World pumpkin records exist in weight, carving, and a variety of other records. You can find them in the Guinness World Book of Records. And they are here on our site, complete with pictures and relevant information. We are often among the first to post new records.
It is fascinating to see how intense and competitive people are, as they seek to break world records.
Giant Pumpkins by Weight(World record) – it’s well over one ton!!!
Certainly, the great folks in Keene, New Hampshire know how to have a good time. For years, they have held an annual pumpkin festival. At the festival, they routinely break the record for the most lit pumpkins.
In 2006, their record stood at 28,952 lit pumpkins. Yes, in case you wondered, all of the pumpkins must be lit at the same time in the same place. Then, on October 26, 2007, Boston Ma. shattered this record with 30,128 lit pumpkins! The record was part of a fundraiser for Camp Sunshine, raising over $250,000.
Unsurprisingly, Keene, NH recaptured the world record. At the Keene Pumpkin Festival in 2013, they displayed 30,531 pumpkins, all lit and shining at the same time. Rumor has it, the residents are still “glowing” over this feat.
Will the record be broken again? Without a doubt, it will as records are made to be broken. It’s simply a matter of when.
Just how much pumpkin will one vine support? Most growers of Atlantic Giants carefully select one or two fruit to keep on the vine. Keeping two on the vine for a time serves as an insurance policy in case something goes wrong with one of them. Many growers will then select the largest and fastest growing of the two somewhere along the season and cut off the smaller one. The common belief is that the plant will direct all of its energy towards this one fruit.
So, to answer the question of how many pounds of pumpkin could grow on one vine, one grower grew one plant which produced 2,715 pounds of pumpkins. While this truly is a lot of pumpkin, the world record for a single pumpkin is is slightly more than this total. Also, we are not certain if it was on the same vine of the plant (more than a technicality).
You spent the entire summer growing a giant pumpkin to well over a ton. The giant pumpkin weigh-offs are over. Now, what are you going to do with this big beast!? Why, you hollow it out, and turn it into a giant pumpkin boat, of course!!! Then, let’s see how far you can row an unstable, yet sea-worthy pumpkin. Pumpkin boats have been sailed in ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes. There have even been competitive pumpkin boat races in New York City’s Central Park. There are several pumpkin regattas held around the country each fall. While most pumpkin boats are propelled by oars or paddles, some are sailed, and a few have a motor attached.
You might think giant pumpkin growers are out of their gourd. And perhaps you’re right. But Giant pumpkin growers all over the country have turned their giant fruit into a boat. The first step is to carve out a wide lid and scoop out the insides. Next, for a personal touch, use your own creativity and style to decorate it. Pumpkin boasts can be powered by oars, sails, or small electric motors. The final step is to hop in and sail the seven seas!
How far do you sail in a pumpkin boat, you ask!? In October 2023, Steve Kueny from Lebanon, Missouri rowed his pumpkin about 38 miles in a 1,293-pound pumpkin. It took almost 11 hours to row it from Kansas City, Kansas to Napoleon, Missouri. Kueny aptly named his pumpkin boat “Huckleberry”.
Prior World Record
Rowing a boat is not an easy task. So, we’d like to recognize the previous world record holder. On October 15, 2016, Rick Swenson of Breckenridge, Minnesota sailed his pumpkin boat down the Red River a record 25.5 miles!
