Goffstown Giant Pumpkin Regatta

Fall in New England means picking, carving, and eating pumpkins. And in this small New Hampshire town, it also means racing in them.

Every October, the people of Goffstown come prepared with the biggest pumpkins they were able to grow. The gigantic gourds, which weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds, are the crown jewels of the town’s fall festivities. But their size isn’t what’s most impressive—it’s what locals do with the supersized squash that really steals the show.

Once these prized pumpkins are weighed, they get sliced, scooped, and transformed into boats. Brave racers climb aboard these unlikely vessels and get ready to race down the river as part of the annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta.

Different groups like members of the various town departments and businesses participate in this silly bit of fruity fun. Costumed racers decorate their pumpkin boats in whimsical ways, so viewers each year never know what to expect to see splashing downriver.

The regatta is part of an entire weekend festival, which includes other fall-themed events like apple sling shots, pie eating contests, and of course, pumpkin carving.