Stillwater's Harvest Fest brings in 2,500-pound pumpkin
STILLWATER, Minn. — Thousands of people are making an autumnal pilgrimage to the St. Croix River this weekend for a festival known for attracting massive crowds and equally massive gourds.
The Stillwater Harvest Festival, taking place over a two-day span, boasts vendors, live music and kid-friendly activities. However, the main attraction is pumpkins.
"They're so big and they make people happy," said event coordinator Cassie Mclemore. "This event, it just makes people happy."
Originally hosted as a one-day pumpkin weigh-off, the harvest festival centers around the pumpkin theme for other events like a river regatta and pumpkin drop.
"It just brings a smile to your face," Mclemore said. "You're just like holy cow, they really just are as big as cars. You can climb in them. It's crazy. They're so fun."
This weekend, Charlie Bernstrom of Lancaster took home the largest pumpkin, coming in at 2,501 pounds.
"It's 117 days old, and it grew 63 pounds a day for a while, here we are," Bernstrom said. "We have three girls that like to come down and help. It's kind of turned into a family affair. We have fun with it, they take pictures of it all the time, and name them. You have to have fun."
"We've got this historic spot with the lift bridge, the river, but also the town and the people of Stillwater," Mclemore said. "We have a really awesome community of people who like to get together, get things done, and just celebrate and have fun."