Registration is now closed for the Annual Pumpkin Drop
Friday, October 25, 2024
8:30 a.m.-2p.m.
In front of Engineering Science Building Tower
Design Goal
The goal of the pumpkin drop competition is to design an enclosure or apparatus to protect a pumpkin from damage when dropped from the roof of the 11 story high WVU Engineering Sciences Building. The surviving pumpkins that land closest to the target on the ground and the pumpkin protection device having the best design will be qualified among the winning entries.
Please read the following rules carefully since they have changed since last year.
Please NOTE: Breaking any of these rules will be grounds for disqualification
Rules
Requirements
- Pumpkin must be at least 10 inches in diameter or larger.
- Pumpkins must be orange in color.
- Pumpkin and protective structure weight is limited to 50 pounds.
- The pumpkin container can have dimensions no greater than 20x30x60 inches.
- The inside of the pumpkin may not be altered (no freezing or adding chemicals).
- Pumpkins must free fall (no bungee cords).
- Pumpkins must land within the designated drop zone.
- Any entries that employ parachutes must be designed so that the parachute is dropped at the same time as the pumpkin or prior to the pumpkin, NOT after. Parachute size is a 4x4 ft. or smaller or 2 1/2 ft. radius.
- Protective structure around the pumpkin must be designed with public safety in mind. Pumpkin enclosures that might splatter fragments or liquids toward the viewing audience will not be allowed.
- Protective structure must be designed so that it does not cause damage to any University property.
- Package must be designed so that the pumpkin can be removed by the ground crew within 30 seconds after hitting the ground.
- NO MATERIALS WILL BE RETURNED. Items will be disposed of by event staff only
PLEASE KEEP THE SAFETY OF PARTICIPANTS AND OBSERVERS IN MIND AT ALL TIMES.
Restrictions
- No white pumpkins.
- No styrofoam peanuts or other small, non-biodegradable packing fillers are allowed.
- No hard materials: NO wood, metal, PVC pipe, or glass is allowed. Soft garbage cans are acceptable.
- No liquids, Jell-O, peanut butter or any oily substances are allowed.
- No unpackaged food.
- No freezing or adding chemicals.
- No electrical sources are allowed.
- No styrofoam spray allowed in or outside of package.
- No glitter.
- No bungee cords.
Teams
- All teams for each school/organization must check in together. If you are part of a large group, designate one person (a teacher) to check in the entire group.
- To keep the drop line moving efficiently, someone from the team must remain with the pumpkin at all times.
- No more than two (2) members from any participating team will be allowed to carry their team’s pumpkin to the roof of the building for the drop.
- Entries that have children under the age of 12 must have an adult as one of the two participating team members. All other team members must stay on the ground with the other observers.
- WE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE for students entering the campus to participate in the Pumpkin Drop. Each School representative will be responsible for their students.
- No Participants are permitted in drop zone
Judging
The judges will have the final say on whether entries are viewed as safe to be dropped. Judges will disqualify entries with heavy, sharp, and/or protruding metal parts. These decisions by the judges will be final. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Registration is now closed.
Participants will be limited to the first 300 pre-registered teams.
There will be no walk-in registrations accepted.
Pre-registration forms can be obtained by contacting the Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering Department at (304) 293-3741 or by sending an e-mail to gbuchana@mail.wvu.edu.
The non-refundable entry fee is $10.00 per pumpkin.