'Great Pumpkin Race' is Back for Year Three

We'll let you in on a little secret: the upcounty's most... um, compelling ... race of the season doesn't involve presidential politics or the power-play for Maryland's 6th Congressional seat.

No, in our humble opinion, the race most worth watching this fall involves dozens of pumpkins, primped—if not pimped out—in a wild assortment of adornment and decoration.

Families, HOA boards, Girl Scout troops and senior citizen groups will descend en masse on North Creek Community Center on Saturday for what is fast become Montgomery Village's most-talked-about happening.

Don't take our word for it. See for yourself in our video from last year.

The Montgomery Village Foundation still has racing kits—gourds, wheels and axles—for sale, and pumpkins can be decorated up until race day.

Looking for inspiration? Or maybe you're desperate not to commit the faux pas of repeating someone else's design? Click here for our photo gallery from last year, and here's the Montgomery Village Foundation's video from last year

Saturday's festival won't be without its own (albeit slight) political dimension, as Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney A. Katz goes gourd-to-gourd with Bob Hydorn, president of the MVF board of directors. Hydorn will start his pre-race smack-talk on Thursday, in which he will remind his longtime friend that Montgomery Village holds a 2-0 lead over its neighbor.

Click here to watch our video of last year's showdown.