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
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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