Fall, Physics & Fun: Public Invited to ASME's Annual Pumpkin Toss

What do trampolines, refrigerators and pianos have in common? They all make great targets for pumpkins.

The annual Pumpkin Toss will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Elk Ridge Park in North Logan. The event is organized and hosted by the Utah State University chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or ASME, and is free and open to the public.

“The Pumpkin Toss is one of my favorite ASME events and it’s what got me involved with the club my freshman year,” said Karmen Teuscher, vice president of ASME. “This year we worked hard to expand this event not only so it’s lots of fun, but to showcase the importance of the College of Engineering to the community through all club projects.”

ASME President Parker Carter echoed Teuscher’s thoughts.

“The Pumpkin Toss is not just an opportunity to build trebuchets but to practice engineering in the real world, network with industry professionals and build memories with classmates, friends, family and the community,” he said.

Each year, teams build a trebuchet, a type of catapult with a counterweight and a long arm, to launch pumpkins at targets in a competition of design structure, accuracy and distance. The trebuchet is a good example of how engineering and physics can be used to build machinery in a fun and easy way.

In addition to university students, high school students and community members are also encouraged to join.

Teams will be awarded based on innovation, accuracy and how far their pumpkins travel. Sponsors booths and food truck vendors will also be in attendance.

ASME seeks to educate engineering students about the professional world through workshops, industry tours and community events. In addition to the Pumpkin Toss, they host a pinewood derby and a soapbox derby to allow hands-on engineering experiences. Additional info is available on ASME’s website.