49th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, Half Moon Bay

WHAT:

No weigh. Weigh!!! Bring it on burly, beefy, bodacious behemoths!

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 10 at the 49th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off –– the “Super Bowl of Weigh-Offs” –– in the World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay, California and this year organizers, in association with title sponsor Safeway, will celebrate the world’s greatest gourd growers with the world’s biggest prize money pool.

Using a pay-by-the-pound system, the ginormous top prize of $9/pound will be awarded to the 2022 weigh-off champion.

Also at stake are thousands of dollars in super hefty prize money doled out to the top 20 plus the big carrot: a $30,000 total mega-prize for a new world record pumpkin entered at Half Moon Bay (the current world record is 2,703-pounds set at a 2021 weigh-off in Italy).

The weighing of pumpkins will begin around 7am and anticipate ending the weighing around 11am followed by the awards presentation and luncheon.

Defending Half Moon Bay champion Jeff Uhlmeyer took home the top prize with his Godzilla-like 2,191-pound mega-gourd that obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2021 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

A host of accomplished veteran growers are expected to contend for the coveted title. The champion will be feted and play a starring role in the world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 15-16 (including a free weekend at the posh, pumpkin-centric Ritz-Carlton on the stunningly beautiful Half Moon Bay coast).

Beauty will share center stage with beefy brawn — a special $1,000 prize will be awarded to the “Joe Cotchett Family Most Beautiful Pumpkin”. Additional special bonus prizes include: Biggest California Pumpkin — $1,000; Biggest Coastside Pumpkin — $1,000.

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.

WEIGH-OFF LOCATION:

IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, Half Moon Bay CA.

OFFICIAL RULES:

•This event is open to growers of giant competition-sized pumpkins only.

•Pumpkins must be grown, cared for, and entered by the weigh-off contestant.

•Each contestant is limited to having one entry (one pumpkin) weighed.

•Pumpkins that have won prizes in any other weigh-off competitions are not eligible.

•In the event of a tie, prize money will be distributed equally among the tied parties.

•Decisions made by the judges are final in all cases.

•Pumpkins must be in healthy and undamaged condition, free of rot, holes and cracks through the cavity, chemical residue, and soft spots.

•To be classified as pumpkin, specimen must be 75% yellow/orange in color; all others will be classified as squash.

•The vine must be trimmed to one inch from the stem. No foreign material is permitted in the weighing.

•All pumpkins will be weighed without the use of tarps or other carrying devices.

•Pumpkins will be classified by division based on where the specimen is grown, not the residence of the grower.

•To receive the $30,000 world record prize, the grower must break and hold the world record at the conclusion of the Half Moon Bay weigh-off. If two or more growers happen to break the world record at Half Moon Bay, the prize money would go to the grower of the heaviest pumpkin.

•The weigh-off will be conducted in accordance with GPC rules.

DELIVERY OF ENTRIES:

Growers are responsible for bringing their entries to the weigh-off by 7:00 a.m. Weigh-off staff will move using brute strength manpower, special harnesses and forklifts. ALL entries will be handled with care.

WEIGHING:

The weighing and inspection will be officiated by the GPC and San Mateo County Department of Agriculture Office of Weights and Measures. The official weighing will be conducted using a 5-ton capacity digital scale.

GROWER PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED:

This event is open to growers of giant competition-sized pumpkins only. Growers are required to pre-register online on through this Eventbrite page. This will help us manage and control the event and provide an accurate count of entries. Participating growers are allowed to have a limited number of family and assistants (max. 4 including grower). Your cooperation will help us run a well-organized event.

This event is open to growers of giant competition-sized pumpkins only.

GROWERS AWARDS LUNCHEON:

There will be an awards luncheon to honor all contestants immediately following the weigh-off at the IDES Big Hall.

GROWERS VIP WELCOME PARTY, SUNDAY EVENING (0CT. 9) AT CAMERON'S INN & PUB:

Registered weigh-off growers and their small traveling party (4 max.) are cordially invited to a VIP (Very Important Pumpkin) Party with complementary food and beverage at Cameron’s Inn & Pub on Sunday, Oct. 9 from 5-8pm. Please bring your weigh-off pumpkins to the VIP party for news media on-site to preview the weigh-off entries.

WEIGH-OFF LODGING:

Stay at the Aristocrat Hotel (formerly Best Western Plus Cameron's Inn) next door to Cameron's historic pub! Book on-line or call the hotel directly at 650-713-5151. For additional Lodging and visitor information on line, go to visithalfmoonbay.org

WORLD'S BIGGEST TOP PRIZE – $9/Pound

1st place prize money will be awarded in a “pay-by-the-pound” system with the champion receiving a hefty $9 per pound.

WORLD RECORD MEGA-PRIZE – $30k

The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off is offering a special $30,000 mega-prize for the world record breaking pumpkin at the prestigious Half Moon Bay event. To receive the $30,000 mega-prize, the grower must break and hold the world record at the conclusion of the Half Moon Bay weigh-off. If two or more growers happen to break the world record at Half Moon Bay, the prize money would go to the grower of the heaviest pumpkin. The current world record heavyweight champion pumpkin is 2,703 pounds held by Stefano Cutrupi of Italy just set in late September, 2021! Magnifico!! Here's how the $30,000 breaks down: the winner receives a world’s biggest $9 per pound plus plus the difference to get to a total of $30,000.

PRIZE MONEY:

1st Place — $9 per pound

2nd Place — $3,000

3rd Place — $2,500

4th Place — $2,000

5th–10th Place — $1,000 each

11th–20th Place — $200 each

SPECIAL PRIZES:

World Record Pumpkin — $30,000 (total)

Biggest California Pumpkin — $1,000

Biggest Coastside Pumpkin (Montara to Pescadero) — $1,000

Most Beautiful Pumpkin — $1,000

Special GPC plaques and ribbons will also be awarded.

INDEMNIFICATION:

The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, their volunteers and agents will not be responsible for any injury or damage associated with the Weigh-Off. The Weigh-Off and Pumpkin Festival may use photographs of, stories about and the actual entries themselves for publicity and promotion of the associated weigh-off and festival. Please note: THE TOP 4 PUMPKINS must remain in Half Moon Bay through the Pumpkin Festival. Oct. 15-16. The grower, their and overall winning pumpkin will star in the Great Pumpkin Parade on Saturday, October 15 and the winning pumpkin will be featured in the weigh-off champion pumpkin photo booth to benefit local non-profits. The 2nd-4th place pumpkin will be part of a special display. By registering, I, the weigh-off grower, agree to these conditions.

LIVESTREAM ON FACEBOOK: Follow the weigh-off Livestream on .

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/halfmoonbaypumpkinweighoff/

TWITTER @HMBPumpkinFest

INSTAGRAM https://instagram.com/hmbpumpkinfest

MEDIA AND SPONSORSHIP CONTACT:

For press and sponsorship inquiries and assistance, please contact Tim Beeman, CEO of Miramar Events 415-999-2428 (mobile) or [email protected]

Host or Publisher Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival