Schedule of Events

Find times and locations of all events surrounding the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, held every Columbus Day, and the following weekend's famous two-day Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival.

Music Lineup

It’s that special time of year when throngs of pumpkin fans gather in Half Moon Bay to dance and frolic in the ultimate mecca of gourd greatness.

Photos with Grand Champion Gourd

Proceeds Benefit the Cabrillo Education Foundation

How often do you get to see and touch a hard-to-believe, larger-than-life 1-ton pumpkin (2,000 pounds!)—let alone get to have your photo taken alongside something so extraordinary?

Safeway Community Stage

A popular and signature attraction at Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, the Safeway Community Stage will showcase an all-star lineup of performing artists at this year’s festival, October 18-19.

Kick Back and Watch Live Sports Games!

On the Giant Screen in the Xfinity Take 5 Lounge

It has become a festival staple so sports fans will be pumped to learn the Xfinity Take 5 Lounge is returning to this year’s Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 18-19 from 9 am to 5 pm on historic Main Street.

Audience Participation Drives the Pie Eating Contests

Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. next to the Safeway Community Stage

“To me, the pie eating contest embodies the essence of Pumpkin Festival,” said Wilbur Collins, the spiritual and emotional leader of the contest organizing team for many years.

There is plenty to see and do at Half Moon Bay’s world-famous Art & Pumpkin Festival, but nothing gets you up close and personal to the Great Gourd as the Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest. 

Calling All Ghosts, Goblins and Spooks for Pumpkin Festival Costume Contest

Saturday, October 18 at 10 a.m. in front of the Half Moon Bay Library

Everyone from tiny tots to ghoulish grandmas and grandpas will get a chance to show of their best Halloween attire at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival Costume Contest. 

Half Moon Bay: A Plethora of Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin Patches

It doesn’t get any better than autumn splendor on the Half Moon Bay Coast with picturesque seaside farm country blooming in all its glory.

Coastal Fall Guide

Each October, The San Francisco Peninsula transforms into a lively hub of fall festivities - especially along the coast where a stretch of pumpkin farms, scenic trails, and seasonal events capture the spirit of autumn. If you’re visiting the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival and planning a fall week on the coast, here’s what to check out while you’re here.