Anamosa's Pumpkinfest

Recordbreaking Pumpkins at Oct 5-6, 2007, Event in Anamosa, Iowa

This year's winning pumpkin is likely to be an Iowa-grown record breaker.

Each year, Anamosa, Iowa, the Pumpkin Capital of the World, hosts the Pumpkinfest and Weigh-off, in which the largest pumpkins you've ever seen are polished up, lovingly crated for travel, and paraded through town toward the judging arena at Lawrence Community Center. Owners of the the biggest pumpkins (and the prettiest and ugliest) will share over $6,000 in cash prizes.

Anamosa is also home to the Midwest Pumpkin Growers Association. Squash fanatics from all over Iowa—plus Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, and Missouri—load their humongous pumpkins into pickup trucks and rented U-haul trailers to carefully transport these big beauties to the annual festival.

Last year's 1,502-pound winner is expected to be surpassed this fall. As of September 9, the pumpkin pumpkin pictured above was estimated to be 1,575 to 1,625 lbs. – and growing!

The event also features weigh-offs of watermelons and large gourds, a chili cook-off, pumpkin recipe contest, Pumpkinfest Royalty, pancake breakfast, 5K Run for the Pumpkins, pumpkin carving contest, scarecrow contest, and live music.

For more information, visit the Pumpkinfest website or call 319-462-4879.

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