WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The 18th Annual Wright-Patterson AFB Pumpkin Chuck will launch orange gourds thousands of feet on the grounds behind the National Museum of the United States Air Force Oct. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Entry to the event is free and open to all base personnel and the general public through the Spinning Road gate located at the intersection of Spinning and Airway roads.
The Pumpkin Chuck is an Air Force Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) event put on annually by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Engineering directorate.
The competition is broken into three classes of pumpkin-flinging machines. Class A machines are the largest and most complicated, launching 8 to 10-pound pumpkins several thousand feet, while Class B machines hurl smaller 2-pound orange squashes. Class C are human-powered machines where teams can sign-up onsite to compete on a novice-friendly version, if they don’t want to build their own.
There will also be a STEM-focused area where visitors can learn about the physics of the machines, calculate expected ranges and speeds and then try it out for themselves on kid-friendly versions. Guests can also get hands-on experiences with creating and flying straw rockets as well as learning from local competitive robotics teams.
Visitors to Pumpkin Chuck can also enjoy music, pumpkin decorating, food trucks and a pie eating contest.
Below is a proposed agenda for the event: (Start times are subject to change)
0700: Gates Open for Class A/B Machine Setup
0900: Food Trucks Arrive for Setup
1030: Safety Checks and Brief for Chucker’s
1100: Food Trucks Open for Business
1115: Opening Remarks
1130: National Anthem
1145: First Round of Pumpkin Launches
1330: Cease Fire Machine Tour
1400: Last Round of Pumpkin Launches
1500: Cease Fire for Final Results
1530: Award Ceremony
1600: Cleanup and Machine Tear Down
Note for Media – Journalists are invited to cover the event and must contact the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs at 904-557-1094 no later than 2 p.m. Oct. 5 to RSVP. Media covering the event must meet a Public Affairs escort in the Spinning Road parking lot at the entrance to the chucking field.