Official Rules
The Official Rules for Half Moon Bay's Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off are as follows:
- 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 one entry.
- Pumpkins that have won prizes in any other weigh-off competitions are not eligible.
- In the event of a tie, prize money will be distributed equally among the tied parties.
- Pumpkins will be classified by division based on where the specimen is grown, not the residence of the grower.
- Decisions of the judges are final in all cases.
- The vine must be trimmed to within one inch from the stem.
- All pumpkins will be weighed without the use of tarps or other carrying devices.
- Pumpkins must be in healthy and undamaged condition, free of rot, holes and cracks that go into the interior cavity of the fruit.
- Pumpkins must be free of damaged areas that are greater than 3 inches in any direction.
- Pumpkins must be free of damaged areas that are greater than 3 inches in depth.
- Any single damaged area greater than 3 inches deep will classify the fruit as damaged (DMG). The dimensions of the damage will be measured after all soft material has been removed with a spoon, if needed.
- If there are more than two damaged areas, the pumpkin will be disqualified.
- If the damaged spot shows signs of healing as governed by the GPC it will not count towards a damaged spot.
- Fresh superficial damage caused by lifting straps, animals or growth cracks will not count towards disqualification.
- Small, damaged areas are acceptable if naturally healed over with new rind, also known as natural scabs or new cantaloping.
- The GPC does not require site Judges to put any part of their body under the fruit during inspection.
- Squash will be classified as follows: 100% of the following colors or color combinations: green, blue, and gray. The surface area of the fruit grown in the garden, not including the portion that was in contact with, or in close proximity to the ground, will be considered. This area will include the area between the ribs, around the stem, and the blossom end. This will not include any netting (cantaloping), any discoloration caused by the proximity to the ground, or minimal amounts of striping or mottling associated with some squash. Mottling may appear as white to cream or beige.
- Pumpkins will be all fruit not classified as squash.
- The weigh-off will be conducted in accordance with GPC rules.
- To receive the $30,000 total 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. Here's how the $30,000 breaks down: the winner receives a world’s biggest $9 per pound plus the difference to get to a total of $30,000.
- The winning pumpkin will remain in Half Moon Bay through the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 18-19, 2025.
Online registration will be available here closer to the event.
DELIVERY OF ENTRIES:
Growers are responsible for bringing their entries to the weigh-off by 7:00 a.m. Weigh-off staff will move pumpkins by forklift. ALL entries will be handled with care. Get Directions
WEIGHING:
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.
GROWER PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED:
This event is open to growers of giant competition-sized pumpkins only. Growers are required to pre-register online on through our Eventbrite registration 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 grower). Your cooperation will help us run a well-organized event.
Online registration will be available here closer to the event.
