One giant pumpkin is already a sight to see, but dozens of them floating on the water make for an even more interesting afternoon. The Windsor Pumpkin Regatta and Build Your Own Boat Race takes place Sunday in Windsor, N.S. The event was originally scheduled for last weekend but was postponed to allow the pumpkins to get a little bigger. “It has to be big enough so you can get into it and it has to hold its structure to make it from the farm to the water, so we need it to be nice and big and strong,” Windsor Pumpkin Regatta committee member Mackenzie Whitehead told CTV Your Morning Atlantic’s Crystal Garrett in an interview Friday. The festivities get underway around 11 a.m. as paddlers gather at Elmcroft Park. They will then parade through the town at 12 p.m. followed by the pumpkin regatta. Races will begin on Lake Pisquid at 2 p.m. which will see people hop into their hollowed-out pumpkins and paddle. “Make sure you’re a good swimmer because you’re most likely going into the water before you get into the pumpkin, but it’s just making sure you stretch out beforehand and climb into that thing,” said West Hants Regional Municipality Mayor Abraham Zebian. The Windsor Pumpkin Regatta has been a community tradition since 1999. Even Zebian has participated in the race. “I paddled back in 2018. It was the time of my life,” he said. “There’s a whole science to it, so hollowing it out, and having it thin enough but thick enough.” This year, Zebian donated his pumpkin to the student council at Avon View High School. “They’re so excited to showcase the yeti, the avalanche theme of the school and they really want to show the community what they’re capable of,” he said. While the races are the main attraction, there will be other family-friendly features. “We’ll have vendors lined up along the Windsor waterfront. We’ll have food trucks and there will be a kid’s section,” said Whitehead. The regatta will feature several race divisions including people-powered pumpkins, motorized pumpkins and a creative entry division which will showcase unique designs. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
