Children of all ages gathered at the Redmond Saturday Market Aug. 6 to test their vegetable racing skills in the Zucchini 500.

It was a fun activity for the whole family where kids — and even parents — donned their most creative vegetable car designs, while others watched and took pictures.

“I’m building the fastest zucchini car because I’m putting wings on mine,” said 7-year-old, Jeffery Hopper, one of the many race winners.

Some cars shot down the track, while others needed multiple pushes down the track. The building materials included zucchini, carrot circles and toothpicks to hold the cars together. Some of the kids improvised by using more than one carrot for each wheel or by using more toothpicks.

The race was directed by Joan Wood who was visiting from New Jersey.

“This is a fun way to keep me busy,” said Wood.

The vegetable race was a hit among visitors in the Redmond area. The Wood family, visiting Redmond from Carlsbad, Calif., saw this event in the Alaska Air Magazine on their flight up to the Northwest.

“We saw it and just had to come,” said Kelly Wood.

The Hubble family from Las Vegas, Nev. came to enjoy the market with their two daughters, one of whom participated in the event.

“It’s lots of fun,” said 6-year-old, Adelaide Hubble.

“It’s fun to construct something out of vegetables rather than just eat it,” said Megan Hubble, mother of Adelaide. “We have a lot of zucchini in our yard so we’re thinking of creative ways to use it.”

Everyone was a winner in this race as both winners and losers received a button shaped cookie after their race.

Adelaide Tillinghast, a June graduate of The Bear Creek School, is a former intern of the Redmond Reporter.