South Dakota Mines CAMP Teams Compete in Flinging Pumpkins

Fall brings a special kind of challenge for students at South Dakota Mines – who can fling pumpkins the farthest?

For 18 years, the university’s CAMP teams have hosted the popular pumpkin catapult competition at the Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival, attracting thousands of spectators who watch student-built catapults and trebuchets hurl pumpkins hundreds of feet into the air in a competition of both distance and accuracy.

This year’s event is Saturday, Sept. 19, with the first-round launch beginning at 11 a.m. in Memorial Park. The second round is at 1 p.m., with the final round at 3 p.m., followed by the announcement of winners.

Top teams will receive a cash prize donated by RESPEC, a global engineering consulting firm headquartered in Rapid City. The competition also includes teams from local high schools.      

The team that comes closest to hitting 100-, 200- and 250-foot marks on the field wins the trophy and the cash prize. University students will also be on the field documenting each team’s distance

“Pumpkin Chunkin' was a staple for us when we came back to school every year,” said Dan Nosbush, 2020 graduate of civil engineering and CAMP alumnus. “It was a great way to bring team members, both new and old, to build something together, right away. It kick-started our friendships that continued throughout the year and beyond.”

Take a look at highlights from a past event here, and check out the full schedule of events for the Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival.