Getting on the scale can often bring up feelings of insecurity, but on Saturday, farmers will be excited to get their pumpkins weighed in at Davison Orchards to kickoff the Great Pumpkin Classic.
And this year’s events will be in the spotlight as a film crew from South Korea will be featuring the Great Vernon Pumpkin Race at Kin Beach on Oct. 26 in an upcoming documentary as part of its travel segment.
EBS Documentary and its host JW Lee will be filming the event for its World Travel Theme program to show to its 1.2 million YouTube subscribers.
City of Vernon communications manager Christy Poirier said the foreign film crew’s interest in the area is “just one example of how Vernon is recognized as a four-season playground.” And it underscores the hard work put in by the Tourism Vernon team, “year-round to promote our great region.”
“Since January, local growers have been nurturing giant pumpkins—meaning pumpkins that weigh at least 100 pounds—and now their work is about to pay off,” Tourism Vernon manager Ange Chew said.
These proud pumpkin parents will weigh the fruits of their labour on Oct. 19, at 11 a.m., and after, they can decide whether they’d like to keep their gourd or hollow it out and transform it into a boat for the Great Vernon Pumpkin Race.
Green-thumb growers can even opt to give it to someone else to race in the event co-sponsored by John Deak Realty.
If extra pumpkins are available before the race, they will be offered for corporate sponsorship for $500 per pumpkin. All funds will go towards the Vernon Starfish Pack program—a project started by the Rotary Club.
Paddles and wetsuits will be provided by Elements Adventures and a safety canoe will be nearby in case some unlucky pumpkins can’t stay afloat.
Following the fun of the pumpkin race—which takes off at 1 p.m. next Saturday—the gourds will be composted or delivered to the bunny and donkey sanctuary as sweet treats.
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