Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, "World Heavyweight Championship of Gargantuan Gourds"

The World’s Greatest Gourd Growers and their hard-to-believe, gasp-inspiring, titanic orange orbs hope to squash the world record on Monday, October 10 at the 38th Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off –– the “Super Bowl of Weigh-Offs” ––in the World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay, California. A $5,000 bonus mega-prize will be awarded to any grower that breaks the world record at Half Moon Bay. A host of accomplished, grizzled veteran growers will contend for the coveted title, the $5,000 world record prize and $20,000 in additional prize money. In a pay-by-the-pound system, the winner will take home a hefty $6 per pound for the champion mega-pumpkin. Defending champion Ron Root, of Citrus Heights, CA, crushed the competition at last year’s weigh-off with his 1,535-pound Atlantic Giant. Beauty will share center stage with beefy brawn with a $500 prize awarded to the “most beautiful pumpkin” as judged by the audience based on color, shape and size.

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 GRAND CHAMPION MEGA-GOURD, ALONG WITH THE TOP FIVE WEIGH-OFF PUMPKINS, WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE HALF MOON BAY ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL, OCTOBER 15-16 FROM 9 AM TO 5 PM ON MAIN STREET.