Gigantic pumpkins will vie for weighty title in Half Moon Bay

Most people would rather not be deemed the heaviest at a weigh-in, but that doesn’t hold true for pumpkin growers, who will descend on Half Moon Bay next month with colossal pumpkins to enter in the community’s annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

Fall is a special time in Half Moon Bay, a coastal burg about 40 minutes south of San Francisco. The town gets into the spirit of the season with pumpkin beer on tap, pumpkin panna cotta on the menu, specialty pumpkin spa treatments and the giant pumpkin weigh-off.

Last year the honor of growing the largest pumpkin went to two-time champion Thad Starr (pictured), whose record Atlantic Giant weighed in at 1,528 pounds. This year, Starr will compete Oct. 12 against other growers from California, Oregon and Washington. Winners receive $6 per pound for the champion pumpkin.

A separate prize will be given to the most beautiful pumpkin as judged by the audience, based on color, shape and size. The events will be held from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at IDES Grounds, 735 Main St., Half Moon Bay.

The city will also celebrate the fall Oct. 17-18 with the 39th annual Art and Pumpkin Festival.  There will be entertainment, pumpkin carving and a youth talent showcase.

Contact: Miramar Events, (650) 726-9652

— Rosemary McClure, special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo credit: Courtesy of Miramar Events]

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 12:05 pm by Rosemary McClure and is filed under California, Fall, Family & Kids, News, Tips & Advice, Northern California. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.