The eighth annual Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta ended much the same way it typically does: with a flourish, some floundering and a whole lot of pulp.

The Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta, which started Friday, Oct. 10 with pumpkin painting, ended Monday, Oct. 14 with its signature event: the regatta.

But, before the small outboards were fired up or paddlers took their place in a pumpkin cockpit, the weekend featured a litany of pumpkin creativity and general fruit destruction.

Saturday’s highlights were the unaffiliated CLC YMCA Zombie Run, the pumpkin parade, and the pumpkin dessert contest — while Sunday was all about pumpkin destruction.

The Big 10 Inch punkin chunker air cannon started by sending pumpkins 3,500 feet into the Great Salt Bay until the boat (which was not made out of pumpkin) that tracks the shots broke down.

The crew still fired shots into the water and later, at a rusted-out Jeep Grand Cherokee. Andy Cole was also on hand with his Dayton Destroyer: a pumpkin trebuchet that uses garage springs to launch pumpkins out into the bay.

Sunday ended with the pumpkin drop; this year both drops fell true, and on the first tries. The first pumpkin turned a Buick LeSabre into a compact car, and the second pumpkin, which weighed 990 pounds, turned a Ford Explorer into a convertible.

Monday was the day the pumpkins took the water.

The Pumpkin Regatta, which is the signature event of the weekend, had two new features: the event was broadcast live, and Sen. Susan Collins was the one who asked racers to start their pumpkins.

Ben Carmen and Annie Smith came via Round Pond to participate in their first Pumpkin Regatta.

The pair, who were dressed in red flannel, had a crack in Jaja Martin’s Golden Snitch, which won almost every race in which it was entered. The Harry Potter-themed pumpkin sported a rudder in addition to pie-plate googly eyes and golden feathers.

“It handled like a dream,” Carmen said. “It was a well-built yacht. A fine, fine sailing vessel.”

With the Snitch on their side, Carmen and Smith came first in the first relay heat.

“The golden trophy is what we’re after,” Carmen said. “I’ve got my inspiration (referring to Smith).”

But, the architect of their first victory would claim their next: Martin and her teammate, Robert Watts (who was dressed as Harry Potter) took home the top relay spot; and Martin, who last year dressed in a wedding gown and paddled a giant swan-slash-pumpkin boat, kept her crown.

Smith and Carmen were second, while Sarah Witty and Dale Hartt rounded out the top three.

In the individual races, David Watts was also dressed like a wizard and won in the Snitch. Reigning champ Tim Smith finished in second place, and Tom Alley, who piloted a giant foam-and-pumpkin lobster for the Maine Maritime Museum, finished third.

In the motorized division Matt Poole took his 15 horsepower pumpkin catamaran around the course the fastest to win while the pumpkin posse of Buzz Pinkham and Tom Lishness finished second and third, respectively.

For extensive Pumpkinfest coverage, including videos, photos and additional articles, visit www.wiscassetnewspaper.com.