New Albany Pumpkin Chunking

New Albany Pumpkin Chunking
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  鶹ƷNew Albany
Polytechnic Location
New Albany
Event Contact

 

鶹ƷNew Albany will host Purdue Pumpkin Chunking Tuesday, October 14th, 2025.

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, originality, and efficiency will be presented at 7:00 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 14th, 2025
    • Setup and practice: Noon - 3 PM
    • Open to the public: 4:00 PM (parking, food trucks, booths)
    • Qualifying: 4:30 PM
    • Competition: 6 PM
    • Awards: 7 PM
  • 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

Register Your Team

2024 Winners

High School Division

  • Accuracy: Prosser Pumpkin Chunkers – Prosser Career Education Center

Adult Division

  • Accuracy: The Punkin Chunkers – 鶹ƷInstitute - SME
  • Efficiency: Team Stacy – Ed Carlisle
  • Originality:  Knightmare – Ed Carlisle

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