Fran McQueen

Fran McQueen

Breanna Gaddie

Only the pumpkins had a bad time when nearly 300 Northern Kentucky University students participated in pumpkin-themed games at the second annual Pumpkin Bust, held Oct. 10 at Woodcrest Intramural Fields.

The event, sponsored by the Activities Programming Board, featured teams of four-to-eight students participating in such games as a pie-eating contest, pumpkin toss and pumpkin carving contest.

The idea for the Pumpkin Bust grew out of the annual Watermelon Bust, according to Nikinya Mitchell, APB chair of special events.

“We just spun off the idea of our Spring Watermelon Bust,” Mitchell said. “It seems like a lot of the students enjoy it.”

She said the $15 registration fee each team paid will go toward the Student Scholarship Fund.”

One of the most anticipated events of the night was the Pumpkin Rumble, where one representative from each team searched for a pumpkin token in a pool filled with water, pumpkin seeds and remains and baby oil.

Event winner Amy Schmidt said her technique was to search the sides of the pool, not the middle.

During the Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest, participants devoured an entire pie as quickly as possible, without using their hands.

This was harder for some spectators than it was for the participants.

“This is disgusting,” said Jodi Ellis, freshman. “People are spitting it back out and eating it right back up.”

The Pumpkin Carving contest gave each team a chance to show off their artistic abilities.

“I used a stencil for the eyes, but I used my imagination for the rest,” said Katie Dillon, freshman. “I practice this technique once a year, every year.”

Julie Bridewell, a judge for the contest, said that it was difficult to pick just one winner.

“It was between several pumpkins,” she said. “We chose the winner because (their pumpkin) was most with the theme.”

The winning pumpkin had the words “Bust Me” carved into it.

Freshmen Lori Smith and Amanda Ash of Kappa Delta had fun despite losing the Pumpkin Toss, where a pumpkin was tossed back and forth between teammates as the distance gradually increased. Their pumpkin was the first to bust.

“The pumpkin just wasn’t cooperating,” Ash said.

Other events included Pumpkin Bobbing, Seed Spitting, The Pumpkin Slip ‘N Slide, the Pumpkin Relay, and Pumpkin Tug of War.

The Pumpkin Bust King and Queen were crowned at the end of the festivities.

These two individuals earned the most points from the games. Kappa Delta team member Tracy Thomas was named queen, and Student Alumni Association team member Mike Baker was king.

“It feels great to be queen!” Thomas said. “Kappa Delta is the best ever.”

“I feel special,” Baker said. “I couldn’t have done it without my partner, Tony Davis.”

The Kappa Delta team won first place, the Phi Kappa Tau team won second place and the Student Alumni Association team won third place.

Stephanie McGoldrick, program coordinator for the student life department, said she is excited that APB sponsored the event.

“We’re very happy with the turnout this year,” she said.

The large turnout was due in part to increased lobbying for freshman attendance, according to McGoldrick.

“We really hit up the University 101 classes this year,” she said.

Mitchell was especially impressed with the number of student organizations that were represented at the Pumpkin Bust.

“We have a full gamut of university organizations here,” she said.

“This year’s Pumpkin Bust was a lot of fun,” senior Katie Herschede said. “I was very excited to participate and see fellow student organizations here as well.”