This video will make you want a giant pumpkin river race in Tri-Cities

Autumn is my favorite season. Honestly I love fall anywhere, but I've found it's a real joy here in Tri-Cities because of how closely we're connected to our agriculture. Every year I go to the Corn Maze at Middleton Farms, a little tradition that I always look forward to.

But after I saw this video, I knew that Tri-Cities needed a new fall event.

The Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Tualatin, Oregon

Twenty years ago, inspiration struck the Pacific Giant Vegetable Growers association: what if they carved out their giant gourds and used them for boat races? While they're at it, why don't the competitors wear Halloween costumes? So was born the Pumpkin Regatta Festival.

Get our free mobile app

Giant pumpkins are lifted and lowered into the river carefully, where teams finish hollowing them out to make them water-worthy. Then costumed competitors - excuse me, pumpkin paddlers - climb into and take a paddle. Then they must paddle off to a floating bucket, grab a ball, and paddle back to the starting area. It's simple, but hilarious and fun.

Tri-Cities would make a great place for a giant pumpkin race

I can't help but think that the Tri-Cities is well-equipped to hold its own giant pumpkin race. We've got the Columbia River, and plenty of events held up and down the river year-round to give us preparation and places to launch. We've got pumpkins.

Hydroplane racing is awesome to watch of course, but not everyone can drive one of those. A lot more people can put on a costume and go paddlin' a pumpkin'.

The likelihood is it'd be hard to put one together for one simple reason: the Pacific Northwest is already funneling its giant pumpkins to Oregon for the regatta. I guess, for now, we'll just have to plan a trip to Tualatin each October.

Watch this fun video to see the race!

If you're looking to stay in Washington this October, here's some other things you can do instead.