Pumpkin weighing 2,058 pounds sets North American record
That's going to make a lot of pie: A 2,058-pound pumpkin grown in California has set the North American record for biggest gourd.
John Hawkley of Napa, California, entered the monstrosity in the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. While there were some other enormous entries — including a 1,828 pound pumpkin that had a soft spot and was disqualified — Hawkley was the big winner, taking home more than $13,000 in prize money ($1,000 for having the biggest pumpkin and an additional $6 per pound), plus bragging rights.
The pumpkin didn't break the world record of 2,323 pounds, set Sunday by Beni Meier of Switzerland, but organizers say Hawkley's pumpkin is the first in the event's history to clock in at more than 2,000 pounds. His secret for growing such a ginormous gourd? He "loves all his pumpkins equally, [and] checks on them every day."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
What you need to know about last-minute travelThe Week Recommends You can book an awesome trip with a moment’s notice
-
Saudi Arabia could become an AI focal pointUnder the Radar A state-backed AI project hopes to rival China and the United States
-
Crossword: October 29, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
