Sunday’s Pumpkin Races were “wildly successful,” according to event organizer Vickie Chambers.

With 14 participants and around 75 people spectating this first-time Coupeville event, Chambers said the turnout was great.

“It was just a fun event,” Chambers said.

“Anyone could participate and it was free.”

Because it was the first time, Chambers said they weren’t sure about how long it would take. The event was scheduled to run 2-5 p.m., but ended by 3:30 p.m., partially because there weren’t as many racers as they hoped.

“Our goal is to add racers every year,” she said.

For her, the highlight was seeing the pumpkin creations made by the children.

There were two children who worked together to create a Yoda-themed pumpkin, another who painted the pumpkin entirely aqua, with a gold stem, and a pumpkin that was decorated to resemble a tiger cub, brought in by cub scouts.

“It was really creative work that these kids and adults did,” Chambers said.

The pumpkins being raced were required to be made mostly of pumpkin, with the axle going through the pumpkin instead of the pumpkin resting on top of it.

The winning team was a grandpa and granddaughter team, whose pumpkin was registered as the Baby Quinn.

Participant Jerry Helm entered a pumpkin Chambers said was monstrous, which won a special award for design.

“It very much was a family affair,” said Chambers.

The Pumpkin Race was a part of the Haunting of Coupeville, a month-long string of events leading up to Halloween, put together by the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce.

The next Haunting of Coupeville event will be the Haunted Corn Maze, 5-8 p.m., at Engle Family Farms in Coupeville, Oct. 24-26 and 31.

“I think the Haunting of Coupeville has been so successful,” Chambers said. “We look forward to having October events year after year.”

The Pumpkin Races will be among those repeated events, especially after the success of this year’s.