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New Home for Punkin Chunkin May Not Be Delaware

Don Rush

Punkin Chunkin will not be returning to Dale Wheatley’s farm.

He told the Wilmington News Journal that he has shut the door on that.

He told the paper that he understands the town leaders in nearby Bridgeville are upset but added he cannot afford to be sued if anything goes wrong.

Wheatly is now a defendant in a lawsuit brought by a volunteer during the 2011 Punkin Chunkin when the volunteer was injured in a ATV accident during the event.

And unless another location is found it’s quite possible that this Delaware event may actually leave the state.

Punkin Chunkin Association President John Huber has said that the group has recently set a date and will be looking for another site – preferably on the Eastern Shore.

The event began in 1986 and has become a major tourist attraction for southern Delaware over the years.

Starting in 2007 the Wheatley farm became the site of the event.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.