Medieval-style siege engines, flying pumpkins, food trucks, craft beer, live entertainment, fall colors, and family fun: It’s the 17th annual Heads-Up Pumpkin Chuck from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Stanbery Park at 2201 Oxford Ave in Mt. Washington.

Join the Mount Washington Community Council and Stanbery Park Advisory Council as we wheel the trebuchets – affectionately known as “Treb One,” “Baby Treb,” and “The Trebinator” – to the top of Mt. Washington’s famous sledding hill, where a team of trained volunteers will be waiting to see how far the gourds will fly.

New this year: We’re going green! Food vendors will be using compostable containers and utensils, and attendees will see special receptacles around the park for composting and recycling. And as usual, we’ve hired the deer and other local wildlife to clean up the pumpkin scraps!

The event is free to attend and will occur rain or shine. There are two options for launching your pumpkins this year: a donation of $5 plus your leftover pumpkin to pull the rope and launch a gourd. Or, a donation of $15 plus your leftover Very Important Pumpkin to pull the rope and launch your own gourd. Limit for either is three pumpkins per family.

Pumpkin Chuck funds help pay for Stanbery Park events and beautifying Mt. Washington.

Local resident, trebuchet expert, and volunteer Mark Lorenz is counting the days: “The trebuchets are ready. Halloween is approaching. The volunteers are busily preparing. The deer are eagerly waiting. The Pumpkin Chuck truly is the best day of the year.”

See you at Pumpkin Chuck where, as the locals say, “Thank gourd it’s fly-day!”