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鶹ƷNew Albany
Polytechnic Location
New Albany
Event Contact
鶹ƷNew Albany will host Purdue Pumpkin Chunking Tuesday, October 13th, 2026.
We're so excited to welcome you back for a friendly competition launching 7 to 10 lb. pumpkins at a target 100 yards away! If you haven't been to the event, ... it's a great time to get involved! Or maybe just come out to watch!
Think you can build a trebuchet? Can you hit the Great Pumpkin target from up to 100 yards away? Let’s find out! Polytechnic New Albany has resources to help – we teach engineering and would love to help you get your team started. You just need a can-do attitude, basic construction skills and the desire to have fun! Each team gets 3 attempts using supplied pumpkins. All machines must use gravity (falling weights) as their only source of power; pass safety and functionality checks; and be ready for competition at their start times. Awards for accuracy, bulls-eye, efficiency, and a crowd favorite will be presented at 6:30 p.m.
Is building a trebuchet not your thing? Watching is a whole lot of fun too! Besides the Pumpkin Chunking competition, we’ll also have food trucks, displays from local organizations, free pumpkin painting, and other activities for the kids!
Event Details
- Tuesday, October 13th, 2026
- 4:30 PM - Qualifying Launches
- 5:00 PM - Up-close Trebuchet Viewing
- 5:30 PM - Competition Launches
- 6:15 PM - Finale Launch
- 6:30 PM -Awards
- Two divisions: High School (75 yards) and Adult (100 yards)
- 7 to 10 lb pumpkins are supplied by Harvest Homecoming
- Each team gets 3 attempts to hit the target
- All machines must use gravity (falling weights) as their only source of power, pass safety and functionality checks, and be ready for competition at their start times
- Awards for accuracy, originality, and efficiency will be presented
2025 Winners
High School Division
- Accuracy: Fire Flingers – Silver Creek High School
Adult Division
- Accuracy: Knightmare – Ed Carlisle
- Efficiency: Cap'N Chunks – Captain's Quarters Restaurant
- Crowd Favorite: Pumpkin Spice Girls – New Albany High School
- Bulls-eye: Fire Flingers – Silver Creek High School
For more information, please contact
Joseph F. Dues, Jr. , PE Associate Professor – Mechanical Engineering Technology
Director – 鶹ƷNew Albany
jdues@purdue.edu
o: 765-494-7769 m: 502-939-3871
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