EASTON, Pa. — The zucchs are loose!
Or at least they were in Easton Wednesday evening.
The Lehigh Valley’s favorite vegetable-powered race returned to the West Ward Market for an incredible series of thrilling heats between custom-built zucchini cars on July 31.
Gearheads, gourd lovers, and everyone in between came together at the market on July 31 for the 18th annual Zucchini 500, in which children and adults design their own zucchini-based race cars and compete for trophies across five categories: sports cars, midsized cars, monster cars, and adults, in addition to a “most creative” category.
The West Ward Market provided competitors with just about everything they could need to go, including “top-notch zucchinis, complements of Easton Garden Works and LaFarm,” wheels, axles, buildings supplies, carving tools, and plenty of advice from seasoned pit crew workers.
Decorative and delicious
West Ward Community Initiative Manager Tanya Ruiz said the event is a great opportunity to teach children about healthy vegetables and encourage creativity.
“There are pipe cleaners over there, stickers; I've seen some sports cars with wings on them. There are all types of different things going on over there. And what's really fun is that the zucchinis are grown at Lafayette’s La Farm, so they're hyper local, and they're donated, so that's really cool, too,” Ruiz said.
Easton Farmers’ Market Manager Emily Roland also celebrated the opportunity for kids to express their creativity and foster a sense of pride in their work.
“It’s really encouraging to see what kids can do if you just give them the tools to make something on their own with their own hands,” Roland said.
“And then to see them actually win a race, and to have their eyes light up and be really proud of the work that they do and give them something fun to do, it Is it really exciting to see.”
Officiating the race yet again was NASCAR official Peter Brohl, who also offered up some engineering tips for the (zucchini) budding builders, including axle placement, weight distribution, and other details.
“It feels great. I mean, it's good for the kids, and the kids get into it," Brohl said. "They engineer their little cars, you know, and then they get into the competition.
"The only bad part is only one person can win, you know, and that sometimes doesn't go over well, but it's a lesson in life that you have to learn, how to you can't always be the winner."
Amy Silvoy and her son Lincoln, 9, were returning for their fourth year, and even though the youth had taken first place in each of the Sportscar brackets he entered in the past, he did admit to being a bit nervous before the start.
“I think it's very cool. We're part of a Cub Scout group, so he does Pinewood Derby cars for that. And so to see that this is one-day event, I think, is a really neat opportunity for everybody to try it,” Amy Silvoy said.
Lincoln — who enjoys himself some plain old cooked zucchini — confirmed he would utilize a similar design to his past races in the 2024 Zucchini 500, and provided some detail on how zucchinis may also serve as vehicles, though there are a few key differences.
“For the zucchini, it's kind of the same, but, yes, it's softer, so you can really just stick the axle in, not like nail it. There is less carving, I think, and less tools, definitely,” Lincoln Silvoy said, adding the zucchini racer has to come together in just two hours as opposed to a Pinewood Derby car, which he can craft over a week.
And even though Grace Low’s The Wild Life didn’t exactly tear up the track in terms of speed, she certainly blew the competition away in terms of original design: her zucchini featured an assortment of animals riding atop it, including octopi, sea horses, birds, and more.
“We were watching this game show the other day, it was a photography games show, and they had to photograph animals, and the show was called ‘The Wild Life,’ and then that idea just came to me. I'm like, ‘Why don't I put a ton of animals on it? I mean, there are plenty here, and I love animals,’” Low said.
Creativity and competition
Ultimately, the Lincoln Silvoy’s Golden Racer took the victory in the Sportscar category; Dapper Daniel earned first in the Midsized bracket; Lightning McQueen won the Monster Car circuit; Mellow Yellow clinched the Adult race; and The Wild Life secured a Most Creative win.
“So it's like a celebration of what's in season, but it's also a party for creativity and a little healthy competition, too."Farmers' Market Manager Emily Roland
Oh, and as far as zucchinis for food? While many kids won’t touch the stuff, the market made a smart move by serving up some zucchini noodles as a fresh pasta dish — and they loved it.
“And so there are actually kids both eating zucchini and decorating zucchini, and we had vendors who are selling zucchini. So all in all, just a very zucchini-rich day,” Roland said.
With dozens of entrants and a plethora of unique and fun designs — plus plenty of education about produce, of course — Roland said she found this year’s Zucchini 500 to be a hit.
“I thought it went really, really well. I think it's really exciting to see kids and parents come together to work on something creative that also ties into seasonal produce," Roland said. "So it's like a celebration of what's in season, but it's also a party for creativity and a little healthy competition, too."
