There are fall festivals, and then there are fall festivals. We’re not talking about a few sorry pumpkins and tractor rides; we’re talking about costumed contestants racing inside hollowed-out, thousand-pound pumpkins. Started in 2004 by the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers who wanted to do a small paddle with a handful of gigantic gourds (you know, like you do), the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Tualatin, Oregon, now attracts thousands of spectators each year, and is easily the most fabulous fall festival in the country!
If you’ve ever wondered what a bunch of giant, hollowed-out gourds would look like floating down the river, well, it would look something like this:
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
This is the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, and it’s the most colossal and creative celebration of fall in the country! Mark your calendars: the 2022 regatta happens October 15 and 16 at Lake at the Tualatin Commons in Oregon.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
Every year in Tualatin, Oregon, costumed contestants lower themselves into enormous, hollowed-out pumpkins for the Annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
These are not your average orange gourds; these behemoths weigh hundreds and hundreds of pounds, and some are big enough to hold two people!
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
Along the way, some paddlers will undoubtedly capsize. Some will spin futilely in circles. And a few might fill with water and require heroic bail-outs.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
Things can get quite serious out there on the lake, with racers fiercely paddling their behemoth boats.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
Rain or shine, scores of raincoat-clad spectators will cheer as racers paddle their pumpkins to the finish line with true heart and soul.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
After the regatta’s triumphant finale, you’ll want to stick around for a festival that’s every pumpkin lover’s dream, with events like pumpkin bowling, pumpkin golf, pumpkin pie eating contests, and a giant pumpkin weigh-in.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
The pumpkin pie eating contest is always a hit at this epic fall fest.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
And the intricate, hand-carved pumpkin art is not to be missed, either!
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
This unique festival is an exuberant celebration of fall; an only-in-Oregon event that’s as wild and wonderful as the Beaver State herself.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
Did you know about this epic pumpkin regatta in Oregon? It certainly is something you have to experience! Learn more about this year’s West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta by visiting the official event website or Facebook page.
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta/Facebook
For more seasonal fun in the Beaver State, put these nine hidden gems on your fall bucket list.
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Address: West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, 8325 SW Nyberg St, Tualatin, OR 97062, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta August 19, 2022 Sarah M. What are some other can’t miss fall festivals in Oregon? For those looking for the pumpkin-and-apple kind of farm festival, Oregon Heritage Farms is pretty darn near perfect. In fact, if fall is your seasonal spirit animal, we have an apple orchard that you’ll definitely want to check out. In Hillsboro, the folks at Oregon Heritage Farms are busy harvesting this year’s bounty. Honeycrisp, Gala, Gravenstein… right now, the fields at this family-run farm are flush with fresh, fragrant apples. Come and pick up a bushel of freshly harvested apples, and enjoy a homemade apple cider donut and slushie. Mingle with friendly farm animals, and pick up a pumpkin for your front porch. Each fall through November, this delightful little farm is a must-visit in Oregon! In addition to the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, the Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival is another can’t-miss, only-in-Oregon event. Every year, Lincoln City hosts two kite festivals; one in the spring, the other in the fall. The festival kicks off each morning with demonstrations from pro kite fliers. Watch them navigate their colorful, intricate kites as they dip, dodge and tumble in the sky above. Big show kites will cruise overhead all day long during both days of the festival. You won’t believe the size of some of these kites! While not your typical fall festival, this is a quirky and delightful fall event that absolutely belongs on your “fall in Oregon” bucket list.
The OIYS Visitor Center
West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta
August 19, 2022
Sarah M.
What are some other can’t miss fall festivals in Oregon? For those looking for the pumpkin-and-apple kind of farm festival, Oregon Heritage Farms is pretty darn near perfect. In fact, if fall is your seasonal spirit animal, we have an apple orchard that you’ll definitely want to check out. In Hillsboro, the folks at Oregon Heritage Farms are busy harvesting this year’s bounty. Honeycrisp, Gala, Gravenstein… right now, the fields at this family-run farm are flush with fresh, fragrant apples. Come and pick up a bushel of freshly harvested apples, and enjoy a homemade apple cider donut and slushie. Mingle with friendly farm animals, and pick up a pumpkin for your front porch. Each fall through November, this delightful little farm is a must-visit in Oregon! In addition to the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, the Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival is another can’t-miss, only-in-Oregon event. Every year, Lincoln City hosts two kite festivals; one in the spring, the other in the fall. The festival kicks off each morning with demonstrations from pro kite fliers. Watch them navigate their colorful, intricate kites as they dip, dodge and tumble in the sky above. Big show kites will cruise overhead all day long during both days of the festival. You won’t believe the size of some of these kites! While not your typical fall festival, this is a quirky and delightful fall event that absolutely belongs on your “fall in Oregon” bucket list.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
For those looking for the pumpkin-and-apple kind of farm festival, Oregon Heritage Farms is pretty darn near perfect. In fact, if fall is your seasonal spirit animal, we have an apple orchard that you’ll definitely want to check out. In Hillsboro, the folks at Oregon Heritage Farms are busy harvesting this year’s bounty. Honeycrisp, Gala, Gravenstein… right now, the fields at this family-run farm are flush with fresh, fragrant apples. Come and pick up a bushel of freshly harvested apples, and enjoy a homemade apple cider donut and slushie. Mingle with friendly farm animals, and pick up a pumpkin for your front porch. Each fall through November, this delightful little farm is a must-visit in Oregon!
In addition to the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, the Lincoln City Fall Kite Festival is another can’t-miss, only-in-Oregon event. Every year, Lincoln City hosts two kite festivals; one in the spring, the other in the fall. The festival kicks off each morning with demonstrations from pro kite fliers. Watch them navigate their colorful, intricate kites as they dip, dodge and tumble in the sky above. Big show kites will cruise overhead all day long during both days of the festival. You won’t believe the size of some of these kites! While not your typical fall festival, this is a quirky and delightful fall event that absolutely belongs on your “fall in Oregon” bucket list.
