A pumpkin regatta is a race in which competitors hollow out giant pumpkins, fit them out as one-person boats and paddle or motor them across open water. Damariscotta runs one as part of its Pumpkinfest, October 9 to 12 in 2026, alongside other giant-pumpkin competitions. It is the most literal example of a Maine festival built entirely around a single crop.
Also known as: pumpkin boat race.
