Delaware's Punkin Chunkin eyes Sussex return

Gourds could still fly through Sussex County skies.

Organizers of the annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin are exploring moving the event back to its roots in Sussex County. The event, held for years on a succession of rural Sussex County farm fields, was to have moved this year to the same grounds that host Firefly.

But there was a hitch.

The grounds at Dover International Speedway aren't big enough for the air cannon competition – where teams with expensive air pressure cannons shoot pumpkins over long distances – to occur simultaneously with other events. For the air cannon competition to happen at Dover International Speedway, it would have to be on a different day, said Punkin Chunkin's acting president Rickie Nietubicz.

The location change and that less than ideal situation led to some internal discord between members. Those disagreements came to a head earlier this month with John Huber's abrupt resignation as Punkin Chunkin Association president.

"What happened in 2014 was just a very unfortunate set of circumstances that all came together at a bad time," Nietubicz said. "I think it was a learning experience and I think we're going to be better for it happening."

The organization is shifting its focus to a Sussex County return in 2015. The event, which attracts national attention, has its roots in Delaware's southern county. Up until this year, the event was never held out of the county and had never been canceled.

After a volunteer filed a personal injury lawsuit in 2013 over an ATV accident at the 2011 Chunk, the farmer hosting it in Sussex County said he wouldn't let it return to his property and the search for new property ended in Kent County.

But for some there's always been a push to get the event, which drew a crowd of 20,000 in 2013, back to Sussex County.

"A lot of it is a matter of tradition," Nietubicz said. "It's where the event started and where it has grown for decades. There is a lot of desire to keep that going in any way that's possible."

The association is looking for property in Sussex County. The potential site of the event not only has to be large enough, but also able to handle the crowds and the infrastructure, Nietubicz said.

"We're really dealing with a small universe of possibilities," he said.

Todd Lawson, Sussex County administrator, said this week that the county is willing to work with organizers if they want to bring the event back to Sussex.

"Absolutely, the county would welcome Punkin Chunkin to come back to its roots here in Sussex. I have had discussions with numerous individual Chunkers already about that possibility," Lawson said. "Anything within our authority and ability to do to help the Chunk return to Sussex, we as the administration are willing to help."

If there is a return to Sussex, Lawson said it would be in the spirit of the original location.

"It's going right back to a location like the Wheatley farm," he said. "They're not going to be shooting from downtown Rehoboth."

The association has an agreement with Dover International Speedway for two years, but organizers could relocate for the event if they provide reasonable notice, said speedway spokesman Gary Camp. If the event were to move south, Dover International Speedway would want to remain involved in the ticketing, marketing and promotional aspects of the event, he said.

"We have a great working relationship with their team, and look forward to collaborating for many years to come," Camp said.

There's still an effort to make the event work in Kent. Speedway and Punkin Chunkin officials say they are reaching out to adjacent property owners about using their space to land pumpkins.

The deadline for such a move would hover around the end of this year. The organization is considering all options, but it's a safe bet that there will at least be a Punkin Chunkin in Delaware next year.

"Nothing is ever a 100 percent chance, or a zero percent chance, but I think we can pretty safely say that," he said.

Contact Jon Offredo at (302) 678-4271, on Twitter @JonOffredo or joffredo@delawareonline.com. Contact James Fisher at (302) 983-6772, on Twitter @JamesFisherTNJ or jfisher@delawareonline.com.