53rd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, CA

The world's greatest gourd growers gather in Half Moon Bay for the 53rd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, Monday, October 12!
About this Event


Half Moon Bay Gears Up for a Gourd Showdown of Epic Proportions!

Pumpkin fever is sweeping through Half Moon Bay as anticipation reaches a boiling point for one of autumn’s most thrilling spectacles: the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Set for Monday, October 12th, in the picturesque “World Pumpkin Capital” of Half Moon Bay, California, this legendary contest-dubbed the “Super Bowl of Weigh-Offs”-draws the world’s premier pumpkin growers eager to claim glory and possibly squash the world record with colossal, Volkswagen-sized orange behemoths.

PRIZES

Thanks to title sponsor Safeway, growers will compete for one of the largest prizes in pumpkin weigh-off history. The champion pumpkin will net a giant payday of $9 per pound- a sum that can quickly balloon into tens of thousands for the heaviest titan on the scale. And there’s a jaw-dropping $30,000 total mega-prize waiting if someone topples the current world record with a new heavyweight champ grown specifically for Half Moon Bay.

But the honors don’t stop with cash alone. The weigh-off winner will be crowned in style, receiving:

• Grand Champion’s Ring - a handcrafted gold ring created by Goldworks
• Mel Mello Sr. Grand Champion Grower’s Jacket
• A plaque with the winner's name will be added to the Wall of Fame in downtown Half Moon Bay.

Beyond brute weight, beauty also takes the spotlight. A special $1,000 prize—the “Joe Cotchett Family Most Beautiful Pumpkin”—will honor the most stunning gourd of the bunch, proving that looks and size both matter in this high-stakes competition. Additional $1,000 bonus prizes will be awarded for the Biggest California Pumpkin and the Biggest Coastside Pumpkin, keeping the excitement high for local growers.

CURRENT TITLE HOLDER

After missing the crown by just six pounds the year before, Santa Rosa grower Brandon Dawson came roaring back in 2025 with a colossal 2,346 pound pumpkin to win the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay. A manufacturing engineer by trade, Dawson brings precision, patience and plenty of passion to the patch, where giant pumpkin growing has become a family affair. His championship gourd earned him $21,114 and the coveted title of Pumpkin King.

WEIGH-OFF DAY

The weigh-off begins bright and early, with pumpkins hitting the scale around 7:00 AM and weigh-ins continuing until approximately 11:00 AM, followed by an awards presentation and celebratory luncheon. Crowds can expect a thrilling morning as a roster of veteran growers and rising stars square off for pumpkin supremacy.

The Half Moon Bay Weigh-Off is no casual affair. Each giant gourd is carefully lifted with forklifts and special harnesses onto an industrial-strength, 5-ton-capacity digital scale, meticulously monitored by officials from the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office of Weights, Sealers, and Measures, ensuring every pound is accounted for with precision.

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
• The Joe Cotchett Most Beautiful Pumpkin — $1,000
• Special GPC plaques and ribbons will also be awarded.

OFFICIAL RULES:
ENTRIES:

• 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.
• Pumpkins must be in healthy and undamaged condition, free of rot, holes, and cracks through the cavity, chemical residue, and soft spots.
• The vine must be trimmed to one inch from the stem. No foreign material is permitted in the weighing.

WEIGHING:

• The weigh-off will be conducted in accordance with GPC rules.
• Decisions made by the judges are final in all cases.
• All pumpkins will be weighed without the use of tarps or other carrying devices.

PRIZE MONEY:

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

DELIVERY OF ENTRIES:

Growers are responsible for bringing their entries to the weigh-off by 7:00 a.m.

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:

Growers are required to pre-register online 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 the grower). Your cooperation will help us run a well-organized event.

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

Registered weigh-off growers and their small traveling party (4 max.) are cordially invited to a VIP (Very Important Pumpkin) Party with complimentary food and beverage at Cameron’s Inn & Pub on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 5-8pm.

Agenda

🕑: 05:00 AM - 07:00 AM
Weigh-Off Check-in
🕑: 07:00 AM
Weigh-off Begins
🕑: 12:00 PM
Awards Ceremony and Luncheon (Time dependent on ending of Weighing)