ABOUT THE EVENT

Half Moon Bay: Where Pumpkins
(and Apps) Are King

World Pumpkin Capital Hosts Epic Festival, October 13-14, 2012

It's The Royal Granddaddy of Festivals

Autumn is a spectacularly special season on the fertile, scenic coast around Half Moon Bay. Magnificent vistas of seaside farm country dotted with vast, rolling fields of orange, scarecrows, barns, and pick-your-own pumpkin patches. It's the perfect time of year and the perfect place to celebrate the beauty and bounty of the fall season and Half Moon Bay does it like nobody else. The world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is the season’s signature event, drawing hordes of visitors to the “World Pumpkin Capital” for an epic festival on historic Main Street. This year’s special 42nd Annual festival will be held on October 13-14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Titanic, mind-boggling, Volkswagen-sized weigh-off champion pumpkins on display, the mesmerizing and remarkably talented “Picasso of pumpkin carvers” sculpting and shaping a monster 1,200+ pound pumpkin into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, harvest-inspired crafts by America’s top artists, the richest/creamiest/tastiest pumpkin pie on the planet, three stages of blockbuster entertainment, everyone’s favorite home-spun parade, enchanting events and contests for the whole family, the never-ending search for the Great Pumpkin, and a bumper crop of 3,000+ tons of the beloved orange orb waiting to be picked from one of the many rustic pumpkin patches around town are among the featured, not-to-be forgotten attractions. It’s the real thing … the authentic “autumn classic”.

Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off
with World Record Mega-Prize

The Big Week launches with the World's Greatest Gourd Growers and their enormous orbs gathering for the 38th Annual SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF—the Super Bowl of weigh-offs—on Monday, October 8, (7 a.m., on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, in Half Moon Bay). Once again, a special $5,000 bonus mega-prize will be awarded to any grower that breaks the world record at Half Moon Bay. The current world record is 1,818.5 pounds, held by Jim and Kelsey Bryson of Ormstown, Quebec, Canada. Superstar grower Leonardo Urena's gargantuan, gasp-inspiring 1,704-pound mega-gourd set a new California State record and obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2011 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Urena is expected to return along with a host of accomplished, veteran growers to contend for the $5,000 world record prize and an estimated $20,000 in additional prize money. The grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top five weigh-off pumpkins, will be displayed at the Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 13-14.

Fresh, New Attractions in 2011

The festival continues to re-invigorate itself with fresh, new attractions. This year brings a special appearance by The Cat, The Myth, The Legend … Puss In Boots and cohort Kitty Softpaws from Paramount Pictures, local artist Ellen Joseph debuting her Pumpkin Festival fine art print “Pumpkins By The Sea”, showstopping performances by talented young artists from Radio Disney’s “Next Big Thing”, an infusion of emerging, new artists with fresh work and a variety of affordable price points, “Farmer Mike” celebrating his 26th anniversary as the Pumpkin Festival’s “official carver”, exotic new food and beverage offerings like pizza by the slice with pumpkin spice, refreshing margaritas and mojitos to complement the top shelf wines and microbrews, and a diverse and star-studded lineup of entertainment. Plus, this year the festival introduces its first mobile app!

The First Pumpkin Festival Mobile App

Technology meets tradition with the release of the new Pumpkin Festival mobile app. The Pumpkin Festival app has been approved by Apple and is now available at the Apple App Store for FREE for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Developed by Half Moon Bay’s Phondini Partners, the app is designed to enhance the festival experience for users by providing everything from a fact sheet with key festival information, a detailed site map, event and entertainment schedules, food and beverage listings, and “Top Ten” list to a list of local pumpkin patches, door-to-door directions, push messaging alerts, special deals, contests, trivia and more! Download the app.

Fine Art, Harvest-Inspired Crafts

Buyers and browsers will find thousands of handcrafted items in well-stocked booths covering several city blocks. Meet 250 of America’s top artists and craftmakers—offering great variety and price points to satisfy every budget—on hand with their latest creations. Featuring original work in sculpture, paintings, photography, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather, wood, metal and mixed media, the festival is considered among the top art shows in the country. Hand-blown glass pumpkins, beautiful vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, windchimes, and waterfalls will be among the thousands of items one-of-a-kind items available. "We have longtime festival favorites returning as well as many talented, new artists this year," said Kris Mason of the Pumpkin Festival Committee. "It’s the perfect opportunity to meet the artists that do the work."

Smashing Entertainment

It’s a veritable Pumpkinpalooza featuring a sensational lineup with the best the Bay Area’s music scene has to offer. There's smashing entertainment on three stages featuring some of the Bay Area’s top bands. Performing on the IDES Main Stage are The California Cowboys, Bump City, Willie G, Jim Stevens & Friends, The Cocktail Monkeys, Lovefool, Extra Large and Caravanserai. Holding down the Ritz-Carlton Gazebo Stage are Top Secret, Rockin’ Down the Hiway, Kaye Bohler and The Bay Area Heat. Street performers include phenomenal musical talents like Kaweh, HeartStrings Music, Emerson, Bob “Stickman” Culbertson and Jeffrey Michael.

Safeway Family Stage Powered by Radio Disney

Radio Disney, currently in the fourth season of its hugely popular “Next Big Thing”, will be bringing in talented young “NBT” artists to perform on the Safeway Family Stage (lineup to be announced). "N.B.T.," a daily multiplatform feature that launched the career of Hollywood Records recording artists Allstar Weekend, puts the spotlight on young recording artists and provides them with national broadcast and online exposure. Also rocking the stage throughout the weekend will be the Radio Disney Road Crew whose high-energy, interactive show will make you want to get up and move! The Radio Disney Road Crew will play all types of fun games with the kids and families, like Hula Hoop Showdown, Mummy Wrap, Costume Relay and Scary Karaoke where everyone will walk away a winner with prizes like DVDs, CDs, posters and more. Plus, kids can learn the dance moves to some of their favorite Radio Disney songs, including the new hit song, “It’s On” from Camp Rock 2.

"Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands"

An unabashed hit at last year’s festival, “Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands” returns for an encore performance under the direction of impresario Ken Kelly. "Smashing Pumpkins is all about giving exciting, new rock and roll talent from around the Bay Area a chance to do what all bands love to do: get in front of a live audience", says Kelly.

Fabulously Festive Food

Community service groups feed the hordes of hungry festivalgoers. Their friendly volunteers will be dishing up hearty servings of tasty, homestyle fare—many featuring product from local farms. The sweet and spicy pumpkin, naturally, takes center stage: pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin churros and chicken pumpkin sausages, to name a few. Then there are coastal favorites like Brussels sprouts steeped in a zesty marinara sauce, and artichoke hearts steamed with an aromatic blend of garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Plus traditional favorites like Portuguese linguisa sausage, hot beef sandwiches, corn dogs, fried calamari, roasted turkey legs, chicken and beef tamales, macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds, garlic fries, steamy clam chowder in sour dough bread bowls, crunchy nachos with jalapenos and cheese, hamburgers, grilled corn on the cob, garlic fries, pizza, and huge baked potatoes with all the trimmings.

Delicious Drink

Thirsty? This year’s festival-label wine is Half Moon Bay Winery’s limited-release 2010 Sauvignon Blanc. This handcrafted, small lot production wine comes from premium grapes grown on the rocky benchlands of Redwood Valley in Mendocino—it’s lovely, refreshing and very drinkable on its own. This refreshing, food friendly wine pairs perfectly with seafood and appetizers. It will be available by the glass along with Half Moon Bay Winery’s Fishermen’s Red, their gorgeous White Wine Blend, and La Nebbia sparkling wine and mimosas at two booths hosted by the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. The Pumpkin Festival-label Sauvignon Blanc will be available by the bottle at The Beautification Committee merchandise booth. For beer lovers, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company will offer its Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale, a Pale Ale made with locally-grown Sugar Pie pumpkins that are roasted with a secret blend of spices and added to the brew kettle. The result is a subtle pumpkin pie spice flavor balanced by a biscuity maltiness. Deelish! Half Moon Brewing Company’s Harbor Light, Sam Adams Oktoberfest and Boston Lager, Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, Coors and Coors Light will also be on tap. For a deliciously refreshing beverage alternative, enjoy a Sauza Original Margarita or Cruzan Rum Premium Mojito. Genuine Sauza Blanco Tequila masterfully blended with premium triple sec gives Sauza Original Margarita—the world’s most popular cocktail—its distinctive, smooth, and mouth-watering flavor. Cruzan Aged Light Rum blended with fresh lime juice, soda, a dash of bitters and mint poured over ice and you’ve got a delicious mojito, perfect for a warm afternoon stroll.

Haunted House

“Ahoy, Matey! There be PIRATES haunting Half Moon Bay! Aaargh. We’re in the Johnston Haunted Barn, aye. Not alive. Not dead.” The Haunted Johnston Barn features live (undead) actors from The Coastside Young Actors Workshop alongside audio-animatronic figures, projected and transparent ghosts, intense lighting, sound, and fog effects, and unexpectedly dropping and shwooping objects caused by unseen forces. The real treat is the young actors themselves, students from grade school through high school trained in the art of improvisation, staying in character, and playing for an audience. The theme of each room is based on a script, but the performers are able to interact and play with the visitors’ reactions, making each tour a unique experience. Every year, creative members of the Coastside Young Actors Workshop wow visitors with their theatrical skills, fabulous costumes and spooky special effects. The barn is located behind the Historic Jail at 505 Johnston Street. Admission is $5. The flow pattern of visitors to the Haunted Barn has been modified, which will allow for much shorter waiting times. Also an optional detour into a more intense experience has been added.

Farmer Mike, The Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers

This year, Farmer Mike, the “Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers”, celebrates his 26th year as the Pumpkin Festival’s official carving expert. On his Pumpkin Festival stage, Farmer Mike has created whimsical faces, movie characters, a stage coach, Puff the Magic Dragon, and even enshrined Pigeon Point Light House into the shell of a pumpkin. The Atlantic Giant variety of pumpkins he carves range in size from a hundred pounds to more than a half ton each. Most of the detail work is done using a folding Buck knife and a variety of simple chisels. He typically carves two pumpkins a day during the festival and can be found at the Coastside Water District lot at 766 Main Street, about the mid-point of the festival grounds.

Giant Pumpkin Photos

How often do you get to see and touch a hard-to-believe, larger-than-life 1,500-pound pumpkin let alone get to have your photo taken alongside something so unusual? Thanks to the festival’s partnership with Silicon Valley Community Foundation, photos with the grand champion gourd will be available for $14. Using state-of-the-art digital cameras and printers, your photo will snapped and quickly printed onto a cardstock frame for a special take-home keepsake. Photo sales benefit the Cabrillo Education Foundation. The photo booth is at the corner of Main and Miramontes Streets.

Pancake Breakfast

To launch your day with a good carbo-load, the High School Varsity Basketball Team will fire up the griddle to host the traditional Pancake Breakfast complete with mouthwatering plain or pumpkin pancakes, gobs of butter and maple syrup, grilled sausage links, fresh orange juice, and plenty of Peet's coffee. Cost is $8. Saturday and Sunday morning from 7 to 11 a.m. in Mac Dutra Park, Main Street at Kelly Avenue.

Costume Contest

Hundreds of ghosts, goblins, ghouls and more model their ingeniously creative Halloween attire in the Costume Contest, a popular time-honored festival tradition before walking in the big parade. The costume contest is open to all ages with individual and group divisions. Saturday, 10 a.m. in the Half Moon Bay Library parking lot, at Church and Correas Streets.

The Great Pumpkin Parade

It’s the ultimate old-fashioned, home-spun parade featuring the mighty weigh-off champion pumpkin and grower, followed by marching bands, classic cars, floats, and a charming assortment of costumed ghouls, gargoyles, ghosts and assorted surprises. Among the featured parade participants this year are movie legends Puss In Boots and cohort Kitty Softpaws. This year’s surprise grand marshal will be announced at a later date. Saturday, 12 noon on Main Street.

Pie-Eating Contests

This hilarious test of unbridled power-eating will take place in the Family Fun Zone at Bank of America, 620 Main Street. Huge, gasping audiences gather to witness this stunning spectacle with each participant devouring and “wearing” a 9” pumpkin pie heaped high with whipped cream. Aside from power-eating, panache and style go a long way with audience judges. On both Saturday and Sunday, children age 11 and under at 2 p.m, age 12 and over at 2:15 p.m.

Pumpkin Carving

Non-competitive Pumpkin Carving will be available on Sunday in the Family Fun Zone at Bank of America, 620 Main Street. It is not a contest, there’s no judging or awards … it’s simply for fun. Pumpkins and carving knives are provided. Create your very own masterpiece anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Pumpkin Run/Walk

The Pumpkin Run will be held on Sunday starting at 8 a.m. at Hatch School (on Kelly Avenue, just west of Highway 1). The run follows the picturesque Coastside Trail and features a 5 & 10k Run, 5k Walk and Kids Fun Run to benefit Senior Coastsiders. Info-line: 650-712-7322.

The “Take 5 Lounge”

Sports fans will have a place to watch NFL and college football and MLB playoff games on a giant LED screen in the Take 5 Lounge. It’s the perfect spot to take a break. Couch potatoes and sports fans will find the comfort and enjoyment of their own living room without ever leaving the event. The Take 5 Lounge is a place where festivalgoers can escape the teeming crowds, relax and hang out with friends while watching their favorite sporting events on a giant LED TV, a 9' x 12' screen with picture-perfect quality. Top that off with a tasty Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale from Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and an Italian sausage sandwich with zesty marinara sauce fired up by the Coastside Adult Day Health Center and you’ve got a winner.

Pumpkin Festival Fine Art Print

The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival fine art print for 2011 has been created by Half Moon Bay artist, Ellen Joseph. "Pumpkins by the Sea" is a sweeping panorama of the coast near the new Cowell-Purisima Trail. A pathway leads the viewer through Bob's Pumpkin Patch toward the classic weathered barn and vegetable stand. The original painting and reproductions will be displayed at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival on October 13-14 and also at the Ellen Joseph Gallery at 840 Main Street in Half Moon Bay, across from Cetrella. There will be an Art & Pumpkin Festival Poster Preview Party at the Ellen Joseph Gallery on Tuesday, September 27 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. For more information (650) 728-7518 or www.ellenjoseph.com.

Special Attractions

Up and down the street, visitors can see a spectacular display of the top 5 pumpkins from the weigh-off, test their mountaineering skills on Mobile Rock’s climbing wall, concoct their very own colorful wax hands, stop by for creative facial designs at the High School Art Department’s face painting booth, and visit Kiddieland for amusement rides hosted by Coastside Children’s Programs.

Coveted Curios

Stock up on the latest and greatest official festival gear including screenprinted t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, ladies ¾ sleeve shirts, V-Hoodies and infant onesies, along with embroidered caps, ladies zipper hoodies, fleece vests, jackets, blankets, tote bags, aprons, lapel pins, beer mugs and more.

Coastal Arts League Pumpin Festival Design Contest Exhibit

The logo design for this year's festival was created by Salt Lake City artist Brian Johnson, winner of the 2011 Pumpkin Festival Poster Design Contest. Entries from the 2012 Pumpkin Festival Poster Design Contest, a joint effort by the Coastal Arts League and Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee, will be on display at the Coastal Arts League during the month of October. The public is invited to visit the CAL Gallery to vote for their favorite design (The People's Choice Award) while the contest entries are on display including Pumpkin Festival weekend, October 13-14.

Organic, Healthy & Green Products Showcase

This year’s festival will feature the latest and greatest exhibits featuring Organic, Natural, Healthy and Eco-Friendly products. Festivalgoers can enjoy free product samples and gather information while experiencing first-hand how these products and organizations can help you live a better, healthier and “greener” lifestyle and be a positive catalyst for change. Sponsors include Safeway “Ingredients for Life”, Chevrolet Volt, The Solar Company, ONE—The Organic & Natural Experience, Larabar, Cascadian Farm, Purity Organic Juice, American Laser Centers, and Allied Waste.

Zero Waste Initiative

The Pumpkin Festival Committee will once again partner with Allied Waste Services, the City of Half Moon Bay and Coastal Repertory Theatre to promote and encourage maximum recycling. “Every day we talk about ways to reduce, re-use, and recycle,” said Melvin Mello Jr., Pumpkin Festival Director. “We’re on a mission to make this a Zero Waste festival—it’s a major priority for us and something we diligently plan for and try to improve upon every year.” The Pumpkin Festival garbage and recycling operation is run by volunteers from the Coastal Repertory Theatre. In keeping with the festival’s tradition of involving community organizations, the theater troupe has been in charge of the massive garbage/recycling detail for nearly 20 years, relying on the festival as one of its biggest fund-raising activities. “It’s hard work with extensive planning and coordination, but it’s important to all of us that we present a clean, ‘green’ event,” said Tom Woosnam of the Coastal Repertory Theater. “We’re proud to be a part of such an important community effort.”

Safeway Cares

“Since the founding of Safeway, our philosophy and vision remain the same—provide value and give back to the community where our customers and employees live and work. Safeway is a proud sponsor of the Art & Pumpkin Festival.” The Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee salutes Safeway for its commitment to the community. Safeway has been the Pumpkin Festival’s presenting sponsor since 1990 and has been an instrumental partner in the festival’s fund-raising success.

Planting the Seed

The Pumpkin Festival was created by the newly formed Main Street Beautification Committee in 1971 as a means for restoring historic downtown Half Moon Bay. That first year, buildings were painted, trees were planted and a legend was born. Since then, the festival has helped raise several million dollars for civic projects and community service organizations throughout the coastside.

Parking

There will be parking at the south end of Main Street near Highway, Half Moon Bay High School (Main St. just north of Hwy. 92), and at the Community Center/Shoreline Station complex, located just north of Kelly Avenue on Highway 1. Many of these parking areas are operated by local non-profit groups who charge a nominal parking fee. There is also limited free parking on several side streets.

Handicapped Parking

There will be specially marked handicapped parking on Purissima Street between Correas Street and Kelly Avenue.

Street Closures

Main Street will be closed to traffic from Mill Street south to Monte Vista Lane throughout festival weekend. Southbound Main Street will not be accessible from Highway 92 from 8 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Main Street will re-open at approximately 9 PM on Sunday. Departing town, Highway 92 eastbound will not be accessible from Main Street (either from the north or the south). The only way to go eastbound on Highway 92 is from Highway 1.

First Aid/Lost & Found

Is located in the Small Hall on the IDES Grounds, the main food court and music stage area in the center of the festival.

Diaper Changing/Family Rest Stop

The Community United Methodist Church will be hosting the “Rest Your Wear Soles” Diaper Changing/Rest Area. The church is located at the corner of Miramontes and Johnston Streets, one block east of Main Street.

No Pets, Please

The City of Half Moon Bay will be enforcing its ordinance prohibiting pets on the festival grounds. For the safety, comfort, and courtesy of your pets and festival-goers, please leave your pets at home. Large crowds make it a very stressful and dangerous environment for pets.

Dates/Hours/Directions

The free-admission festival will be held on October 13-14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay. To get to Half Moon Bay, take 101 or 280 to Highways 92 or 84 west. You can also get to Half Moon Bay via Highway 1 from both north and south.

Info-Line

For festival information, call the Info-Line at 650-726-9652.