Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
8th annual Wyoming State Championship Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off this Saturday
Jay Richard poses with his giant pumpkin Kiera, in his pumpkin patch just west of Worland. Richard will be competing in the the 2019 Wyoming State Champion Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Pumpkin Drop this Saturday.
WORLAND – The eighth annual Wyoming State Championship Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off is Saturday at the Worland Big Horn Co-op, located at 400 W Big Horn Ave.
This event also marks the second year the weigh-off is state sanctioned.
Event organizer Jay Richard stated that all pumpkins, no matter how big or small are welcome. "Bring your pumpkins whatever size they are. This event isn't about winning, It doesn't matter if you win, it doesn't matter if you grow a world record pumpkin. I will never grow a world record pumpkin, probably won't ever grow a state record pumpkin, but I want to grow the best pumpkin I can grow that year. To me the record pumpkin is the best pumpkin I have ever grown. Not the best pumpkin you have ever grown. The only competition that I see is my own, because I grow in a different place, using different methods, using different seeds and different soil in a different location than you do."
The event starts Saturday morning with a free pancake breakfast provided by the Washakie County 4-H and Worland Big Horn Co-op. The breakfast runs from 9 – 11 a.m.
Vendors booths will open and run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. There will be lunch available for purchase and the Worland High School Marching Band and cheerleaders will be entertaining the crowd.
Worland High School art teacher Pam Greek will be offering tie-dying classes. Unfortunately, the pumpkin painting classes previously announced will not be available.
Registration for the great pumpkin weigh-off runs from 10 a.m. – noon.
At noon the Mammoth Pumpkin 5K walk/run will begin at the Washakie County Museum and Cultural Center and end at the weigh-off.
The weigh-off begins at 1 p.m. with the great double pumpkin drop happening after.
Two giant pumpkins will be hoisted, one-at-a-time, over 100 feet into the air by Swing Trucking crane and dropped. The first pumpkin will be dropped on the Worland High School's homecoming rival's mascot. This year Worland will be playing the Rawlins Outlaws and the first pumpkin will be dropped on an effigy of their red horse mascot as a way to kick off homecoming week.
The second pumpkin will be dropped, but at the time of printing, what it will be dropped on remains a mystery.
