Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

October 19-20, 2019, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

October 19, 2019 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
October 20, 2019 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Main Street between Miramontes & Spruce
Half Moon Bay, CA
Free admission - no pets! miramarevents.com

7 a.m. Pancake Breakfast both days
Saturday 10 a.m. Costume Contest
Saturday 12 Noon Great Pumpkin Parade
Pie Eating Contests both days
3 p.m. Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands both days
Sunday 8 a.m. Pumpkin 5k Run & Stroll
Sunday 10 am. Pumpkin Carving

HALF MOON BAY, CALIF. -- Half Moon Bay biggest and best known event of the year is also known throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and California. Art & Pumpkin Festival is a celebration of pumpkins, music, community and art.

The event is held one weekend before Halloween, and usually includes a big pumpkin weigh off. In a recent contest a California-grown 1,535-pound Atlantic Giant pumpkin.

Activities & Attractions: Young Actors Workshop bone-chilling Haunted House, boo-tiful harvest-inspired crafts, tasty homestyle foods, premium wines, seasonal craft beer, pumpkin-infused ales, pumpkin-flavored artisanal cocktails, expert pumpkin carver Farmer Mike sculpting monster pumpkins into amazing one-of-a-kind masterpieces, photos with the gargantuan grand champion mega-gourd, pie-eating and costume contests, pumpkin carving for fun, the world's largest mosaic pumpkin sculpture that measures 12-feet long, 11-feet high and weighs 10,000 pounds by artist Peter Hazel,  Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands, the Comcast Take 5 Lounge with giant screen TV, wild and wacky waterballerz, a 24' rock climbing wall, ultra thrilling bungee jump, selfies and fun with the delightfully rotund, playful and mischievious Pumpkin Festival mascot Gourdy, and the Sunday-only Made on the Coast local artists block with art and live music. 

Bands: Journey Revisited, Robby James and the Streets of Bakersfield | The Swampers Credence Clearwater Revival Tribute | James Nash and the Nomads | The Megatones | Camino | Jim Stevens & Friends | East Side Funk | Coast Tribe | Hank & Ella and the Fine Country Band | and Cocktail Monkeys | The Patrick Maier Duo | the Keller Sisters | the Jim Moore Duo | Blue | Half Moon Bay High School Band | Emerson & The GroWiser Band | John Clarke | Bob Culbertson | Stephen Dreyfuss | Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands | comic explosion  Bob at Large |  Andy Z | West Coast Ramblers | singer-songwriter Mark Malec | Ella Dawn Jenkins aka EllaHarp | School of Rock House Band

Shopping: Great shopping opportunities for buyers and browsers can meet 250 exceptional artists and craft-makers showcasing sculpture, paintings, photography, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather, wood, metal and mixed media. The art aspect of the annual festival is considered among the top art shows in the country.

Original Art: Hand-blown glass pumpkins, beautiful vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, wind chimes, and waterfalls will be among the thousands of items one-of-a-kind items available.

Pumpkin Artist: Among the highlights of the annual event is a talented man, Farmer Mike, who has been called the "Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers". He has carved pumpkins for over 25 years wearing the hat of "Pumpkin Festival Carving Expert".

Pancake Breakfast:

Plain or pumpkin pancakes, gobs of butter and maple syrup, grilled sausage links, fresh orange juice, and plenty of coffee. Saturday and Sunday morning from 7 to 11 a.m. in Mac Dutra Park, Main Street at Kelly Avenue.

Costume Contest

Creative Halloween attire in the Costume Contest, a popular time-honored festival tradition before walking in the big parade, can win awards for the cleverest costume dressers. It is open to all ages with individual and group divisions. Saturday, 10 a.m. in the Half Moon Bay Library parking lot, at Church and Correas Streets.

The Great Pumpkin Parade Saturday 12 p.m.

It's the ultimate old-fashioned, home-spun parade featuring the mighty weigh-off champion pumpkin and grower, followed by marching bands, classic cars, floats, and a charming assortment of costumed ghouls, gargoyles, ghosts and assorted surprises. Saturday, 12 noon on Main Street. Two-time World Series champion, three-time All-Star, Willie Mac award winner and San Francisco Giants all-time, all-out inspirational leader and fan favorite (and Halloween costume buff) Hunter Pence serve as honorary Grand Marshal of the world-famous Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival Parade in 2018.

Pie-Eating Contests

This hilarious contest at Bank of America, 620 Main Street, provides a spectacle as they eat 9" pumpkin pies heaped high with whipped cream. Contests are held Saturday and Sunday with two age categories -- children age 11 and under, and over at 2:15 p.m.

Pumpkin Carving

Non-competitive Pumpkin Carving will be available on Sunday in the Family Fun Zone at Bank of America, 620 Main Street. It is not a contest, there's no judging or awards … it's simply for fun. Pumpkins and carving knives are provided. Create your very own masterpiece anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Pumpkin Run/Walk

The Pumpkin Run is held on Sunday starting morning (usually around 8 a.m.) at Hatch School on Kelly Avenue, just west of Highway 1. The run follows the picturesque Coastside Trail and features a 5 & 10k Run, 5k Walk and Kids Fun Run to benefit Senior Coastsiders. 

•The world's biggest, heaviest work of 'pumpkin art'. 

•Farmer Mike –– aka the Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers –– sculpts and carves giant pumpkins into a one-of-a-kind caricature masterpieces.

•Special attractions include features kid-friendly amusements, fun and games plus 'Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands on the Safeway Family Stage, the Comcast Take 5 Lounge with with giant screen TV, an awesome zip-line and super thrilling bungee jump, plus photos and fun with the delightfully rotund, playful and mischievious Pumpkin Festival mascot 'Gourdy'.

•Pumpkin-infused treats like pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin sticky buns, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin churros, pumpkin chili, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin sausages, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin chili, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie soda, and warm pretzels with a pumpkin sauce; crab and shrimp sandwiches, artichokes and Brussels sprouts, tamales, macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds, corn-on the-cob, sausages, roasted turkey legs, beef sandwiches, baked potatoes, clam chowder. Half Moon Bay Winery's festival-label Red Blend, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company's Pumpkin Harvest Ale, brewed with a variety of pale and crystal malts and pumpkin pulp, plus deelish artisanal cocktails – pumpkin-flavored Jack-o-tinis and Bloody Mary's from Half Moon Bay Distillery.

•Navigate your way around using iPumpkin, the FREE Pumpkin Festival mobile app for the Apple and Android markets. Includes a new Find Parking feature plus key fact sheet, information on special attractions, a detailed site map, schedules, door-to-door directions, push messaging alerts, Facebook and Twitter integration, and visitor information.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.