Nashville, TN - This year's recipe for success at Adventure Science Center's annual Punkin' Chunkin' on November 5 not only includes ASC's popular pumpkin catapults armed with left-over Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns, but the first-ever ASC Great Pumpkin Recipe Contest, which will be open to anyone with a tempting pumpkin recipe. Punkin' Chunkin' will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and all outdoor events are free.
The main attraction at ASC's favorite fall fest will be three trebuchets -- or catapults -- designed by Austin Peay State University engineering students, Martin Luther King High School students and Adventure Science Center, and erected on Center grounds to demonstrate the power of kinetic energy. Center visitors are encouraged to bring their leftover jack-o-lanterns, preferably eight pounds or less, as ammunition for the catapulting demonstrations.
New to Punkin' Chunkin' this year is the ASC Great Pumpkin Recipe Contest, an invitation to amateur cooks to enter a sample of any pumpkin recipe that incorporates at least one cup of canned or fresh pumpkin. Participants must register by calling Angela Layton at (615) 401-5065 by 5 p.m. on October 31; entries should be delivered to ASC between noon and 1 p.m. on the day of the cook-off. After the judging and awarding of prizes, the dishes will be on display at the Center from 2 to 3 p.m. Participation guidelines are available at www.adventuresci.com. The first-prize winner will receive a $50 Kroger gift certificate. The runner-up will take home a cookbook gift basket.
"Punkin' Chunkin' is an ASC favorite among guests and staff because it allows kids of all ages to enjoy science in unusual - and now even tasty - ways," said Angela Layton, manager of events for Adventure Science Center. "If you think about it, cooking is an experiment that many of us perform every day, so it makes perfect sense to combine delicious pumpkin dishes with pumpkin races, falls and catapults."
Inside the Center, visitors can enjoy several additional Punkin' Chunkin' activities:
- Pumpkin Bowling - Instead of using a bowling ball, participants will roll pumpkins towards the pins.
- Pumpkin Racing - Ever wonder how fast a pumpkin can go? With this activity, visitors will be able to determine how the weight of the pumpkin affects its speed.
- Pumpkin Toothpaste - Educators will demonstrate how, when certain elements combine, heat is released, making it appear as though toothpaste is oozing and spewing out of a jack-o-lantern.
- Pumpkin Drop - Visitors will test Galileo's theory of acceleration by seeing if the weight of a pumpkin affects the speed of its fall.
Cook-off judges are Kay West, restaurant critic for The Scene, Danny Solomon, food critic for The City Paper, Jeremy Barlow, executive chef of Tayst, and Scott Witherow, executive chef of Firefly Grille.
About Adventure Science Center
For 60 years, Adventure Science Center has brought science to life for children in Middle Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northern Alabama and beyond. The center offers hands-on, interactive exhibits and engaging programs that encourage children of all ages to explore how science, invention and innovation affect their lives. Adventure Science Center encourages imagination and curiosity, and engages the senses in the fascinating world of science.
Adventure Science Center's regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $9.00 for adults, and $7.00 for children ages 3 to 12 and seniors age 65 or older. The Science Center is located at 800 Fort Negley Blvd. For more information, call (615) 862-5160 or visit our web site at www.adventuresci.com
