Hub Staff

Approximately 50,000 people showed up for this year's 29th annual Port Elgin Pumpkinfest.

The opening ceremony saw the Chantry Singers sing 'O Canada' followed by Pumpkinfest Chairman Brad Scott and Saugeen Shores Mayor Mike Smith welcoming everyone to Pumpkinfest and praising all those involved in putting the event together.

The seed spitting contest was up next with several local celebrities and dignitaries spitting pumpkin seeds, with Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP, Bill Walker winning with a distance of 29'6”. Walker said that he'd been participating in the contest for the four years he had been MPP and that his previous best had been around 16'. He said he didn't have a winning technique. “No practice, I come every year and just do it. I guess I'll have to chalk it up to the hot air of a politician.”

Speaking about Pumpkinfest, Walker said, “This festival is so impactful to our community, to the surrounding area. The people that come from far and wide to a world famous Pumpkinfest is just fabulous and this is just our way of being part of it and having fun. It's all about family and enjoyment.”

Giant vegetables of all shapes and sizes filled the Bruce Power Grower's Tent with growers from near and far looking to see if they had any winning or record breaking produce.

Lionel Boutett from Thornbury had brought a Blue Pumpkin to the festival and hopes that he would be bringing giant Blue Pumpkins in a few years. “What we're doing here is taking a Blue Pumpkin, which comes from New Zealand, and cross pollinating it with the giants and within three years we're going to have a pedigree for the Giant Blue Pumpkin,” he said.

The winner of this year's giant pumpkin was Todd Kline of Shawville, Quebec, which weighed in at 1733.5 lbs, just short of the 1753 lb site record from 2012. Kline also won the long gourd category with 127 inches.

Joel Jarvis of St. Thomas won the squash category with 892.0 lbs with Port Elgin's own Doug Court winning third with 573.5 lbs. Court also won a first place with his 5.07 lb tomato. Southampton's MJ Marshall also had a first with a 254.5 inch Sunflower.

Sunday's International Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth fun weigh-off saw Tiverton's Bob MacKenzie taking first place with his 1157.5 lb pumpkin and his wife Elaine also winning with her 805.5 lb squash.

In addition to the vegetables, Pumpkinfest saw a whole array of family activities, shows, and vendors over the weekend.

New this year was the Little Tracks Petting Zoo, which included a whole array of farm animals to feed and pet. Also new was Tim The Puppet Tamer who brought ventriloquism, juggling and unicycling; as well as a 9 ft tall, 5 ft wide chef, Le Petit Chef.

Artist, Adam Robert Martin who is originally from Port Elgin was carving a giant pumpkin on Saturday and a giant squash on Sunday. Martin, who is more used to carving wood, said that pumpkin carving was relatively new to him. “I do one every year for Halloween but this is the first time I've done a big one,” he said.

Cinderella's Carriage Classic Car Show was held downtown Port Elgin and saw over 900 vehicles registered for the event.

This year's festival was hailed a success by Pumpkinfest Coordinator, Mandy Sebok. “We were about 14 percent above on our gates on the Saturday this year as opposed to all of last year,” she said. “I think it was a great weekend.”

Check out The Hub's Pumpkinfest video HERE.