Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival set for Oct. 19-20

The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival draws many visitors to the “World Pumpkin Capital” on historic Main Street. This year’s 43rd annual festival will be held on October 19-20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
 
The Big Week launches with the World’s Greatest Gourd Growers and their enormous orbs gathering for the 40th Annual SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF, the Super Bowl of weigh-off events, on Oct. 14. Organizers are offering $25,000 in prize money for a new world record entered at Half Moon Bay.
The current world record is 2009-pounds –– the monster pumpkin was grown by Ron Wallace and set at a weigh-off in Topsfield MA in 2012. Defending Half Moon Bay champion Thad Starr, of Pleasant Hill OR, obliterated the formidable field of heavyweight contenders at last year’s Half Moon Bay weigh-off with his 1,775-pound mega-gourd that set a new California weigh-off record.
Starr is expected to return along with a host of accomplished, veteran growers to contend for the $25,000 world record prize. The grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top five weigh-off pumpkins, will be displayed at the Pumpkin Festival, October 19-20.
 
There’s a smashing lineup of entertainment on three stages featuring everything from contemporary country, pop reggae, Latin rock, salsa, blues, folk, classic and Celtic rock music by some of the Bay Area’s top bands. 
 
Shop  America’s finest artists while browsing 275 booths featuring original work in glass, ceramics, metals, fiber, leather, wood, jewelry, and fine art. “Made on the Coast”, a dedicated Locals’ Artists Block, returns with an expanded lineup of fine art, crafts, live music, a book and author booth, and a haiku contest (on Sunday only).
Enjoy popular events like pumpkin pie-eating contests, a Halloween costume contest, pumpkin carving for fun (no judging), Young Actors Workshop’s bone-chilling Haunted House, the Great Pumpkin Parade (Saturday, 12 noon), a Pancake Breakfast, and the 5k & 10k Pumpkin Run.
 Soar high above the crowd on our awesome new Zip-line in Stone Pine Center, making its festival debut. Catch massive air on Spider Jump’s super fun bungee jump in the Gazebo area.
 
The festival is a fabulous feast famous for its homestyle dishes, with many featuring product from local farms. The sweet and spicy pumpkin, naturally, takes center stage: savory treats like pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin churros, chicken pumpkin sausages, and, new this year, warm pretzels with a pumpkin sauce and pumpkin seeds. 
 
The festival runs October 19-20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main St. between Miramontes and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay. Admission is free. Pets are not allowed. The festival is presented by the non-profit Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee. For information, call 650-726-9652 or check outwww.miramarevents.com