Premiere Picks of the Patch: Giant Pumpkins and Squash at The Big E
The Youth and Adult Giant Pumpkin and Squash Competitions at The Big E attracted eager audiences, teeming with excitement for the grand reveal that the weigh-in of the crops promised.
The Big E’s Giant Pumpkin and Giant Squash Competitions are just a few examples of the seasonal crafts and produce competitions available during the Fair. This event features record-breaking vegetables grown by both youth and adult exhibitors, but others include Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, decorated pumpkins for youths and adults, gourds and more produce displays. The majority of these award-winning fruits, arrangements, plants and vegetables can be found on display in Farm-A-Rama throughout the Fair.
Entries are judged by weight and top-placing crops are displayed in the Farm-A-Rama building located on the fairgrounds New England Avenue. A $500 jackpot is offered to anyone who can break the existing weight record. Though records were not shattered this year, the harvest was still monstruous in size.
The Youth Giant Pumpkin & Squash Weigh-Off took place on the first day of the Fair, Friday, Sept. 18, at 6:30pm in the Mallary Complex. The winner of the Youth Giant Squash Competition was Briana Fichtner, whose crop yielded 170 lbs. Caleb Keever won the Youth Giant Pumpkin Competition at 340 lbs. Briana Fichtner followed close behind with a pumpkin that weighed 269 lbs. Brooke Fichtner’s pumpkin came in third at 96 lbs., and Luisa Woodsome earned fourth place at 87 lbs.
The Adult Giant Pumpkin Competition and the Giant Squash Weigh-Off both occurred Friday, Sept. 25, at 6:30pm in the Mallary Complex. The first-place winner of both the Giant Pumkin and Giant Squash Competitions was Arthur Kaczenski of Erving, Mass., a longtime competitor in this field. His pumpkin, which could have brought the legendary “Great Pumpkin” of Peanuts fame to shame, weighed a grand total of 1,250 lbs. The gourd he produced weighed an impressive 883 lbs.
The runners-ups of the Giant Pumpkin contest were Joe Hood, whose 991-lb. pumpkin surely tipped the scale but did not topple it, and Luca Dolyston, whose pumpkin weighed 778 lbs.
The second-place finisher in the Giant Squash competition was M. Fichtner, weighing in at a massive 235 lbs. Charles Lukas followed only a single point inferior, as his third-place squash weighed a nearly identical 234 lbs.
This competition celebrates the dedication and skill of growers across New England, with cash prizes and recognition for outstanding entries, and new and amateur growers are always welcome. Learn more at TheBigE.com or by contacting the Agriculture department at Eastern States Exposition.