The gourd, the bad, and the ugly set sail in Oregon at the state’s annual pumpkin regatta in Tualatin.
Hosted since 2004, the rowing race sees competitors dress up as characters from Elvis or a hot dog, to Guy Fieri and a UPS delivery man, and take to the water in a pumpkin they have grown.
Contestants spend the morning carving their pumpkin out to make it ready for the waters. The more innards that are removed, the lighter the pumpkin becomes, giving its captain a competitive edge by allowing swifter travel.
The pumpkins are grown locally, often by the same farmers competing in the race. When asked what it takes to grow a massive pumpkin, one competitor shared his simple recipe for success: “Good seeds, good soil, good luck, hard work.”
