Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay – A Trip Report

October also heralds in the annual Art and Pumpkin festival in Half Moon Bay for Bay Area residents. The 39th festival will be held this year October 18-19, 2009 and the festivities commence a week earlier. The event location is at Main Street off highway 92 between Spruce and Miramontes. The Scarecrow and the Pumpkin weigh-off contest happens on the previous Sunday and Monday (October 11th and 12th) respectively. Like every year, the winning gourd along with the top-five weight-off pumpkins is the prime attraction on the festival weekend.

The route to this popular festival at Half Moon Bay from most parts of the Bay Area includes a single-lane highway for about 5 miles and public transportation is not practical. This combination calls for a travel nightmare in that area for those two days. To circumvent this, go real early and depart early. Though the festival officially is from 9 AM - 5 PM both days, the traditional pancake breakfast is served from 7 AM. The fringe benefit for the early bird is the availability of free parking in one of the side streets. Several paid parking options exist ranging from $5 and $10 for the whole day.

The following is a summary of the main attractions of 2008:

Scarecrow Contest
This was more a competition of creativity and artistry - judging was at 1:00 PM on Sunday, October 12, at the First National Bank, 756 Main Street and the categories included families and classrooms, local businesses and non-profit groups. The contest entry was free (dead-line Friday October 5) and the first-place prize in each category was $200.

Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off
The World's Greatest Gourd Growers competed on Monday, October 13, (7 a.m., on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, in Half Moon Bay) for total prize money of about $20,000 with the winner taking $6 per pound for the champion pumpkin. The champion weighed in at over 1500 pounds.

Pancake Breakfast
The High School Varsity Basketball Team hosted the traditional Pancake Breakfast last year right on Main Street and provided plain or pumpkin pancakes, grilled sausage links, fresh orange juice, and plenty of Peet's coffee.

Pie Eating Contests
Held at the Family Fun Zone at 620 Main Street, this was a highly entertaining event with each participant devouring pumpkin pie heaped high with whipped cream – panache and power eating were considered by the audience judges. For children aged 11 and under the event was held at 2 PM, and at 2:15 PM for those 12 and older on both Saturday and Sunday.

Harvest-Inspired Art
Hundreds of one-of-a-kind handcrafted items by America’s finest artists and craft makers are on display at over 250 booths. Worth more than a cursory look!

Entertainment
IDES Main Stage featured Shana Morrison, Dub FX, Daniel Castro, Manicato, The Megatones, Mama Pacho, Nigel and Clive and The British Invasion and Jim Stevens. The new Ritz-Carlton Southside Stage at the Gazebo featured the “Saturday Blues Blowout” with Stan Erhart and the South City Blues Band and “Sunday Women of Rock” with local favorites Catie Chase and the Getaways and The Robin Campbell Band. Street performers included HeartStrings Music, Marty Atkinson, Emerson, Bob “Stickman” Culbertson and Greg Frisbee.

Family Stage
The Family Stage featured Cowgirl Tricks and shenanigans by Karen Quest, juggling, comedy, unicycling and magic by the incomparable Grinn & Barrett, and The Golden Gourds, a youth talent show that featured singers, dancers, bands, improvisational comedians and poets hosted by local actor/director Michael Lederman.

Haunted House
Located Just off Main Street and Kelly behind 505 Johnston Street (Historic 1906 Jail building) is this barn. It featured live (undead) actors from The Coastside Young Actors Workshop alongside audio-animatronic figures, projected and transparent ghosts, intense lighting, sound, fog effects, and unexpected dropping and swooping objects caused by unseen forces. Every year, creative members of the Coastside Young Actors Workshop wow visitors over with their theatrical skills, fabulous costumes, and spooky special effects.

Family Pumpkin Carving Event
A non-competitive Pumpkin Carving suitable for families with young kids was held on Sunday in the Family Fun Zone at Bank of America, 620 Main Street 10 AM - 1 PM. There is no judging or awards and for $1 pumpkins and carving knives are provided.

Other attractions included “Farmer Mike” carving pumpkin up and down the street, demonstrating his amazing carving skill in transforming giant pumpkins into one-of-a-kind sculptures, Mobile Rock’s climbing wall ($5), and face painting ($5) booth. Add to this the myriad food options (not overly expensive for most food booths are hosted by non-profits), several beer and wine options, the “Take 5 lounge” for the couch potatoes and you have something for every taste.

Overall, we rate this event worth every penny you opt to spend…