The Giant Pumpkins Are Back!

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West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta returns on Sunday, Oct. 16.

Fall is in the air, so that must mean that it is almost time for the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta! The Pumpkin Regatta, brought to you by the City of Tualatin Parks and Recreation Department, has become one of the most anticipated events in the Northwest. After a two-year hiatus, the Regatta will return on Sunday, October 16. Gather your friends and family and head over to the Lake of the Commons to watch the spectacle of costumed characters paddling 1,000-pound pumpkin boats in a series of wacky races. 

The Regatta has something for everyone! Start the day at Tualatin Community Park for the 5k Regatta Run. At 10:00 am, the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta festival opens, and families can try pumpkin bowling, pumpkin golf, pumpkin checkers, costume contests, pumpkin crafts, yummy treats and much more.

Spectators will have the opportunity to catch the races at two different times! At noon and 2 pm, watch the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers, Regatta sponsors, Tualatin Police, Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, and lottery winners from around the country battle it out to claim the title of Pumpkin Champion.

Visit the City’s website for a complete list of activities, parking, and shuttle information at TualatinOregon.Gov/PumpkinRegatta. Admission is free, and so are most activities!

Be sure to kick off Regatta weekend with Pumpkins and Pints on Saturday, October 15, at Stickmen Brewery in Tualatin. Watch the Terminator Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, New Seasons Giant Tomato Contest, and enjoy Stickmen’s craft beer and wood-fired pizza. There will be early access to Regatta merchandise and raffle tickets available for purchase for a chance to paddle a pumpkin in one of the Regatta races the next day.

The Pumpkin Regatta would not be possible without our Sasquash sponsors: Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers, A&R Solar, Custom Decorators Inc., Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, and Toyota. Gourdzilla Sponsors include: Cotopaxi, New Seasons Market, NW Natural, Renewal by Andersen, Rivermark Community Credit Union, Stickmen’s Brewery, and UPS. Community and In-Kind sponsors include: Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe, Bella Tu, Firehouse Subs, Grimms Fuel, Student Transportation of America, Tualatin Island Greens, Lee Farms and Willowbrook Arts Camp.

Regatta Medallion Hunt!

Treasure Hunters will enjoy the Regatta Medallion Hunt! Look for the bronze Regatta medallion that is hidden somewhere on City property. You can find a new clue every Thursday between September 22 and October 12 on the City of Tualatin website and the Regatta Facebook page. The person that finds the medallion will win a fantastic prize package, including a bronze medallion of their own!

TUCPF Rubber Duck Fundraiser Is Back!

The Tualatin Community Police Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting positive relations between the Tualatin community and the Tualatin Police Dept.  The Foundation sponsors many programs, including “Shop with a Cop,” which pairs police officers with underprivileged youth to buy needed school supplies and holiday gifts. “Turkeys not Tickets” allows police officers to “ticket” minor traffic offenses with a frozen Thanksgiving turkey.  

Our largest annual fundraiser is the exciting Rubber Duck raffle held during the Annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta on Sunday, October 16.  

When you purchase a raffle ticket represented by a numbered little duck, it will help fund the Foundation and its important program. You will also have a chance to win one of five fantastic prizes:

First Prize – $700 (cash)
Second Prize – $350 (cash)
Third Prize – $150 (cash)
Fourth Prize – $100 (cash)
Fifth Prize – Toy K-9 Tony Dog ($20 value)
(Maximum tickets sold: 500)

You may buy online by visiting www.tucpf.org/raffle-prizes and clicking the “Buy Online” buttons. 

 How the raffle works: During a heat of the Annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, the finest from the Tualatin Police Department, together with TVF&R crew members, will race against members of the public in pumpkin boats. They will paddle out to a big inflatable duck holding all of the purchased little ducks. Paddlers will grab a little duck from the pile and race back across the finish line. The first five numbered ducks to cross the finish line will win a prize in the order they cross the finish line.

All prizes have been donated by Friends of the Tualatin Community Police Foundation.

You do not have to be present to win. The TUCPF Board will contact the winners after the event. Five hundred total chances are available for purchase.  

For more information about the Foundation, visit www.tucpf.org.