Giant floating pumpkin races attract large crowds to the annual event in Oregon

Gary Christensen raised his kayak paddle into the air in triumph, and celebrated as he crossed the finish line, triumphant in his giant floating pumpkin.

Christensen, dressed as the character Buddy from Will Ferrell’s holiday movie “Elf,” won the first race at the annual event over the weekend in Tualatin, Oregon. The Portland suburb has been hosting the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta since 2004, drawing large crowds cheering on costumed participants as they race around a small man-made lake in giant pumpkins that have been carved out, allowing them to float.

“You have an exciting activity that the crowd loves, you have the costumes, people cheering, the spectacle, the sinking of the pumpkin, it has it all,” Christensen said after winning the first race of Sunday’s event in a 936-pound pumpkin.

For Christensen, who has been competing in the regatta since 2013, the activity has become more than just an annual event. Earlier this year, A Guinness Book of World Records for the longest pumpkin boat ride after paddling 58 miles on the Columbia River – breaking the record he set the previous year.

This specialized endeavor also became a passion for Brad Bahns, who competed in his fourth regatta dressed as a character from the TV series “Squid Game.” He described the joy of growing his own pumpkins — which took six months — and “reaching the height of the season by putting them in the lake and paddling with our friends.”

At 1,376 pounds, this year’s pumpkin was a personal record for him.

“It’s kind of addictive at this point,” he said.

In the early morning rain, before the races began, workers operated forklifts and heavy machinery to lift the huge pumpkins and transport them to the water. Farmers and competitors then used saws and knives to cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin, scooping out the sticky insides with spoons, scrapers and their bare hands so they could sit inside.

The more internal parts are removed, the lighter the pumpkin becomes, giving its pilot a competitive advantage by allowing faster travel. By the time the carving was done, there were enough discarded seeds and pulp to fill a trash can.

Members of the Giant Pacific Vegetable Growers, which grow pumpkins for the regatta, were the competitors in the first race. On its website, the Gardening Society describes itself as “focusing on the fun-filled, competitive hobby of growing obscenely large vegetables.”

On board pumpkins in different orange and yellow colors, their costumes varied from Famous chef Guy Fieri And a UPS delivery guy with cardboard boxes stacked on the back of his Elvis pumpkin and a guy in a hot dog suit. There was a guy dressed as Luigi, the character from Nintendo’s Mario games, wearing a hat and a green shirt, and he had a green pumpkin to match.

In another race, one participant dressed as Shrek and had green face paint, reflecting some fans in the audience who also dressed as the beloved ghoul from popular films.

When asked what it takes to grow a huge pumpkin, Christensen shared his simple recipe for success: “Good seeds, good soil, good luck, hard work.”