In the mood for a gourds night out? The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival has you covered.
The 50th annual spooky season shindig returns this weekend after a two-year absence. The festival has deep ties to the area, as more than 3,000 tons of pumpkins are grown each year by roughly 15 commercial growers in the Half Moon Bay area.
Festivities kicked off Monday with the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, where a pumpkin named "Maverick" won at a U.S. record 2,560 pounds.
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The slate of this weekend's events include a pie eating contest, where hopefuls will claim their spot at a table and receive a nine-inch pumpkin pie loaded with whipped cream. In a twist, the winners are chosen by audience applause.Â
"This competition isn't necessarily about how much you eat or even how fast you eat it," said Naropa Sabine, creative director of the pie eating contest. "The winner is usually the person who ends up gnarliest and shows some imaginative flair, so anyone can win."
Elsewhere at the festival, attendees can witness a good old-fashioned costume contest where contestants will be split into five age groups. A panel of judges rate five each costume on creativity, attention to detail and presentation and quality.
Musical acts for the festival include SambaDá, a musical group out of Santa Cruz that combines Brazilian samba and funky Latin dance grooves, as well as the Carmen Ratti Band, which serves up blends of blues, funk and R&B music.Â
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Bay Area artist Richard Art Felix will bring a collaborative mobile "ART TEMPLE" experience to the festival grounds. Attendees can get a small section within Felix's mosaic-like design and express themselves through painting or writing.Â
Dancepark, a collective of artists, scientists and engineers and disc jockeys, will wheel out their one-of-a-kind Pacific Art Car, designed and themed in the form of Neptune's Chariot.Â
The art installation will be pulled by four eight-foot-tall seahorses and covered in lights while DJs spin tracks from inside the chariot. Â
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Pumpkin-infused treats, such as pumpkin ravioli, and seasonal craft brews will satiate the appetites of those wandering the festival grounds.Â
The festival is organized by the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee, an all-volunteer civic group. The group primarily focuses on the preservation and beautification of the town's Main St. The committee also makes donations to local nonprofits through a grant process, funds college scholarships and conducts fundraisers through participation in the festival.Â
35 nonprofit and community service groups participate in the festival and an estimated $500,000 is raised every year through food, beverage, game and parking sales. Â
