New Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race Winners Crowned
Oct 20, 2024 10:44PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
Winners of the 2024 Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race Festival
Sunday was an epic day in Manhattan Beach - not just for the enormous number of events going on, but for the new land speed records (we think) set by wheeled pumpkins flying down Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
Manhattan Beach's 34th Annual Pumpkin Race Festival saw hundreds of entries, including ghosts, Pokemon and Star Wars characters, fish, racecars, Minecraft Creepers, and Cinderella carriages.
After multiple heats of races starting at noon, the event finally ended just before 6:00 p.m. with a final heat of four racers.
(See our video of pumpkin crashes at Manhattan Beach News' Instagram page.)
Coming in first place with the "It" pumpkin was Jack Knowlton. He won a trophy and a donation of $500 to his school, American Martyrs, courtesy of presenting sponsor and L.A. Car Guy owner Mike Sullivan.
Second place went to the Cinderella pumpkin of Chloe and Sophia. They received a $300 donation to their school, Tulita Elementary.
And in third place with "The Mighty Racer," was Eva along with her brother, the race's youngest contestant, 5-month-old Luke. They won a $250 donation to Manhattan Academy.
City Commissions and Leaders Participate
The race isn't just for kids and families; the Manhattan Beach city commissioners and City Council members go head-to-head in separate races each year.
For the city commission races, the Manhattan Beach Parks and Rec Commission won first place with their "Concerts in the Park" pumpkin.
In the City Council race, Councilmember Joe Franklin won for the third straight year, with the help of his Pine Ave. neighbors Katie and Ned Tomasavic, and Luka (7) and Anna (5). (The kids decorated the pumpkin as Stewart the Minion.)
"It was a tight race to victory," said Franklin. "Steve Napolitano's dark blue pumpkin challenged, but hit the wall before the finish line."
The beaming kids "came up the hill showing everyone their pumpkin and their trophy," added Franklin.
Pumpkin Race Dates to 1990
The Pumpkin Race is a unique side-by-side single elimination race featuring handcrafted,
decorated "Pumpkin Racers" in a suspenseful, unpredictable, and
dramatic display of fun and ingenuity. Excitement builds as Pumpkin
Racers race downhill, battling head-to-head for the coveted Pumpkin Race Championship
Trophy.
The race was created in Manhattan Beach on Halloween Eve in 1990 by Karl Rogers,
Michael Aaker and John Holliday. They invented the Pumpkin Racer design
and developed the Pumpkin Race format for guests attending Karl's
birthday party.
The quirky event was such a hit with their friends that they
insisted that they run the race again the following year, and a new
American tradition was born. Now the race has
become a must-attend annual tradition for thousands of residents in the
South Bay area of Los Angeles.
In 2007, under the leadership of Idris Al-Oboudi, recreation services manager in the city of Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation
Department, the race was awarded the National
Recreation and Park Association Special Event of the Year award
and the California Park and Recreation Society Award of
Distinction.
Over the years, the World Famous Pumpkin Race has become a cherished hometown event that has garnered the attention of several local and national television news networks. It was even featured in an episode of Home Improvement starring Tim Allen. In 2004, Time Warner Cable produced and aired a documentary about the event. The Travel Channel also produced a documentary about the event.
2024 Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Race Festival [21 Images]
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