That's One BIG Pumpkin! New Record Set at Half Moon Bay Weigh-Off

A new North American record was set at of one of Half Moon Bay’s most cherished traditions in Monday’s annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, when a Napa man showed up with at 2,058 pound gourd.

Crowds gathered Monday morning in downtown Half Moon Bay to catch a glimpse of more than two dozen giant pumpkins during what event organizers call the “Super Bowl of Weigh-offs.”

The grower of the heaviest pumpkin wins $6 per pound-- so that’s $13,348 in this case! Festival representatives say John Hawkley broke North American record for his prized possession, which weighed more than a ton.

If that pumpkin had out-weighed the current world record-holding gourd at 2,102 pounds, the grower would have taken home a $30,000 prize, according to event spokesman Tim Beeman.

The pumpkin weigh-off kicks off a week of events culminating in this weekend’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival - a pumpkin-themed celebration that includes a Great Pumpkin parade, pie-eating and costume contests, pumpkin carving and a plethora of gourd-infused food and drink options.

Monday’s weigh-in began at 7 a.m. and was set to go until 11 a.m. at 735 Main St.

Around 10 a.m., a massive, deep orange pumpkin from Portola Valley had netted the “Most Beautiful Pumpkin” prize, according to the festival’s official Twitter page.

The spokesman said the drought played a role in this year’s competition, since California growers dealt with water restrictions. In many cases, growers decided to plant fewer pumpkins in order to comply with the restrictions.

“It really depends on where you live and what the water restrictions are,” said Russ Pugh, a Santa Rosa-area grower. “We have a 30 percent voluntary reduction, so I grew seven plants instead of 10,” he said, noting that he’d entered the biggest pumpkin he’s ever grown at this year’s weigh-off.

The top five heaviest pumpkins from Monday’s weigh-ins will be displayed at this weekend’s festival.

A full listing of Pumpkin Festival events can be found at pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com.

--Bay City News Service contributed to this report.