Annual Half Moon Bay pumpkin weigh-off draws early morning crowd
Crowds gathered Monday morning for the 51st Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay.
The yearly contest that draws entries from farmers across the country will award $9 per pound to the 1st place winner, as well as a Pumpkin King Champions Ring, a Mel Mello Sr. Grand Champion Growers Jacket and two nights at the posh Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay. The weigh-off will also provided a special $30,000 mega-prize for any gourd that sets a new world record breaking at the event.
The weigh-off started at 7 a.m. and goes until 11 a.m. at 735 Main St. in Half Moon Bay.
Using forklifts and special harnesses, the gargantuan pumpkins 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.
Last year at the 50th annual competition, defending champion Travis Gienger from Minnesota set a new world record with his massive entry. Gienger's behemoth pumpkin -- nicknamed "Michael Jordan" after the Chicago Bulls basketball great -- tipped the scales at 2,749 pounds.
Gienger is bringing a gourd that's measuring as big or bigger than last year, projected to be more than 7 feet wide by Monday's weigh-off, according to a press release. Among the pumpkins entered for the big prize on Monday was one grown by Santa Rosa resident Brandon Dawson in his backyard. That pumpkin is estimated to weigh well over 2,000 pounds.
Spectators are welcome at the event and admission is free. The weigh-off is the first event in a week of seasonal festivities culminating in this coming weekend's 52nd annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.