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Saturdays, 9am-1pm
May 15-November 20
Rain or shine
 
Upper Merion Township Park
175 W Valley Forge Rd
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610-265-1071
 
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Did you know that the Upper Merion Farmers' Market . . .

  • is managed 100% by volunteers?
  • requires no taxpayer funding from Upper Merion Township?
  • operates entirely from its market fees, merchandise sales and donations?
  • brings shopping dollars and tax revenue into the Township?
  • is a producer-only market?
  • accepts only vendors from within a 100-mile radius of King of Prussia?
  • is open RAIN or SHINE?

Our Affiliates

Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

Buy Fresh Buy Local Southeastern PA

Local Harvest

Zucchini 500

Zucchini 500 logo

The Upper Merion Farmers Market is hosting the second annual Zucchini 500 race on July 9, 2011. The track will be available on July 2 for practice trials, and wheels and axles will be available for purchase beginning July 2.

Rules

General Information

Girl decorating a zucchini race car

The Upper Merion Farmers Market is sponsoring the second annual Zucchini 500 on July 9, 2011. Participants will create and decorate race cars using zucchini and supplied wooden wheels and axles. The cars will then race in pairs down a 16-foot wooden ramp. The races will begin at 10:30 am on July 9. Eliminations continue until a winner is determined. Prizes will also be given in several judged categories.

Registration

  1. Participants can register for the race during market hours, 9 am to 1 pm, on July 2, 2011, and on race day, July 9, up until 10:15 am.
  2. Register at the Upper Merion Farmers Market committee tent.
  3. For a registration fee of $2, each entrant will receive a set of 2 wooden axles, 4 wooden wheels, and 4 wooden axle caps.
  4. Early registration allows entrants to build and decorate their racers at home.

Race Cars

  1. Each race car must be created from a single zucchini and the supplied wooden wheels and axles. Similarly-sized yellow squash and cucumbers are also permitted.
  2. There is no size limit for the zucchini. However, the wooden axles are 6” long, and the lanes of the race ramp will be 9” – 10” wide, so average-sized zucchini are advised.
  3. The zucchini may be purchased outside the market. Market vendors will have some available for purchase on race day.
  4. The cars must be gravity-powered only. No other form of propulsion is permitted. Any car in violation of the spirit of the contest may be disqualified.

Decoration

Zucchini 500 race car decorated with vegetables
  1. The race car may be decorated with any variety of craft materials.
  2. The use of other vegetables as decoration is encouraged (Examples: olives or radishes for headlights, a driver made from a carrot, etc.). There is a prize for Best Use of Veggies.
  3. Racers may be decorated at home. Also, a craft table with pipe cleaners, stickers, construction paper, glue, tape, toothpicks, etc., will be available at the Market on July 2 during Market hours, and on July 9 until 10:30 am. (Note that zucchinis will NOT last from July 2 until July 9. July 2 is for practice only.)

Race Rules

Race track for the Zucchini 500
  1. Races will begin at 10:30 am, July 9.
  2. The track is a 2’ wide by 16’ long sloped ramp with two lanes.
  3. Entrants will draw numbers before the first race to determine match-ups for each heat. Depending on the number of entrants, some low numbers may go directly to the second round of heats. Late entrants will be assigned the next available number.
  4. Each heat will be 2 cars, best of three races. The winner of each heat proceeds to the next round. Races continue until a winner is determined.

Prizes

  1. All prizes are Market Money, redeemable at any Farmers Market vendor.
  2. Race Prizes – The winner of the final race receives $5 in Market Money. Second place receives $3. Third and fourth places (the runners-up in the two semi-final races) receive $2.
  3. Judged Prizes – Members of the Farmers Market Committee will select racers in the following categories: Best decorated, Best use of veggies, Most colorful, Funniest, Strangest. Each will receive $1 in Market Money.

Last Year's Event

The Upper Merion Farmers Market hosted its first annual Family Fun Day Saturday, August 28, featuring the much anticipated Zucchini 500 race. Congratulations to ALL participants in the First Annual Upper Merion Zucchini 500 Race!

Click here to view photos of the event!

The Winners

For Speed:

Special Categories:

Decorated Zucchini 500 race cars