About 3 thousand people tuned in to Port Elgin’s Pumpkinfest this year.
The festival had a virtual weigh off, livestreamed by Bruce Power and CTRE Productions this year in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The winning pumpkin belonged Phil & Jane Hunt and Chris Lyons.
Thier pumpkin weighed in at 1,939.5 lbs nearing their goal of breaking the 2,000 lb mark in Canada.
Organizers say 41 growers arrived to have their giant vegetables measured. They lined up outside the venue with their vegetables on trailers, and went in one at a time to have them weighed one`, in order to maintain physical distancing.
Over $12,500 in prizes were awarded including $3,000 for the largest pumpkin.
A sunflower over six metres tall that reached as high as the arena rafters earned Norman Kyle the title in that category and the heaviest watermelon weighed in at 124.5 lbs.
Other events included online Bingo, a virtual car show and online craft auction as well as musical performances by local bands and artists including Shakey Trill, The Ending to this Story and Midnight Sundogs.
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker was the winner of the annual seed spitting contest and the Bruce Telecom Harvest Star Search winners were Payton Myatt and her dad Jeff who sang ‘A Whole New World’ from Disney’s Aladdin. Payton also won for her rendition of ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie.
Winners of the other categories:
Squash
Todd Kline
1288.00 lbs.
Watermelon
Mark Pollock
124.50 lbs.
Field Pumpkin
Jeff Warner
114.50 lbs.
Long Gourd
Todd Kline
122.50 lbs.
Cabbage
Bob & Elaine MacKenzie
46.5 lbs.
Tomato
Chris Lyons
6.76 lbs.
Sunflower
Norman Kyle
240.50 in.
Bushel Gourd
Joseph Giffen
249.50 lbs.
Special: Mangel Wurzel
Lonnie Bourne
61.22 lbs.