Big or small could win it all!

Ken Johnston

It could be that the only record broken at this year’s 10th Annual Giant Pumpkin Festival is that of how big a fib growers have told about their crop this year.
Festival organizer, Eltjo Wiersema, said that the lack of heat this summer has left pumpkins stunted. “Mine is about the size of a football,” he noted.
The largest pumpkin ever weighed in at that RR festival was grown last year by Kyle Paulson of Pinewood, Minnesota. It was a whopping 765 lbs. With the growing season being so poor this year, the smaller pumpkins may have a chance to win big this year.
Rumours of a few big ones have them barely tipping the scales at about 300-400 lbs. But there are only rumours about those and they could very well be fibs.
In recent years the number of entries has declined as people with smaller pumpkins figured they did not stand a chance of winning. “Well this is the year to bring those little ones out,” said Wiersema. “They could be big winners!”
The festival begins this Saturday at 10 a.m. with registration under the big tent at Hannam Park in Rainy River. That will continue until 1 p.m. when the weigh-off and judging will take place. Up for grabs is the coveted Golden Hoe and $1,000 cash for the heaviest pumpkin. Second place wins $500 and third $100.
Kids can win twice! If they happen to have the heaviest pumpkin over all they can win the afore mentioned prizes but can also win in the Heaviest Junior Grower category. Prizes there are $50, $25 and $10 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Hidden weight garners $100 which means any pumpkin big or small might win that prize.
The Rookie of the Year receives the Silver Watering Can for being the best first time grower.
Other awards include, Banzai Award (smallest pumpkin), Ugliest Pumpkin, Most Attractive Pumpkin, Best Decorated Pumpkin, Oddest Overall Vegetable, Distance Award, Pumpkin Pie and Dessert Contest, Guess the Weight of a Pumpkin, Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest and Tallest Sunflower.
The festival is open to all people and there is no admission charge to the tent. There is a nominal registration charge to enter the pumpkin weigh-off.
The Rainy River Farmer’s Market will also be set up under the tent for a special harvest market.
Children’s games and activities will also be held at the park around 11 a.m. which will be followed by a community pot-luck dinner.
The awards ceremony for the day will take place at 2:30 p.m.