CANFIELD, Ohio — The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers will host its 29th annual Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off on Oct. 12. at 10 a.m. at Parks Garden Center, 9010 Youngstown Salem Road, Canfield, Ohio.
The event will feature the heaviest giant pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, field pumpkin, widest sunflower head and longest gourd contests. Prize money for the categories will exceed $25,000 and the heaviest giant pumpkin winner will receive $7,000.
Last year, the giant pumpkin winners were Dave and Carol Stelts from Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, with a pumpkin weighing 2,376.5 pounds. This year, the Stelts have already shown their fourth largest pumpkin, weighing 2,381 pounds, and have three larger pumpkins still in the patch. These pumpkins could set a new world record. The current U.S. and world record is 2,749 pounds, grown by Travis Geinger of Minnesota from a OVGPG seed stock.
The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers Club consist of 200 members and provides an annual weigh-off site for the Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth, an international organization. The Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth runs over 100 weigh-offs across the globe to locate the official world champion giant pumpkin.
Member growers who want to compete need to complete a digital entry by Oct. 10. For more information, visit https://ohiovalleygiantpumpkingrowers.com/.
