Pumpkin Launch

first timer… had no idea this was an annual event! this turned out to be enjoyable considering i had no idea what to expect!
there were several science activities for the kiddies… i totally geeked out! i think i may have had more fun than my niece and nephew!
some of the activities included…
— making your own catapult
— using your catapult to launch and aim marshmallows at a target
— launch a rocket using a 35 mm plastic film canister, water, and alka-​seltzer
— making monoliths using wooden blocks
… and several more activities we didn’t get a chance to partake in.
the food truck turn was awesome… there was a wide variety of food to select from and made for a great addition to this event.
the opening ceremony was very entertaining… high five to the engineering club and teachers!
the pumpkin launch was very cool! i was so impressed to learn there were not only college engineering clubs BUT high schools and even a middle school! i was very impressed with the hard work these teams put in b’coz some of the trebuchets and catapults went the distance… literally. congrats to all the teams!
my only gripe for the day was the pumpkin launch didn’t start until 12, when the event opened at 10… with 2 children under 5, it was hard to keep them attentive and interested til then. we ended up having to leave after round 3 b’coz the kiddies were restless. my suggestion would be to omit the practice hour… that’s something that should be done prior to the start of the event. aside from that… it was well organized and very entertaining… at least for us science nerds! =)

Remember the year someone fired a pumpkin through the scoreboard with a cannon?
It was awesome.
A Cal State Fullerton biology student built the air pressure cannon, dubbed the Pumpkin Lobber, in his garage for the annual pumpkin launch. During the test fire on the field, a pumpkin and medicine ball were blown out of it and through the Titan Stadium scoreboard. Metal panels flew off the back, we were still finding chunks of pumpkin out in the parking lot.
Anyway, the Pumpkin Launch, which usually happens on Halloween (or close to it), is hosted by the Discovery Science Center. It’s just a fun, quirky event that gets kids interested in physics.
I’m not sure what the parameters are to compete, but it’s usually high school and college students. Aside from constructing cannons, competitors can build trebuchets, catapults, sling shots, and other sorts of gourd-​hurling implements.
It’s a local, smaller scale version of «Punkin Chunkin,» which airs on the Science Channel each year with the Mythbusters covering it.
Someone shot video from the field here:
The Pumpkin Launch at CSUF is free to attend, but they seem to be requiring pre-​registering for tickets these days instead of just showing up and grabbing a seat in the bleachers.