Zucchini races return to Sebastiani Aug. 3

Anyone who has too many zucchini, not enough, or just plain feels creative enough to borrow and decorate one – listen up!

The Friday Farmers Market, aka Sonoma Valley Certified Farmer’s Market, will hold its 30th annual Zucchini Car Races on Friday, Aug. 3, at Sebastiani Winery’s Arbor Park.

So start watering, training and decorating your zucchini. Actually, you might not want to create your vehicle until that Friday so it doesn’t shrivel in the summer heat.

Hilda Swartz, longtime manager of the Certified Farmers’ Market on Friday mornings at the Arnold Field parking lot, and former manager of the Tuesday night market in front of City Hall, started the races in the Plaza 30 years ago. Paul Wirtz and Doug Walters built the original track in 1988 and the track lives at Sonoma Raceway between annual races.

The races have become so popular that the cities of Windsor, Healdsburg and Petaluma have asked Hilda to help them develop races.

The prizes are prized “Farmer’s Market Dollars,” which you can spend with any grower or vendor at the Friday Farmers’ Market.

There are no rules for the creativity contests (but keep it decent, please).

For the races rules say “entries no more than 10 inches wide; the squash must represent three-quarters of the attached car; and no skate boards, roller skates or doll buggies.”

Turn in your race-ready zukes between 5 and 6 p.m. at Sebastiani’s Arbor Park. The races begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Scott Sherman coordinates and starts each race, and yours truly will coordinate the creativity jury.