After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Zucchini Festival returned Saturday to the Homer Farmers Market with much aplomb.
About a dozen kids participated in the zucchini car races set up under the large tent inside the market, between Freewheelin’ Cakes and Wilson’s Proper Edge. Racers were given supplies and a place to build and customize their cars to their hearts’ content, with the one requirement that a zucchini be attached to the car in some way.
Market volunteer Susan Miller, who has been involved with putting on the Zucchini Festival for over 10 years, said she always enjoys seeing how creative participating kids are when building their cars.
Before the start of the race, reigning Zucchini Queenie Luba Dorvall of Luba’s Garden led a parade around the market, festival volunteers and zucchini racers trailing behind her. At Will Grow Farm’s booth, Dorvall passed on the crown to this year’s queen, Jen Castellani.
“I’m pleased with all my subjects,” Castellani said. “I’m excited to make zucchini cake for everyone.”
Castellani returned the paraders to the tent, where festival volunteer emcee Joey Lothian fired up the gathering crowd for the zucchini races.
“Our competitors are here to ‘squash’ the competition,” he joked.
Racers competed two at a time, placing their cars at the top of a two-lane sloped track and letting go at the mark given by Lothian to see which zucchini made it to the bottom first. Race “medics” Liam James from Homer Hilltop Farm and Becky James carried toppled zucchini cars back to the table with a mini stretcher between them.
All participating racers won a $10 Homer Farmers Market gift certificate.
Find more information about the Farmers Market and events at www.homerfarmersmarket.org/home.html.
Kids race their crafted zucchini cars at the Homer Farmers Market Zucchini Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Newly-crowned Zucchini Queenie Jen Castellani, front left, leads the parade back to the race tent at the Homer Farmers Market Zucchini Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Jen Castellani from Will Grow Farm (right) is crowned the new Zucchini Queenie by the former queen, Luba Dorvall from Luba’s Garden (left) at the Homer Farmers Market Zucchini Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Reigning “Zucchini Queenie” Luba Dorvall (left) crowns the new queen, Jen Castellani (right), at the Homer Farmers Market Zucchini Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Reigning Zucchini Queenie Luba Dorvall (front left) leads the parade around the Homer Farmers Market at the Zucchini Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Zucchini cars crafted by participating kids are ready to race at the Homer Farmers Market Zucchini Festival on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
