“First they destroy them, then they enjoy them.”
No, those words aren’t from a horror film — Oregon Zoo elephant curator Steve Lefave is referring to the Squish the Squash event, a Halloween tradition the people and pachyderms of Portland have enjoyed for over two decades.
Tomorrow, Oct. 17, at 10:30 a.m., the zoo’s Asian elephants will get to work demolishing some of the region’s largest pumpkins.
The tradition started in 1999 when Hoffman’s Dairy Garden of Canby provided an 828-lb pumpkin for the elephant family to enjoy. Since then, local farmers have continued to donate overstock pumpkins each year for the zoo to use.
The event is a lead-up for the zoo’s Howloween celebrations, held across two weekends, Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27.