to 4pm and features 3 rounds of chuckin' at 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm, with awards shortly after the last round. Cash prizes are awarded in each division and for the best overall design.

Bring your appetite for 6 food trucks and your craft appreciation for over 40 craft vendors. Round out the action are 2 bands, Kirkland The Band and John Smyth, a giant robot roaming the field, kid activities, Infoman from Montreal, and a volleyball tournament featuring the best players in the state.

Admission to the festival is $10, and children 5 years and younger are admitted for free. Parking is free. Handicap parking is available, but no seating is provided. Feel free to bring chairs or blankets. No dogs, outside food, or beverages are allowed at the event.

Admission is free if you enter the Chili Cookoff. To enter bring 2 gallons of chili in a crock pot. Attendees will pay to sample the various chilis and vote for their favorites. Chili must be onsite by 11:30am. The top three chilis will win a cash prize.

INFO: Specifications, rules, and entry information can be found on the festival blog at VTPumpkinChuckin.blogspot.com or contact the festival organizer at Djordan@gmavt.net.

You may see another record fall; in 2009 the winning throw was 139 feet, and last year the winning throw was 861 feet! Here is a table showing the past winners of the event:

year -- feet - captain --- design

2009 - 139 - Dave Barrows - standard
2010 - 230 - Wayne Powell - standard
2011 - 381 - SUNY Plattsburgh - floating arm
2012 - 438 - Dwight Snowberger - floating arm
2013 - 596 - Dwight Snowberger - floating arm
2014 - 514 - Don Jordan - King Arthur
2015 - 520 - Chris McGrody - floating arm
2016 - 689 - Dave Jordan - King Arthur
2017 - 509 - Ray Chamberlain - floating arm
2018 - 780 - Orion Stapleton - walking arm
2019 - 658 - Orion Stapleton - walking arm
2020 - Cancelled due to Covid
2021 - 750 - Jonathan Stapleton walking arm
2022 - 810 - Orion Stapleton - walking arm
2023 - 861 - Jonathan Stapleton - walking arm