The excitement is building in Pumpkintown as the World's Greatest Gourd Growers and their titanic, mind-blowing, Volkswagen-sized orange orbs hope to squash the world record on Monday, October 8 at the 45th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off -- the "Super Bowl of Weigh-Offs" -- in the World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay, California. Organizers are offering a humongous top prize of $7 per pound and $30,000 in total prize money for a new world record pumpkin entered at Half Moon Bay (the current world record is 2,624-pounds set in 2016). A host of accomplished, grizzled veteran growers will contend for the coveted title, the $30,000 world record prize and thousands of dollars in additional prize money. In a pay-by-the-pound system, the winner is guaranteed a hefty $7 per pound for the champion mega-gourd plus a starring role in the world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 13-14 (including a free weekend at the posh, pumpkin-centric Ritz-Carlton on the stunningly beautiful Half Moon Bay coast). Superstar grower Joel Holland's gorgeous and gargantuan 2,363-pound weigh-off champion mega-gourd set a new American record and obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2017 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Beauty will share center stage with beefy brawn with a $500 prize awarded to the "most beautiful pumpkin" as judged by the audience.
Using forklifts and special harnesses, the gargantuan gourds will be carefully placed on a 5-ton capacity, industrial-strength digital scale under the watchful eye of officials from the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner's Office of Weights, Sealers, and Measures. Half Moon Bay's Weigh-Off will serve as an officially sanctioned Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (GPC) site.
The Goliath grand champion mega-gourd (along with the top four overall) will be on display at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street.
The excitement is building in Pumpkintown as the World's Greatest Gourd Growers and their titanic, mind-blowing, Volkswagen-sized orange orbs hope to squash the world record on Monday, October 8 at the 45th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off -- the "Super Bowl of Weigh-Offs" -- in the World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay, California. Organizers are offering a humongous top prize of $7 per pound and $30,000 in total prize money for a new world record pumpkin entered at Half Moon Bay (the current world record is 2,624-pounds set in 2016). A host of accomplished, grizzled veteran growers will contend for the coveted title, the $30,000 world record prize and thousands of dollars in additional prize money. In a pay-by-the-pound system, the winner is guaranteed a hefty $7 per pound for the champion mega-gourd plus a starring role in the world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 13-14 (including a free weekend at the posh, pumpkin-centric Ritz-Carlton on the stunningly beautiful Half Moon Bay coast). Superstar grower Joel Holland's gorgeous and gargantuan 2,363-pound weigh-off champion mega-gourd set a new American record and obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2017 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Beauty will share center stage with beefy brawn with a $500 prize awarded to the "most beautiful pumpkin" as judged by the audience.
Using forklifts and special harnesses, the gargantuan gourds will be carefully placed on a 5-ton capacity, industrial-strength digital scale under the watchful eye of officials from the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner's Office of Weights, Sealers, and Measures. Half Moon Bay's Weigh-Off will serve as an officially sanctioned Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (GPC) site.
The Goliath grand champion mega-gourd (along with the top four overall) will be on display at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street.
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