Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Chillicothe Halloween Festival

10/15/2023

2023-10-14_GX010177 Glen Hoornstra 02.36 — Glenn Hoornstra of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, talks about his top giant pumpkin a the second annual weigh-off of the Chillicothe Halloween Festival October 14th, 2023.

Chillicothe — While Circleville is gearing up for giant fruits in the the Pumpkin Show, Chillicothe just had its small show of vine crops in Yoctangee Park.

The second annual weigh-off in the Chillicothe Halloween Festival was Saturday. Glenn Hoornstra of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan drove 10 hours to southern Ohio to take top place with a giant pumpkin that was 4 1/2 pounds less than a ton.

Tony Vanderpool, coordinator of the Southern Ohio Giant Pumpkin Growers, emceed the weigh-off. He said this is part of the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, an international network that welcomes growers anywhere from the U.S. and Canada. (The Circleville Pumpkin Show has an independent weight-off for only Pickaway County.)

Both growers pointed out that the winning giant pumpkins are usually from a vine that covers a 30 by 30 foot area, about 1,000 square feet, which is groomed and hand pollinated…to grow a fruit big enough for a grown man to fit inside.

Or two.

Hear both of their stories in the below interviews.

Spectators get snapshots, a review of the giant fruits, and wrangling one of them.

Wrangling and weighing one of the top giant pumpkins.

Glenn Hoornstra of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, talks about his top giant pumpkin.

Tony Vanderpool, coordinator of the Southern Ohio Giant Pumpkin Growers, explains his group and the second annual weigh-off of the Chillicothe Halloween Festival.