Costumes are part of the fun of Halloween. If you love dressing up,  the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival’s Costume Contest if for you.

Open to festival-goers of all ages, costumes will be judged in five age groups as well as a category for pairs, and another one for larger groups. Costumes are judged on creativity, attention to detail, presentation, and quality.

Where: Half Moon Bay Library in the parking lot, located at 620 Correas Street.
Time: Saturday October 15th, 10:00 am.

Read more about the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival on CoastViews Magazine’s Blog

Today was a big day in Half Moon Bay. Two out of three of the world’s biggest pumpkins weighed in this morning at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Prizes were given to the ten largest pumpkins entered in the contest. All of the prize winning pumpkins will be on display at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival this coming weekend.

Leonardo Urena with his 1,704 lb. winning pumpkin.

Leonardo Urena of Napa grew the 1,704 lb. winning squash.  At $6 per lb., Urena’s pumpkin earned $10,224, plus an additional $1,000 for being the largest pumpkin grown in California this year. Urena’s secret? Good seed and good soil.
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In 1974, three years after the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival started, Safeway began sponsoring Annual Pumpkin Weigh-Off. The first winning pumpkin weighed 132 pounds. Now days, we see pumpkins that are well over 1,000 lbs.

Governed by the Greater Pumpkin Commonwealth,  the Half Moon Bay weigh-off  is one of over 70 competitions held worldwide. With giant pumpkins in attendance across the west, the weigh-off is a world-class competion. Along with the prestige, there are cash prizes for winning pumpkins:

Top Prize Money

1st place prize money will be awarded in a “pay-by-the-pound” system with the champion receiving a hefty $6 per pound.

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The Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival is almost here! The Coastside Land Trust invites you to march in the parade with them.

The parade is on October 15. Marching in the parade with the members of the Coastside Land Trust will show support for their hard work. Meet in front of Cunha Middle School at 11:15 a.m. Wear your own costume, or wear one of theirs that will be provided for you; Trust Poppy, Trust Rodent, Trust Fawn or Trust Butterfly.

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1. The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival was started by the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee 40 years ago in 1971. This year marks the 41st Annual Festival.

2. Safeway sponsors the World Championship Pumpkin  Weigh-off, which is held on Columbus Day and starts at 7:00 am. The pumpkins are lifted by forklift, with a special harness.

3. The winning pumpkin of the 2010 weigh off was grown by Ron Root of Citrus Heights, CA. Root’s Atlantic Giant pumpkin weighed in at 1,535 pounds.

4. The winner of the pumpkin weigh-off receives an extra $5,000 prize if their pumpkin breaks the world record while at the Pumpkin Festival weigh-off. (more…)

Phondini Partners has created a free iPhone  app that can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store that will help festival goers easily navigate the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival.  The app give information about the festival, including: maps, schedule of events, list of vendors,  and more.

For out of town guests there will also be an update that includes restaurants and hotel directories.

DOWNLOAD The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival App from the iTunes Store 

This app is presented in association with the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce.

More  Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival blog posts…