A new Port Elgin Pumpkinfest record was set October 3 at the first ever virtual festival as Jane and Phil Hunt, along with neighbour Chris Lyons, won the heaviest pumpkin title with their giant vegetable weighing in at 1939.5 pounds. The growers, from Cameron, Ontario, also won the title at last year's festival and also hold the Canadian record at 1959 pounds.

Hub Staff

The Bruce Power Growers Tent was broadcast live from start to finish for the first time in Pumpkinfest's history and possibly the first time for any Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario (GVGO) weigh-off. On October 3, 2020 in Port Elgin, over 2,500 viewers followed a dramatic display of sky high sunflowers, staggering squash, monstrous melons and of course, eye-popping pumpkins.

With the help of CTRE from Owen Sound, every moment was captured live for individuals and families to enjoy safely from their own home. Co-hosts Dave Middleton and 98 The Beach's Robin Woods interviewed growers as they were syphoned, one by one, through the Missionary Church in downtown Port Elgin to have their hefty harvests weighed in hopes of a spot on the Pumpkinfest Leaderboard.

Although the in-person crowds were absent at the 2020 festival, a long line of giant vegetable growers stretched down the streets at one of only three official weigh-offs in Ontario for the 2020 season, resulting in an extraordinary event.

Pumpkinfest President Dave Mensher expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped to support their first virtual Pumpkinfest. He admitted that back in April they weren’t sure if Pumpkinfest 2020 would happen but the board wasn’t willing to give up and volunteers were ready to assist.

Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson congratulated the Pumpkinfest committee for “keeping the spirit and interest in the annual festival alive” in her video message to viewers. Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau also included a video recording to welcome guests to the 34th annual event. Charbonneau thanked the organizers and volunteers along with local businesses who all continued to sponsor this important event despite the challenging times. Middleton urged viewers to donate online, noting that with the omission of admission fees and travel expenses, everyone should have a little bit extra to contribute. Close to 50 not-for-profit organizations depend on fundraising revenue from the award winning festival that in the past has drawn crowds of up to 50,000 visitors, declared Middleton.

Pumpkinfest 2020 hit the ground running with the very first pumpkin coming in 41 pounds heavier than the 2019 winner. Bob and Elaine MacKenzie from Tiverton were the first to weigh in with a 1,812.5 pound pumpkin. The thought of breaking through the 2,000 pound threshold was voiced by Middleton and like the far reaching Atlantic pumpkin vines, excitement quickly reached through every staff member, volunteer and home viewer.

Expert judges, Morgan Inglis and Paul Ribey, thoroughly inspected incoming vegetables before they reached the scale to ensure each conformed to the rules and regulations. No holes through the skin, stems must be trimmed and any dirt needs to be brushed off, explained Middleton.

Throughout the day Middleton reminisced about the evolution of the festival. The festival moved from its first location in Coulter Parkette to the Port Elgin Curling Club to the high school, and then finally landing in its current location at the Missionary Church on Green Street. Middleton recalled how in the beginning the pumpkins were hoisted onto the scale by the high school football team. Today, a specially engineered sling, designed by Bruce Power, carefully transports the pumpkins and squash that are now more than double the weight of those seen in the early years of Pumpkinfest.

“It’s morphed into its own event,” claimed Middleton. “No one can stop this thing now."

Growers put in six to eight months of work, nurturing their pumpkins, battling beetles and fending off predators such as mice, groundhogs and bears reported Middleton. Some have even been known to campout in the last couple weeks of growth to protect their precious produce from nighttime threats.

By the end of the day the leaderboard was like none seen before at Pumpkinfest with the fifth place pumpkin weighing in at 1,661 pounds. The winning pumpkin went to Jane and Chris Hunt from Cameron, Ontario who teamed up with their neighbour Chris Lyons. Together they raised a 1,939.5 pound pumpkin, a new record for Pumpkinfest.

The Hunts also won last year with a pumpkin weighing in at 1,771.5 pounds. Todd Kline of Shawville, Quebec drove nine hours with a squash that took first place at 1,288 pounds. Pumpkinfest ambassador Jeff Warner from Englehart, Ontario placed first in the Field Pumpkin category at 114.5 pounds. Tomatoes tipped the scales this year at over six pounds and the mangelwurzel, a field beet, made its debut at Pumpkinfest with a winning weight of 61.22 pounds from Lonnie Bourne of Petrolia, Ontario.

Mark and Mya Pollock from Kincardine took the award for heaviest watermelon, which weighed in at 124.5 pounds.

Growers lined up around the downtown Gustavus and Bricker Street municipal parking lot with their giant produce as they waited for their fruit and vegetables to be weighed.

Due to COVID-19, Port Elgin Pumpkinfest Master of Ceremonies, Dave Middleton, addressed the the crowds via a livestream.

One by one, this year's giant vegetables were loaded into the Port Elgin Missionary Church to be weighed.

Pumpkinfest volunteers carefully maneuver a giant pumpkin, ready for it to be weighed.

A trailer full of live streaming equipment brought this year's giant vegetable weigh-off to the 2,500 viewers who tuned in.

Port Elgin Rotary members, from left, Doug Freiburger, Fred Shildroth, Mike Bolton and Ron Moss, were handing out the official pumpkin pies of Pumpkinfest October 3. The pies were made by Just Like Mom's in Southampton and had been pre-ordered online. Moss said that a total of 214 pies had been sold with Bruce Power ordering an additional 150 gift certificates for pies that they would be handing out to front line workers. An estimated $3,000 in proceeds will be going to the Huron Shores Hospice.

Pumpkinfest mascots, Petals and Patches, were waving to traffic on Highway 21, October 3, as they greeted visitors at Hi-Berry Farm.

With the help of Petals and Patches from Pumpkinfest, the Re/Max Land Exchange Saugeen Team from Southampton were at Hi-Berry Farm for their Pumpkin Giveaway October 3.