THE BALLOON MAN

When gourds fly
Sandy's sog cancels today's Punkin Chunkin, but 'Little Big Gun' family aims for Saturday and Sunday

 
Ready for battle, chunkin devices are lined up at Punkin Chunkin in Bridgeville in 2008. Thousands will descend on the Bridgeville field Saturday and Sunday to see the devices and see how far they can throw the punkins. / File photo

Written by Ryan Cormier--The News Journal
from: delawaretoday.com
Nov 1, 2012
It’s going to take more than the news that Punkin Chunkin will shrink to two days this weekend due to soggy conditions caused by Superstorm Sandy to slow down the Hartman family’s excitement.
The family behind the “Little Big Gun” team will not only once again compete using its small gun with big power, but they will also be featured in a new documentary about their love of chunkin punkins next weekend.
For the family and their fans, the weekend competition adds another dimension to the quarter-century-old only-in-Delaware competition that this year managed to sneak in between a nasty hurricane and an equally nasty national election. This 27th version includes reservations for parking spots online, and a Miss Punkin Chunkin Pageant, which also allows online entry.

 

A scene from 'Little Big Gun,' a documentary about the Punkin Chunkin team of the same name, led by the Hartman family of Laurel. Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival

The film about the Hartmans, “Little Big Gun” by Canadian filmmaker Simon Trépanier, will make its Delaware debut Nov. 9 at 10 a.m., at the Rehoboth Independent Film Festival with Mark, Faith and 10-year-old Phillip Hartman all attending and taking part in a question-and-answer session.
The Hartmans have already seen the film, which shows them both on the field and at home – all at a time just after both Faith’s parents died 14 months apart.
“There are a couple of parts that are a little emotional for me,” Faith Hartman admits about the all-access documentary.
read more:
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121102/LIFE/311020017?source=nletter-top5&nclick_check=1