Locals React to Punkin Chunkin's Decision to Leave Delaware

SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- Locals in Sussex County are already grieving

 On Tuesday, Punkin Chunkin organizers said moving to Rantoul, Illinois will allow them to conduct Punkin Chunkin on an abandoned air force base, giving them lots of space. "We can have over 100 chunkers at this event," says Punkin Chunkin President Frank Payton. "We can definitely shoot over a mile if a chunker is available to accomplish that feat." Payton says they received multiple offers from Delaware farms, but the land wasn't big enough for the chunk. What's more, he says Ocean City's offer to host Punkin Chunkin was appreciated, but being unable to measure the pumpkins catapulted into the ocean floated that idea. Payton says moving to Illinois will also save hundreds of thousands of dollars. "In Delaware, we had to acquire services from the state that cost over 100,000 dollars. That's already being a savings going out there," he says. "They are talking to the local tourism department to see if they would pick up the cost for the port o johns that need to accommodate our event. The town itself has a depository of heavy equipment to be able to utilize in setting up our event and the overall cost for the event there compared to here is so much cheaper. The cheaper that we can hold our event the better; the more money we can give back to the community." Payton says it's possible qualifying events can be held in Delaware, even though the championship will be in Illinois. State Senator Brian Pettyjohn hopes to see that happen. "You know I wish them the best in going to Illinois but at the same time hopefully at some point in time we might be able to get it back here in Delaware if the stars aligned again," he said. Southern Delaware Tourism Director Scott Thomas says the move isn't a shock simply due to all the land requirements, but nevertheless, the chunk will be missed. "Every year it seemed to grow and I always refer to it kind of as Sussex County's Woodstock because you have these small country  roads crowded with cars coming in for the event  from all over," he says. "Thirty plus states and it definitely brought many from far away to Sussex County, so we are really sorry to see it leave." Payton says the decision was tough, but most importantly, the chunk will continue. "It's somewhat bittersweet, you know I have mixed emotions," he says. "I am excited to see that the event continues but I am not excited to see that it's leaving my home state and my home county."