Maryland could be home to 2016's Punkin Chunkin
The World Championship Punkin Chunkin is a go for 2016.
And Worcester County could be its new home.
Frank Payton, World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association board president, confirmed this week they're looking at locations in Maryland — Worcester and Dorchester counties — as well as Sussex County, where the event began in the 1980s. Payton could not give more details about specific locations.
Three locations were proposed in Worcester County, in the northern end of the county, said Lisa Challenger, director of Worcester County Tourism. It's an opportunity the county happily welcomes.
“It would be fabulous to have 25,000 people in Worcester County in early November," she said.
Payton did say the location would likely be decided by the end of March. The next meeting to discuss the event is set for the second Saturday in March.
That insurance and liability issue that shelved the event for the last two years? It's been taken care of, Payton said.
They have secured insurance for the event, and it doesn't just focus on protecting the event. It would now protect land owners, he said.
“I feel that is the type of insurance that will allow us to conduct business moving forward," Payton added.
Punkin Chunkins past and present
The event, which began in Lewes in 1986, has turned into an ever-growing weekend where teams build contraptions to launch pumpkins across farmland.
In 2014, the event was slated to head to Dover — the first time it’d be hosted outside of Sussex County since it began — after the owner of the previous site near Bridgeville pulled out following a lawsuit filed by a volunteer that was injured. Then organizers decided to drop 2014, and move forward in Dover in 2015.
Punkin Chunkin canceled for this 2014
But that fell through, too.
The second year the event was canceled — 2015 — organizers cited an inability to find someone to insure the event.
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the cancellation of the 2015 World Championship Punkin Chunkin event," a post read on the Punkin Chunkin Facebook page. "Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of our board throughout an exhaustive nationwide search, we have been unable to locate a willing insurer to adequately protect our host venue, our organization, our fans and our spectators."
Punkin Chunkin canceled for second year
As for a scheduled date in 2016, Payton said the event traditionally was set for the first weekend in November. This year, that weekend falls on Nov. 4-6.
They're still looking for options when it comes to land.
The organization's website has a call out for anyone interested in hosting to get in touch.
"WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME FOR PUNKIN CHUNKIN! Insurance is no longer an issue. We can be insured, we just need a place to call home. Please contact us if you are interested in hosting our event," the page reads.
With there being so many issues in past years and having to cancel, Payton said they're looking to have as many "irons in the fire" as possible. They want a back up plan.
This year, Challenger said, organizers have really emphasized the fact they have a new board with a lot of new ideas. They're looking to have stronger control on alcohol and some other things that have given the event a black eye in the past, she said.
We could be looking at a "new and improved Punkin Chunkin," Challenger added.
What this year could mean
What the outcome of this year's event will be is really a coin toss at this point, Payton said.
From an organization standpoint, he said, only three teams out of the over 100 involved have decided not to return for 2016.
Delaware farmer got Punkin Chunked
As for the fans, it really could go either way, Payton said. There's concern the fan base has been let down, and in turn, won't come out to see what this year has to offer.
But it could also go to the complete opposite outcome, he said. It could be a record-breaking year, after its absence in 2014 and 2015.
Either way, Worcester County and Dorchester County are keeping their fingers crossed.
"We would be delighted to host," said Amanda Fenstermaker, Dorchester County's director of tourism. “There’s a tremendous economic impact that comes along with hosting that type of event."
Currently, Dorchester is also looking for possible locations that could host the event.
Plus, she said, they have lot of farm space in their area, she said, and the event would really fit in to the heritage of Dorchester County.
Finding a place that works can be challenging, though.
The perimeters are somewhat limiting, Challenger said. To host the event, a location needs to be a minimum of 500 acres, and largely unwooded, she said. There can't be any obstructions that would interfere with the event's purpose of launching pumpkins.
Challenger couldn't say where the locations were, but said so far one has turned down the idea, and two are still possibilities.
Regardless, she said, they “jumped right on it,” when they were given the chance to throw their hat in the ring.
"We would gladly take any visitors or tourists we could get," Challenger said.
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