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 39th annual HALF MOON BAY ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL, Oct. 18-19. The World Pumpkin Capital celebrates its bountiful fall harvest and autumn splendor with a spectacular lineup paying homage to The Great Gourd including a special display of gigantically enormous champion pumpkins, three stages of smashing entertainment, live music, the Great Pumpkin Parade with San Francisco Giants great Will Clark as Honorary Grand Marshal, a bone-chilling Haunted House, harvest-inspired crafts, homestyle foods, expert pumpkin carvers, photos with the grand champion gourd, pie-eating and costume contests, The Golden Gourds Youth Talent Show, The Take 5 Lounge with giant screen LED TV, the "ONE" Organic and Natural food tasting extravaganza, festival-label wine and Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale. Admission is free.
Kicking off the festivities, the SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF will be held on Monday, October 12 (7 a.m. on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, Half Moon Bay), with $20,000 at stake in this “heavyweight championship” of gargantuan gourds. The World’s Greatest Gourd Growers compete for the coveted title and top prize of $6 per pound to the winner. Defending champion Thad Starr, of Pleasant Hill, Oregon, obliterated the impressive field in 2007 with his leviathan 1,524-pound Atlantic Giant. The grand champion gourd, along with the top five pumpkins, will be displayed at the Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 17-18.
Live Music and Entertainment on three stages … everything from pop reggae, Latin rock, salsa, blues, folk, classic and Celtic rock music by some of the Bay Area’s top bands … Shana Morrison, Dub FX, Daniel Castro, Manicato, The Megatones, Mama Pacho, Nigel and Clive & The British Invasion, Jim Stevens, “Saturday Blues Blowout” with Stan Erhart and the South City Blues Band, “Sunday Women of Rock” with Catie Chase and the Getaways and The Robin Campbell Band, HeartStrings Music, Marty Atkinson, Bob Culbertson, and Greg Frisbee. Cowgirl Tricks by Karen Quest, Grinn & Barrett and The Golden Gourds on the Family Stage.
Food & Drink ... tempting pumpkin-infused treats like pumpkin pie, pancakes, ice cream, cake, cheesecake, sausage, and bread, along with hearty stews of artichokes and Brussels sprouts, tamales, macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds, corn-on the-cob, grilled sausages, roasted turkey legs, hot beef sandwiches, baked potatoes, fried calamari, clam chowder, and lots more. Half Moon Bay Winery’s festival-label Syrah and Half Moon Bay Brewing Company’s Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale, brewed with a variety of pale and crystal malts and pumpkin pulp.
Special Attractions ... Farmer Mike aka “the Picasso of pumpkin carvers”, photos with the grand champion pumpkin, a bone-chilling Haunted House, create-your-own wax hands art, the Froghopper amusement ride, Mobile Rock’s 24-foot climbing wall, and face-painting.
Events and Contests ... Pancake Breakfast (both days, 7 AM), Costume Contest (Saturday, 10 AM), FedEx Great Pumpkin Parade (Saturday, 12 noon), Pie-Eating Contests (Saturday and Sunday, 2 PM), The Golden Gourds Youth Talent Show (Saturday and Sunday, 3 PM), 5 & 10k Pumpkin Run (Sunday, 8 AM), Pumpkin Carving for fun/no judging (Sunday, 10 AM).
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