For many, pumpkin season represents a brief period of nostalgia when the simple act of slicing a face into a vegetable offers great joy. But to pumpkin purists, it’s a culmination of months of hard work and diligence. The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth (GPC) is a community of dedicated pumpkin growers with one common goal: to grow the season’s largest Atlantic giant pumpkin. These colossal gourds can grow up to 2,500 pounds and require intense, round-the-clock care from seed to sprout. Affiliated clubs, like the Utah Giant Pumpkin Growers, host seasonal seminars to share ideas and strategies, particularly on how to grow in Utah’s arid environment.
At the end of the season, growers carefully transport their potentially prize-winning pumpkins to official GPC weigh-offs. Certified judges meticulously measure the pumpkins from blossom to stem, inspecting the giants for soft spots, cracks, or stem tampering.
When the time comes to weigh the entries, a forklift grabs specially designed harnesses wrapped around the pumpkin to lift it. Spectators wait with bated breath until the winner is finally announced, and the winningest grower ends the season with a first-place trophy, bragging rights, and a fuller wallet — much fuller, in fact, as some elite contests offer up tens of thousands of dollars to record breakers.
Growers in the Beehive State had the opportunity to show off their prize-winning pumpkins at the Utah State Fair Giant Pumpkin Contest on Sept. 13 and the Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 3. At the Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival, Layton grower Mohamed Sadiq won with a 2,144-pound pumpkin. At a $5 per pound payout, Sadiq left the contest with a $10,720 cash prize.
Images from past years Giant Pumpkin Festival events. Photos by Alex Valente
PUMPKIN PATCHES IN UTAH:
CACHE VALLEY GIANT PUMPKINS
WHERE: 2151 W. 5400 North, Benson
CROSS E RANCH
WHERE: 3500 N. 2200 West, SLC
BLACK ISLAND FARMS
WHERE: 2075 S. 4000 West, Syracuse
KUWAHARA’S PUMPKIN PATCH
WHERE: 12153 S. 700 West, Draper
MABEY FARMS
WHERE: 10090 S. 1000 West, South Jordan
WHEELER HISTORIC FARM
WHERE: 6351 S. 900 East, Murray
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