Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival facts for kids
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The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is a super fun event held every year in Half Moon Bay, California. It takes place for one weekend when pumpkins are ready for harvest. This festival is one of the oldest and biggest local events in California! Money raised from the festival helps local community projects. It also helps make the downtown area of Half Moon Bay look even better. There is no charge to get into the festival.
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When is the Pumpkin Festival?
This exciting event happens every October. The Monday before the festival is a special day. It's when the Safeway World Champion Pumpkin Weigh-in contest takes place. The main Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is a two-day event. It has been held on the Saturday and Sunday after the weigh-in since 1971.
In 2020, the festival was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the 50th festival was moved to 2021 instead.
Where to Find the Festival Fun
The festival takes over downtown Half Moon Bay. You'll find it along Main Street, between Miramontes and Spruce Streets.
The Great Pumpkin Parade is a highlight! It starts at noon on Saturday. The parade travels east on Miramontes, then north on Main Street, and finally west on Mill Street.
There are two main music stages for live entertainment. One is at the south entrance of the festival. The other is near the food court in the IDES grounds. A special family stage is located at 620 Main Street.
The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-In happens on the IDES Grounds. This is at 735 Main Street. It takes place on the Monday before the festival.
History of the Pumpkin Festival
The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival started way back in 1971. It began when a group called the Main Street Beautification Committee was formed. This group wanted to raise money to make Main Street look nicer. The street was starting to show signs of needing some care.
Since there were so many pumpkin farms nearby, the committee decided to create an old-fashioned harvest festival. The very first festival was a huge success! About 30,000 people came to enjoy the fun. That year, only one local non-profit group sold food.
Today, the festival has dozens of local non-profit groups. They run food and game booths. You can find everything from pumpkin pie to delicious linguisa sandwiches. The money raised helps many different community causes. These have included building two parks and creating scholarship funds. It also helped install old-fashioned street lights downtown. The festival even helped put the wiring on Main Street underground. It also helped renovate the City Hall building.
Festival Traditions and Activities
- World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off: This contest brings pumpkin growers from all over the United States. The weigh-off happens on the Monday before the festival. The winning pumpkins are then shown off during the festival weekend. The heaviest pumpkin ever to win was in 2017. It weighed an amazing 2,363 pounds (1,072 kg)!
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List of champion pumpkins: Year Grower Weight (pounds) 2019 Leonardo Urena, Napa CA 2,175 2018 Steve Daletas, Pleasant Hill OR 2,170 2017 Joel Holland, Sumner WA 2,363 2016 Cindy Tobeck, Little Rock WA 1,910 2015 Steve Daletas, Pleasant Hill OR 1,969 2014 John Hawkley, Napa CA 2,058 2013 Gary Miller, Napa CA 1,985 2012 Thad Starr, Pleasant Hill OR 1,775 2011 Leonardo Urena, Napa CA 1,704 2010 Ron Root, Citrus Heights CA 1,535 2009 Don Young, Des Moines IA 1,658 2008 Thad Starr, Pleasant Hill OR 1,528 2007 Thad Starr, Pleasant Hill OR 1,524 2006 Joel Holland, Puyallup WA 1,223 2005 Joel Holland, Puyallup WA 1,229 2004 Joel Holland, Puyallup WA 1,229 2003 Steve Daletas, Pleasant Hill OR 1,180 2002 Kirk Mombert, Harrisburg OR 1,173 2001 Steve Daletas, Pleasant Hill OR 1,016 2000 Kirk Mombert, Harrisburg OR 940 1999 Jon Hunt, Elk Grove CA 991 1998 Lincoln Mettler, Eatonville WA 974 1997 Sherry LaRue, Tenino WA 868 1996 Kirk Mombert, Harrisburg, OR 808 1995 Jack La Rue, Tenino WA 875 1994
(tie)Joel Holland, Puyallup WA
Pete Glasier, Sequim WA696 1993 Joel Holland, Puyallup WA 740 1992 Joel Holland, Puyallup WA 722 1991 Cindi Glasier, Denver CO 602 1990 Tom Borchard, Salinas CA 544 1989 Mike Pezzini, Prunedale CA 530 1988 Tom Borchard, Salinas CA 432 1987 Tom Borchard, Salinas CA 429 1986 Arthur Quint, Castro Valley CA 526 1985 Arthur Quint, Castro Valley CA 438 1984 Norm Gallagher, Cheland WA 612 1983 Tom Borchard, Salinas CA 408 1982 Tom Borchard, Salinas CA 307 1981 Francis Collings, Petaluma CA 337 1980 Tom Borchard, Salinas CA 275 1979 Francis Collings, Petaluma VA 349 1978 Francis Collings, Petaluma CA 298 1977 Ray Chiesa, Half Moon Bay CA 200 1976 John Minaidis, Half Moon Bay CA 208 1975 John Minaidis, Half Moon Bay CA 273 1974 John Minaidis, Half Moon Bay CA 132
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- Arts and Crafts: You can find amazing harvest-themed arts and crafts here. About 250 talented artists and craft makers show their work. They create original pieces using glass, ceramics, metals, and more. You can also find fiber art, leather goods, wood items, jewelry, and fine art.
- Delicious Food: Food is a huge part of the festival! Many tasty treats feature pumpkin. You can try pumpkin pie, pancakes, bread, cheesecake, sausages, and ice cream. There are also local favorites like Brussels sprouts and artichoke hearts. Don't forget the Portuguese linguisa sandwiches! All the food is provided by local non-profit groups.
- The Great Pumpkin Parade: This parade is a must-see! It features the champion pumpkin from the weigh-off. You'll also see marching bands, cool classic cars, and kids of all ages dressed in costumes.
- Live Entertainment: There's always music and fun on three stages throughout the festival. You can hear all kinds of music, from Country to Blues to Reggae.
- Family Fun: The festival has lots of activities for families. There's a costume contest, pumpkin carving, and fun games. You can even watch or join a pie-eating contest!
- Giant Pumpkin Carving: Watch Farmer Mike, a professional pumpkin carver, in action. He carves giant pumpkins, some weighing up to a thousand pounds! He turns them into amazing faces and designs. Farmer Mike has been carving at the event for 25 years.
- Local Drinks: Adults can enjoy local wine and craft beers by the glass.
- Other Attractions: The festival also includes a Sunday Pumpkin Run/Walk. There's a talent show and a pancake breakfast. You can take photos with giant pumpkins. There's also an exhibit of winning posters from a contest. And for a spooky good time, check out the haunted house!
Getting to the Festival
This popular event brings over 200,000 people to Half Moon Bay. If you're coming from the greater San Francisco Bay Area, you'll likely use Highway 92. If you're traveling from San Francisco or Santa Cruz, you can use coastal Highway 1. The festival, along with many pumpkin patches nearby, can cause a lot of traffic. Parking is limited to side streets or paid lots. These paid lots are often run by local organizations.
