Many of the top pumpkin growers in the world converged on Half Moon Bay early Monday for the 50th annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.
The famous contest featuring some of the largest gourds around kicks off a week of events and festivities leading up to the 51st annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival next weekend.
Last year’s contest featured a winning pumpkin from Minnesota weighing in at 2,560 pounds, setting a North American record. The world record of 2,702 pounds was set at a contest in Italy in 2021, according to contest organizers.
The heaviest pumpkin this year will garner $9 per pound in prize money, and if it eclipses the world mark, that will be good for a $30,000 bonus prize, organizers say. This year’s grand prize winner also will get a ring not unlike those awarded to World Series, Super Bowl and NBA champions.
Cash prizes also will be awarded for the most beautiful pumpkin, the biggest California pumpkin and the biggest Coastside (local) pumpkin.
The weigh-off takes place from 7 a.m. to about 11 a.m. Monday and is followed by the awards ceremony on Main Street.
For more on the contest and the festival, visit the official contest website.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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