Grower squashes competition in World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off
Charlie Brown and Linus would likely be envious of this real-life great pumpkin.
Growers across the U.S. gathered at the 52nd Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off this week to crown a new winner for producing the heaviest gourd.
The annual weigh-off took place Monday in Half Moon Bay, California, and the winning pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 2,346 pounds, according to the competition website.
Brandon Dawson from Santa Rosa successfully bettered his 2024 runner-up position with this year's top pumpkin prize, taking home $21,114 in winnings -- $9 per pound of pumpkin.
The existing Guinness World Record for the heaviest pumpkin belongs to Ken Gienger of Minnesota, whose October 2023 entry at the 50th annual weigh-off came in at 2,749 pounds.
Gienger also won first place at last year's competition with a pumpkin weighing 2,471 pounds. He told ABC Bay Area station KGO this year that the growers' 180-day commitment starts around April 10, from planting the seeds through the time to pick in early October.
Officials weighed pumpkins of all sizes this week before Dawson's pumpkin was crowned the eventual top gourd.
