Skip to content

The Great Zucchini Races of 2011 at Burnaby Village Farmers Market next week

Zucchini drivers, start your engines. The Burnaby Village Farmers Market is presenting The Great Zucchini Races of 2011 at its Oct. 15 market.

Zucchini drivers, start your engines.

The Burnaby Village Farmers Market is presenting The Great Zucchini Races of 2011 at its Oct. 15 market.

Those wishing to compete can find items for building racers on sale at the market, according to an email from market manager Lyn Hainstock.

Hainstock included tips on how to make a racer, such as:

- Axels, from materials such as bamboo skewers, have to go through the zucchini.

- Wheels must be vegetable or fruit-based.

- Zucchinis can be dressed or decorated however the entrant wishes.

The market is looking for racers from four age ranges; those eight years old and younger, nine to 13 years old, 14 to 18 years old, and 19 and older.

Prizes will be given for the smallest overall racer, the largest overall racer, the best decorated racer in each age group, and the fastest racer in each age group that completes the race without crashing.

Zucchini racers need to be registered at the market before 12:30 p.m. for judging. The race begins at about 1 p.m.

The market is also looking for public feedback on the market's location for next year, and tomorrow is the last chance for residents to chime in.

The market has created a survey for current and former customers, asking if they want the market to stay at the museum, or to return to the city hall parking lot.

Those interested in responding can fill a survey out at the market up until Oct. 8, or can email a response to info@artisanmarkets.ca, according Hainstock.

The farmers' market relocated to its current site at the Burnaby Village Museum from its former spot in the city hall parking lot this year.

Hainstock wants to get feedback from people who were previously customers at the market but have stopped coming, she said.

The move has discouraged cyclists, dog owners and seniors from coming to the market, she added.

Admission has been free for the Burnaby Village Museum's 40th anniversary year.

The market runs on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Oct. 29.

There is a kids' play area, and a community area for non-profit groups, as well as weekly entertainment.

For more information, go to www.artisanmarkets.ca.