Giant Pumpkin Regatta

Madison, WI · Quirky

When: October 3, 2026
Where: Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St · Madison · WI
Cost: Not confirmed
Status: Approximate: based on past editions, not announced yet

UW-Madison horticulture faculty and students race hollowed-out, 400-to-550-pound Atlantic Giant pumpkins fitted with tractor-tire pontoons across Lake Mendota at the Memorial Union Terrace. Started in 2005 by professors Irwin Goldman and Jim Nienhuis, the free campus tradition marked its 20th running in October 2025 and is usually held in early October.

Open on the map → Official site

Organize this event? Claim this page to confirm the dates and details. It takes about a minute.

The history within reach

Memorial Union Terrace openssame spot
The second student union in the country, and the first to serve beer, it kept the licence through most of Prohibition's aftermath.
Diwali Nightsame spot
Diwali Night is a free festival-of-lights celebration hosted by UW-Madison's Indian Graduate Students' Association at the Memorial Union's Shannon Hall, drawing over 600 attendees for music, dance, and cultural performances celebrating Indian traditions.
The Wisconsin Historical Society, the first state archive0.1 mi
Among the oldest and largest state historical societies, holding the second-biggest collection of North American history after the Library of Congress, including most surviving American labour and abolitionist newspapers..
The film archive in the Historical Society basement0.1 mi
The Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research, one of the largest film archives in the world, sits inside the Wisconsin Historical Society building at the top of State Street, and most people walking past have no idea.
Folk Ball Festival0.1 mi
The Folk Ball Festival is a weekend of international folk dance workshops and dance parties held at the UW Memorial Union, drawing dancers from across the Midwest.