Highlights of Coupeville’s HarvestFest include giant pumpkins, zucchini cars, apple pie, scarecrows, and squash hurtling through the air.

The annual fall festival is Saturday, Oct. 8. This year, it’s being held in conjunction with the Coupeville farmers market for the first time.

The market, open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is located at its new, larger location behind the library — just up from the wharf. Vendors sell produce, crafts, artwork and food.

The Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce will kick off the Scarecrow Corridor. Town residents and businesses are urged to put up inventive scarecrows along Main Street. Hay bales, corn stalks, entry forms and ideas will be available. The Scarecrow Corridor will be in place by Oct. 15 and runs through the end of the month, when cash prizes are awarded.

The market will host the Rosehip Farm apple pie contest, with registration at 11 a.m. and judging at noon.

There will be zucchini racing for the kids during the entire market. Children of all ages can make a zucchini car and race it down a slope.

The 10th Annual Whidbey Island Giant Pumpkin Contest has moved to the market grounds and will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. 

This contest features the biggest pumpkins grown on the island.  Previous winners hail from Langley, Clinton, Coupeville, and Oak Harbor. All growers are invited to bring their pumpkins to compete for the biggest, ugliest, and prettiest pumpkins. There is a junior competition as well.   

Organizers of the Giant Pumpkin contest are also bringing back the Giant Zucchini Contest and the fourth annual Pumpkin Pie Contest.

Bakers bringing their best pumpkin pies to be judged by culinary experts. After the contest, many of the pumpkin pies will be available for sampling by those in attendance. All pie bakers are asked to bring their pies on ice to meet health regulations. Registration for all pumpkin-related contests is at 12:30 p.m.

HarvestFest will also feature activities at Sherman-Bishop Farms. A very popular attraction is the Squash Toss using a trebuchet, a medieval catapult device. For a small fee, visitors get to launch hubbard squash hundreds of feet and watch them splat down in the fields.  

At the same time young ones may participate in fun activities at the farm. This site, at the corner of Ebey and Terry roads, will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

HarvestFest 2005 is sponsored in partnership by The Coupeville Farmers Market, the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce and The Whidbey Island Giant Pumpkin Contest. In addition, the Whidbey Island Giant Pumpkin Contest is supported by the Coupeville Festival Association.