17th VTPC - Sept. 27th, 11am - 4pm

17th Annual VTPC is just around the corner

Only 10 more days...

Countdown to 17th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

Only 24 more days until the 17th VTPC!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dave Jordan
phone: (603) 630-4800
email: Djordan@gmavt.net

Charity: Clarina Howard Nichols Center, Morrisville, VT

17th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival Takes Aim at New World Record in Stowe on September 27

STOWE, Vermont – Sept 3, 2026 – The 17th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival returns to the Stowe Events Field on Sunday, September 27, 2026, with competitors aiming to beat a world record distance of 879 feet set in 2024.

Voted USA Today’s best fall festival in the nation, this one-day event celebrates the sport of hurling pumpkins for distance using do-it-yourself, gravity-powered trebuchets. Part Soap Box Derby and part track-and-field shot put, the festival offers an incredible opportunity for kids, adults, and amateur builders to design custom catapults and engage in a family-friendly competition.

All festival proceeds directly benefit the Clarina Howard Nichols Center, a dedicated organization working to end domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking, and stalking in Lamoille County.

The festival gates open at 11:00 AM and run until 4:00 PM at 120 Weeks Hill Rd., Stowe, Vermont. The thrilling trebuchet competition features three rounds of chuckin' scheduled for 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, and 2:30 PM, with an awards ceremony immediately following the final round.

Teams will compete across four distinct divisions:

• Heavyweight
• Middleweight Open
• Middleweight Junior
• Lightweight

Participants will compete for a portion of the $800 total prize pool in the hurling contest. In each of the four hurling divisions, the top three competitors will secure cash payouts: division winners take home $100, while second and third-place finishers earn $50 and $25, respectively. A $100 cash prize is also awarded for the best overall design.

Admission and Event Details:

Tickets: Admission is $10 per person. Children aged 5 and under are free.
Parking: Parking is free, including available handicap parking.
Amenities: Seating is not provided; attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.
Restrictions: No dogs, outside food, or outside beverages are allowed on the festival grounds.

Chili Cookoff Challenge:

Festival admission is entirely free for anyone who enters the popular Chili Cookoff. To participate, contestants must bring two gallons of chili in a crockpot to the festival grounds by 11:30 AM. Attendees can purchase tasting tickets to sample the competing entries and vote for their favorites. The top three chili chefs will take home cash prizes of $100 for 1st place, $50 for 2nd place, and $25 for 3rd place.

Beyond the trebuchet action, the festival grounds will be packed with a vibrant array of autumn activities. Festival-goers can feast on local flavors from six premier food trucks and shop a diverse craft fair featuring over 40 local artisans. Providing the soundtrack for the day is a live musical lineup featuring performances by OK Commuter and John Smyth. Families can also enjoy dedicated children's activities, alongside a high-stakes volleyball tournament showcasing the top players from across the state.

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.

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