Watch the Giant Pumpkin & Produce Weigh-Off
On the first day of the festival attendees can watch as giant pumpkins are lifted by a forklift onto a specialized scale. Throughout the morning pumpkins and other produce will be weighed and measured. In the afternoon the award ceremony begins and awards are given to the farmers with the largest produce. Many giant pumpkins will weigh-in at nearly one ton each. Some previous winners have even set world records!
![close up of two small pumpkins in front of giant pumpkins of varying orange shades](https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=be3a3e698e99c962fb88eb089044ca8b 320w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=edefa364d9ec9efac20f7a6f3ea03f86 540w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=4c8f78382c54e2a55796ba6d85965f25 768w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=fbda5c1728aba43f07a25c70fcfb54bb 1024w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=ea64d3fc56d0dd45ea4d4c59f2dfc34b 1200w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=c5ffb9bdbcccf5df8dd027eeb8a25920 1440w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=6338a360f40065f2bdb8448b76097a56 1920w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=4731cec99e04b649cb52bd40f56cf611 2560w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/andrea-lambrecht-Ossfuh_Z7LY-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=6cd78f96b06b1023035b1b3c5513881a 3840w)
Cheer for the pumpkin boat race
On the second day of the festival the giant pumpkins will be carved into boats and raced in the lake. The preparations begin in the early morning when the boats are carved. The pumpkins are then float tested just before the start of the race. Once the race begins, cheer for the pumpkins and see who crosses the finish line. The race concludes with a giant pumpkin drop where boats will be dropped into the water near Strauss Island.
![a scarecrow with a cat face posed in front of hay stacks, mums, and pumpkins](https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=527aa151fcd4b900fd71f3fa18255bf8 320w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=fd902789a63bcc50dc09e41b43a3e086 540w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=7c798d000145ad4b75f067630dccebb8 768w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=af9f35ac3d88b37d8b692ca13120829d 1024w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=2ea0ea90fed2010c8764addce9128893 1200w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=0c3808f630508f6da9fa1e7348ce3342 1440w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=d083495a0145995f560d7e2e630296a0 1920w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=ec211672ce08fee62150b69bd25f41fa 2560w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/gorkic-taradi-L5XcSxKiT08-unsplash.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=3840&s=975a02adcb2b3531ed87dd6b5119e81d 3840w)
Compete in a fall themed contest
The Giant Pumpkin Festival has multiple pumpkin and fall themed contests throughout the weekend. There is a contest available to every age group and everyone is welcome to participate, though advanced registration is required for most contests.
Lil’ Pumpkin Cupcake Contest
Children 12 and under are invited to bake and deliver four pumpkin cupcakes of their own creation to the festival and bring a copy of their original recipe. Judges will then sample the cupcakes and hand out prizes to winning contestants.
Pumpkin Recipe Contest
The Pumpkin Recipe Contest is an adult cooking and baking contest held during the festival. Contestants can enter one dish for each category. There will be two categories: sweet and savory. The dishes must utilize fresh or canned pumpkin as a key ingredient.
Scarecrow Contest
Artists of all ages may enter the Scarecrow Contest where they will make a display to be displayed in Scarecrow Alley throughout the weekend. The displays will need to follow the Autumn Memories theme. Every year the festival offers a new theme for artists to follow so annual visitors can enjoy new displays.
Youth Art Contest
The Youth Art Contest is split into 3 age groups, ages 3-6, 7-12, and 13-17 and gives young artists ample opportunities to win prizes during the festival. Artworks of all mediums depicting the year’s theme, Autumn Memories, will be displayed in the Art Walk area throughout the festival weekend.
![Display at the Giant Pumpkin Festival made of multiple scarecrows, towers of cardboard boxes and children's toys](https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/GiantPumpkinFestival-81.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=7f72da2e03d33edfcc4d47f67138aad0 320w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/GiantPumpkinFestival-81.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=10ffe4d6ba7b1b5c648b627c9c83f2a7 540w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/GiantPumpkinFestival-81.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=f9b802b0adc0ff0a7e590a3d819140a1 768w, https://elk-grove.imgix.net/images/GiantPumpkinFestival-81.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=c69f76b1c39a4e678948395170d85d51 1024w)
When & Where
The Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival will be held on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, 2024 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Elk Grove Park. Parking will be available for $15, cash only.
Elk Grove Park
9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road,
Elk Grove, CA 95624