Pumpkin Chuck Returns to Stanbery Park Nov. 7
The 20th annual Pumpkin Chuck Festival is Saturday, Nov. 7, from noon to 5 p.m. at Stanbery Park in Mt. Washington. Admission is free. The Mt. Washington Community Council puts it on every year, and the premise is simple: bring your leftover jack-o’-lantern and watch it get launched down a hill by a medieval siege engine. The festival runs rain or shine.
Launch Pumpkins with a Trebuchet
A trebuchet is a medieval-style catapult that uses a heavy counterweight to fling objects a long way. At Pumpkin Chuck, those objects are pumpkins, and the landing zone is Stanbery’s big hill.
- $5 – Pull the trigger and launch a random pumpkin.
- $20 – Skip the line and launch your own pumpkin.
Proceeds benefit the Mt. Washington Community Council and the Stanbery Park Advisory Council.
Food, Drinks and Everything Else
There’s more to do between launches than stand at the bottom of the hill and cheer.
- Food trucks: Kabobske, Steak It Eazy, Beverly Ann’s Cookie Truck and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck.
- Local craft beer for the grown-ups.
- Live music and entertainment throughout the afternoon.
- A craft fair from The Potted Palm with local vendors.
- Compostable containers and utensils, with sorting stations for compost, recycling and trash around the park.
Where the Pumpkins End Up
Smashed pumpkins stay on the hillside, and local deer handle most of the cleanup. Organizers say the deer are so thorough they rarely have leftovers to collect. Whatever does remain gets composted.
About Stanbery Park
Stanbery Park is a Mt. Washington staple with hiking trails, a summer music series and a sledding hill in winter. Pumpkin Chuck is held every year on the first Saturday after Halloween, which makes it a good excuse to get rid of the porch pumpkins before they turn to mush.
Parking
Parking in the park is limited, but nearby businesses open their lots for the festival, including Walgreens, Kroger (back of the lot), AutoZone (side and back lots), Gold Star Chili (don’t block the drive-thru), Ramundo’s Pizzeria, HealthSource and U.S. Bank (after 1:30 p.m.). Public lots are also available. Full details are on the Pumpkin Chuck parking page.
Pumpkin Chuck Festival
Where: Stanbery Park, 2221 Oxford Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45230
When: Saturday, Nov. 7, noon to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free admission; $5 to $20 to launch a pumpkin
More info: pumpkinchuck.org
Cover image by Meg Vogel.
Pumpkin Chuck Festival
Families can send off fall at the Pumpkin Chuck Festival, where pumpkins get launched through the air at Stanbery Park.
