Half Moon Bay’s 54th annual Art & Pumpkin Festival takes over historic Main Street on October 17 and 18, 2026, with free admission from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off opens the season on Monday, October 12, at the IDES Grounds, where growers compete for $9 per pound.
Key Takeaways
- The weigh-off offers a $30,000 total prize for any grower who sets a new world record at Half Moon Bay.
- Travis Gienger set the current world record at Half Moon Bay in 2023 with a 2,749-pound pumpkin.
- More than 250 artists exhibit on Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets, along with three stages of live music.
- A new Moonlight Movie Night in Carter Park on Saturday, October 10, at 6 p.m. opens ten days of pumpkin season.
- Farmer Mike, known as the “Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers,” marks 40 years of carving giant pumpkins at the festival.
- The Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee presents the festival, and proceeds support local civic causes and downtown beautification.
The World Pumpkin Capital Has Earned Its Title
Half Moon Bay calls itself the “World Pumpkin Capital,” and the claim rests on more than marketing. The coastside’s cool, foggy climate and farmland have made the area a center of pumpkin growing for generations. Each October, pumpkin patches along Highway 1 and Highway 92 draw visitors from across the Bay Area and beyond.
The festival grew out of that farming tradition. It began in 1971, when the Main Street Beautification Committee organized an old-fashioned harvest celebration to make use of the region’s pumpkin crop. More than five decades later, the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is among California’s longest-running fall community events. It took a pause during the pandemic years before returning in 2022.
The Weigh-Off Brings Giant Pumpkins to the Coast
The pumpkin season starts with the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off on Monday, October 12, at the IDES Grounds on Main Street. Growers from across the country bring their heaviest pumpkins, some weighing well over a ton.
The stakes are real. The champion earns $9 per pound, and a $30,000 total prize waits for anyone who breaks the world record in Half Moon Bay. That has happened before. In 2023, Minnesota grower Travis Gienger set the world record at the weigh-off with a pumpkin that weighed 2,749 pounds.
Safeway has served as the weigh-off’s title sponsor since 1990. The grand champion pumpkin then becomes a festival attraction, displayed on Main Street with a photo booth for visitors the following weekend.
What Visitors Will Find on Main Street
The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival covers historic Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18. Admission is free and the festival is open to all ages.
Art and Handmade Crafts
The festival’s name gives equal billing to art, and that side of the event is substantial. More than 250 artists show their work along Main Street. Organizers receive about 500 applications each year and select roughly 210 artists through jury review. On Sunday, the “Made on the Coast” Locals’ Block highlights handmade work and live music from coastside makers.
The Great Pumpkin Parade and Family Traditions
The Great Pumpkin Parade rolls down Main Street at noon on Saturday, with pumpkin-themed floats, marching bands, vintage cars, dancers, and community groups. The weekend also includes costume contests, pie-eating contests, and three stages of live music.
Farmer Mike, a fixture for four decades, will carve giant Atlantic Giant pumpkins into detailed sculptures in front of the crowd. On Sunday, the Pumpkin Run, Walk, and Stroll raises money for Senior Coastsiders, a local organization serving older adults.
A Festival That Supports the Coastside Economy
The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival matters to the local economy well beyond its two days. The Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee directs festival proceeds to local civic causes and the beautification of downtown Half Moon Bay. Local nonprofits run many of the festival’s food and drink booths, which turns visitor spending into community funding.
The broader pumpkin season brings steady traffic to Main Street restaurants, shops, and inns throughout October. Coastside farms also benefit as visitors stop at pumpkin patches on their way in and out of town. For a small coastal city, a single festival weekend that draws large regional crowds helps carry local businesses through the fall.
This year adds a new event to the start of the season. The Moonlight Movie Night in Carter Park on October 10 gives locals and visitors a chance to celebrate before the weigh-off and the festival weekend.
Planning a Trip to the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Traffic on Highway 92 and Highway 1 gets heavy during festival weekend, so arriving early helps. Parking is available at the south end of Main Street near Metzgar and at Half Moon Bay High School. SamTrans buses stop near the festival for visitors who want to skip the drive.
Organizers ask visitors to leave pets at home, with the exception of leashed service animals. The festival also works with the City of Half Moon Bay to encourage recycling and composting under the city’s compostable foodware rules.
FAQs
When is the 2026 Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival?
The 54th Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on historic Main Street.
Is the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival free?
Yes. Admission is free for all ages. Fees apply for food, some activities, and the Sunday Pumpkin Run.
When is the Half Moon Bay pumpkin weigh-off?
The Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off takes place Monday, October 12, 2026, at the IDES Grounds. The champion earns $9 per pound, with a $30,000 total prize for a new world record.
What is the world record pumpkin from Half Moon Bay?
Travis Gienger set the world record at the Half Moon Bay weigh-off in 2023 with a pumpkin that weighed 2,749 pounds.
Can visitors bring dogs to the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival?
No. Organizers ask visitors to leave pets at home. Leashed service animals are allowed.
