World Pumpkin Capital Celebrates Great, Mighty Gourd

Autumn is a spectacularly special season on the fertile, scenic coast around Half Moon Bay, on the picturesque San Mateo coast just south of San Francisco. The dazzling journey is its own reward … the tunnel through Devils Slide is a sight to behold plus the breath-taking views of seaside farm country dotted with vast, rolling fields of orange, scarecrows, barns, and pick-your-own pumpkin patches. It’s the perfect time of year and the perfect place to celebrate the beauty and bounty of the fall season and Half Moon Bay does it like nobody else. The world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is the season’s signature event, drawing hordes of visitors to the “World Pumpkin Capital” for an epic festival on historic Main Street. This year’s 45th annual festival will be held on October 17-18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Massive, mind-boggling, Volkswagen-sized weigh-off champion pumpkins on display, the mesmerizing and remarkably talented “Picasso of pumpkin carvers” sculpting and shaping a monster 1,200+ pound pumpkin into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, boo-tiful harvest-inspired crafts by America’s top artists, “Made on the Coast”, an expanded Locals’ Artists Block featuring fine art and live music, the richest/creamiest/tastiest pumpkin pie on the planet, four stages of blockbuster entertainment, everyone’s favorite home-spun parade, the world’s largest mosaic pumpkin sculpture that measures 12-feet long, 11-feet high and weighs 10,000 pounds by artist Peter Hazel, the Comcast Take 5 Lounge with giant screen TV, an awesome zip-line and bungee jump, enchanting events and contests for the whole family, the never-ending search for the Great Pumpkin and a bumper crop of 3,000+ tons of the beloved orange orb waiting to be picked from one of the many rustic pumpkin patches around town are among the extraordinary, not-to-be forgotten attractions. Returning by popular demand this year are selfies and fun with the delightfully rotund, playful and mischievious Pumpkin Festival mascot “Gourdy” and deelish artisanal cocktails – pumpkin-flavored Jack-o-tinis, classic Cosmos and traditional Bloody Mary’s from Half Moon Bay Distillery.

The Big Week launches with the World’s Greatest Gourd Growers and their titanic orbs doing battle in the 42nd Annual SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF, the Super Bowl of weigh-offs, on Monday, October 12, (7 a.m., on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, Half Moon Bay). Organizers are offering $30,000 in total prize money for a new world record entered at Half Moon Bay. Superstar grower John Hawkley’s astounding 2,058-pound weigh-off champion mega-gourd set a new North American record and obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2014 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Hawkley is expected to return along with a host of accomplished, veteran growers to contend for the $30,000 world record prize. The Goliath grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top five weigh-off pumpkins, will be displayed at the Pumpkin Festival, October 17-18.

From there the 45th annual ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL goes all out with spectacular lineup of attractions and events. There’s a smashing lineup of entertainment on four stages featuring everything from contemporary country, pop reggae, Latin rock, salsa, blues, folk, classic and Celtic rock music by some of the Bay Area’s top bands. Performing on the IDES Main Stage are The California Cowboys, Stealin’ Chicago, Caravanserai, Big Cat Tole Free, Fleetwood Mask, Boys of Summer, and Jim Stevens & Friends. The Ritz-Carlton Gazebo Stage will feature Vital Sign, Ticket To Ride, The D.B. Walker Band, and The Megatones. The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company Made on the Coast Stage features Steve Willis and Ruth Davies, The Jenny Kerr Band, John Lester, Patrick Maier and Company, and The Michael Ahern Band. Street performers include HeartStrings Music, Emerson, John Clarke, and Bob Culbertson. The Family Stage features the amazing, three-wheeling comic explosion known as Bob at Large, award-winning children’s performer Andy Z, kid-friendly fun and games plus “Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands.

Shop for one-of-a-kind handcrafted items by America’s finest artists while browsing among 275 booths featuring original work in glass, ceramics, metals, fiber, leather, wood, jewelry, and fine art. “Made on the Coast”, a dedicated Locals’ Artists Block, returns with an expanded lineup of fine and crafts (Sunday only) plus live music (both days). Enjoy popular events like pumpkin pie-eating contests (2 pm both days), a Halloween costume contest (10 am Saturday), pumpkin carving for fun (10 am Sunday), Young Actors Workshop’s bone-chilling Haunted House (all day, both days), the Great Pumpkin Parade (Saturday 12 noon), a Pancake Breakfast (7 am both days), and the Pumpkin Run & Stroll (Sunday 8 am). Get your picture taken with the grand champion gourd for $15 to benefit the Cabrillo Education Foundation. See the spectacular display of the top 5 pumpkins from the weigh-off. Soar high above the crowd on awesome zip-line in the Stone Pine Center lot. Catch massive air on Spider Jump’s super fun bungee jump in Kitty Fernandez Park. Test your mountaineering skills on Mobile Rock’s climbing wall. Create your own unique, colorful wax hands at the Boys & Girls Club booth. Kick back, relax and catch NFL and NCAA football and MLB games on a giant LED screen in the Comcast Take 5 Lounge with plenty of seating, festive food and drink.

The festival is a fabulous feast famous for its homestyle dishes, with many featuring product from local farms. The sweet and spicy pumpkin, naturally, takes center stage: savory treats like pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin sticky buns, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin churros, pumpkin chili, pumpkin fudge, chicken pumpkin sausages, warm pretzels with a pumpkin dipping sauce and pumpkin seeds. Then, move onto the next course with coastal favorites like crab and shrimp sandwiches and cocktails, Brussels sprouts steeped in a zesty marinara sauce, and artichoke hearts steamed with an aromatic blend of garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Plus traditional favorites like Portuguese linguisa sausage, hot beef sandwiches, corn dogs, roasted turkey legs, chicken, pork and beef tamales, macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds, steamy clam chowder in sour dough bread bowls, crunchy nachos with jalapenos and cheese, hamburgers, grilled corn on the cob, garlic fries, kettle corn, cotton candy and huge baked potatoes with pumpkin curry and all the traditional trimmings.

Complementing the delicious eats are delicious varietals from Half Moon Bay Winery including Coastal Fog Chardonnay and this year’s festival-label Red – a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah and Petite Cabernet Sauvignon – plus Barefoot Pink Moscato and Citrus Fusion, La Nebbia Sparkling Wine, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company’s Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale made with locally-grown pumpkins that are roasted with a secret blend of spices plus an assortment of tasty seasonal craft brews. Cocktail fans will love the deelish artisanal cocktails – pumpkin-flavored Jack-o-tinis, classic Cosmos and traditional Bloody Mary’s from Half Moon Bay Distillery.

The festival runs October 17-18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main St. between Mill and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay. Admission is free. Pets are not allowed. The festival is presented by the non-profit Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee. For information, call 650-726-9652, check out www.miramarevents.com and download the Pumpkin Festival mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

--Miramar Events news release.