Pumpkins Roll in for Half Moon Bay's Weigh-Off

By Bay City News Service

Pumpkins weighing nearly a ton rolled into Half Moon Bay this weekend to take part in the annual pumpkin weigh-off.

The 2013 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off takes place on Monday and kicks off Half Moon Bay's weeklong Art & Pumpkin Festival Oct. 19-20.

Dozens of growers from across the country are trucking their massive pumpkins to San Mateo County's coastside, where a cash prize determined by weight will be given to the owner of the year's heaviest pumpkin.

Two contenders — Tim Mathison and Gary Miller both from Napa — have pumpkins that are "taping" out to be legitimate, serious threats to break the current world record of 2,032 pounds, which was set Saturday by Mathison at a weigh off in Morgan Hill.

In 2012, Thad Starr of Pleasant Hill, Ore., won first prize with a pumpkin that weighed 1,775 pounds. At $6 per pound, Starr received a cash prize of $10,650.

Safeway has offered a bonus prize of $30,000 for any pumpkin that breaks the world record, which currently stands at 2,009 pounds.

Cash prizes will also be handed out to the grower the heaviest pumpkin grown in California's, the heaviest grown in San Mateo County, and the competition's "prettiest" pumpkin, which will be judged by audience applause.

Also, the world's largest mosaic pumpkin sculpture measuring 11' high, 12-long and weighing 10,000 pounds (by artist Peter Hazel) will also be on display at the weigh-off.

The weigh-off is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. in the parking lot at 735 Main St., Half Moon Bay.

Additional reporting by Christa Bigue.