IS IT a plane, is it a bird or is it a…pumpkin?
Preparations are underway for the annual ‘Final Fling’ event in Ellesmere on Sunday, November 5 as residents can take their leftover pumpkins from Hallowe’en to be flung into the sky.
Between 2pm and 4pm, young and young-at-heart folk are invited to bring their Hallowe’en lanterns to the recreation field in Birch Road where a trebuchet will be used to fire them.
Kate Westgate, a member of Fizzgigs which has organised the event, says it has proved to be hugely popular event over recent years and hopes to see many more at the recreation ground.
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She said: "It is lovely to hear the banter and joshing between folks, and also to see how seriously some of the children take the event.
“However, to ensure fairness, only one fling per family in the early stages.”
Kate explained how the day is expected to proceed with a hint of mystery about where the pumpkins will be landing on the day.
“They will then have them flung at a mystery target,” she said.
“The free event is being brought to the town by Fizzgigs, the community arts group. The pumpkins will be flung via a trebuchet, a medieval siege engine.
“Visitors can name their jack-o-lanterns and the names are carefully recorded and the pumpkins weighed.
“After each fling distance measurements are taken and by the end of the afternoon a winner will be announced.”
Peter Cartlidge, who is overseeing the launch of the pumpkins, says there is a lot of work put into the event and for some, may be in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He added: “Operating the trebuchet is hard work.
“About five hundred kilos of ballast will be in the trebuchet bucket which will be pulled into position for every pumpkin fling. So come early to be sure your pumpkin gets thrown.
“It’s not every day you get to see a trebuchet.”
The trebuchet has been used to fling the pumpkins for the last few years with at least 100 people attending the event each year, with more than 150 when the weather has been kind.
All pumpkin flesh and unflung jack-o-lanterns will be collected from the field and taken for composting.
Details of all Fizzgigs activities can be found at www.fizzgigs.co.uk
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