Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival Returns Oct. 19 With Full Schedule

HALF MOON BAY, CA — For the 49th year, Half Moon Bay will be hosting its annual Art & Pumpkin Festival from Oct. 19-20, featuring a pumpkin parade, live music, local artist displays and pumpkin weigh-off that promises a $30,000 prize.

The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and will take place on Main St. in Half Moon Bay, which bills itself as a "world pumpkin capital." Admission is free.

One key event is taking place five days before the festival's start date: the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, being held Oct. 14 at 7 a.m., on the IDES Grounds (735 Main St.). The "Super Bowl of weigh-offs" will feature "massive, mind-boggling, Volkswagen-sized" pumpkins, according to a news release. Organizers are offering a $7 per-pound prize for the pumpkins, as well as a $30,000 grand prize for a world record weight.

The annual pumpkin parade will be held Saturday, Oct. 19 at noon on Main St., featuring "marching bands, classic cars, fantastic floats, and a Mardi Gras-style procession of costumed ghouls, gargoyles, goblins, ghosts and assorted surprises," according to the release.

Non-stop live music will be performed on four stages around downtown, and "festive food" will be sold to benefit local non-profits.

More information, including a full schedule of events, is available at pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com.

Twenty local artists will have the chance to showcase their work at a one-day pop-up event on Sunday, Oct. 20 on Main St. The local artists being featured include:

Joseph Altwer: Painter
Peggy Bechtell: Photographer
Roxanne Beebe: Bottle stoppers & jigsaw puzzles
Betsy Harms & Christine Bloomquist: Jewelry
Sylvie-Marie Drescher: Locally sourced botanical gifts
Julie Engelmann: Ocean inspired artwork
Julia Ginna: Dog gift baskets
Marilyn Johnson: organic, homemade jams and jellies
Kathleen Martin: Photography
Len Banks & Laura McHugh: Painters
Silvio Modena: Chimes & bells
Stuart Nafey: Photography
Ivania Portocarrero: Painter
Nancy Quickert: Ceramics
Randall Reid: Pottery
Laura & Mark Squire: Portrait photography
Carolyn Tillie: Jewelry
Raymond Wolfgramm: Local honey
Half Moon Bay High School Art Department: Halloween collage