pumpkin chuck

Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck

/8 Comments/in , , /by

pumpkin chuckCary, NC – Announcing Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck, scheduled for Sunday, November 3, 2013 at Bond Park.

Pumpkin Chucking

Not familiar with a pumpkin chuck? It’s a competition where teams hurl pumpkins at targets and for distance with a homemade device called a trebuchet.

A trebuchet is like a catapult, except with a sling instead of a giant spoon.

Pumpkin chucks are also called punkin’ chuckin’ and punkin chunkin’. Don’t know why “chunking” except maybe alliteration.

trebuchet

Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck

Whatever you want to call it, Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck will happen the weekend after Halloween – Sunday, November 3, 2013. More info on CaryPumpkinChuck.com.

The venue is the Spillway in beautiful Bond Park. That’s the area between the Community Center and the lake – a hilly spot overlooking a big, flat field. It’s sometimes used for event and Spring Daze parking.

The Spillway is about 500 feet long. We’ll be using approximately 300 feet for the punkin’ chuckin’.

Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck is a co-production of Town of Cary and TechnologyTank.

Mini-Maker Fair

Cary’s Punkin’ Chuck will also have a mini-Maker Fair. Booths to be announced, but expect science, technology and DIY exhibits.

If you’d like to be an exhibitor at the event, please email Ian Henshaw.

Register

Teams are forming now! Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck is a fun, innovative experience for Scout troops, school clubs, families and hobbyists of all ages.

For more information, visit CaryPumpkinChuck.com. To register, visit EventBrite.

—————————————————————————————

Trebuchet photo for  Cub Scout Pack 101 in Cedar Valley, Texas by Irish Typepad.

8 replies
  1. Scott
    Scott says:

    Where did you come up with the notion that Cary wants to promote “this lowest-common-demoninator thing” as a negative? Personally, I think it’s wonderful that the organizers took time to consider virtually all age groups, ethnic groups, education levels, and financial capabilities of attendees. Our family is both culturally adept and educated, yet find the idea of mixing technology, outdoor activity, and mounds of ‘Ooohs and Ahhhs’ on a lovely Fall day, just plain GREAT.

    I wouldn’t dream of imposing my idea of cultural elevation on you but based on you comment, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so. You would likely not be there having any fun with us.

    Too bad it was called off. Until next year, my thanks to the organizers for the attempt.

  3. CrtclThnkr
    CrtclThnkr says:

    Really? Of all the things of events we could have, to elevate our minds and culture, Cary picks THIS??? this lowest-common-demoninator thing that promotes WASTE? What’s next, contests to see how far someone can hurl their vomit?

    • Hal Goodtree
      Hal Goodtree says:

      Interesting point of view, Carol. The idea of Cary’s Great Pumpkin Chuck was proposed by Jamie Dixon of TechnologyTank.org as a way to get people to engage with homemade technology and science. There are dozens of punkin’ chucks around the United States, making this a rather mainstream part of the DIY or “Makers” movement. That’s the “critical thinking” behind the effort. Hope you’ll come and see it yourself. Maybe you’ll be inspired to form a team and build a trebuchet.

    • Sarah
      Sarah says:

      In addition to Hal’s important points, note of course that the date is several days after Halloween — it would seem to be another use for old pumpkins that would otherwise be dumped into trashcans by many. Of course, it’s just one event amongst many, many events in Cary. You seem to suggest it’s been set up in lieu of other things instead of in addition to other events or that Cary picked “THIS” out of all the events in the world. Critical thinking may not be your forte. ;-)

  4. Gary
    Gary says:

    update:

    “Chunkin” refers to the chunks of pumpkin on the ground that result after every successful launch. If you see chunks soon after launch, before they hit ground, something went terribly wrong at launch-time.

Comments are closed.