52nd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, CA

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 13th, 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.

Thanks to title sponsor Safeway, growers will compete for one of the largest prize purse 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.

Pumpkin-growing legend Travis Gienger knows the taste of victory well. In 2024, he captured his fourth Half Moon Bay title with a 2,471-pound pumpkin. And in 2023, he rocked the gourd-growing world by setting a new world record right here in Half Moon Bay with his astonishing 2,749-pound mega-gourd. Will this be the year someone finally eclipses his record?

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.

• 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.
• To be classified as a pumpkin, the specimen must be 75% yellow/orange in color; all others will be classified as squash.
• 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.

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

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.

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 complementary food and beverage at Cameron’s Inn & Pub on Sunday, Oct. 12 from 5-8pm.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

735 Main St, 735 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, United States