Annual weigh-off combines serious competition with a family-friendly fall jamboree
By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
FORT COLLINS — Some very big pumpkins are headed for the scales in Fort Collins this weekend.
Fort Collins Nursery will host its 18th Annual Giant Pumpkin Contest and Fall Jamboree on Saturday, October 10, bringing competitive growers, families, and fall festivities together for a free community event at the nursery on East Mulberry Street.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with giant pumpkins at the center of the action.
This isn’t just a friendly neighborhood pumpkin contest. Fort Collins Nursery is an officially sanctioned weigh-off site for the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, an international organization that establishes standards for giant fruit and vegetable competitions.
Growers will compete for $8,250 in cash prizes and awards, including a $3,900 first-place prize for the heaviest pumpkin. Second place earns $2,200, while third place takes home $1,000.
The competition extends beyond pumpkins, too. Categories include the longest gourd, heaviest tomato, heaviest watermelon, tallest sunflower, and sunflower with the biggest head. There’s also a division for growers age 13 and younger.
Contestants can register and check in between 10 and 11 a.m., with weighing expected to begin around 11:30 a.m.
More Than Giant Pumpkins
While the enormous produce may attract plenty of attention, the Fall Jamboree turns the competition into a broader community celebration.
Activities scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. include pumpkin bowling, face painting, and a photo booth. Tractor hayrides are planned from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The jamboree will also feature an Interactive Instrument Garden from Boredomfighters, giving children and adults an opportunity to experiment with beat pads, keyboards, synthesizers, and music-making software alongside local musicians and beat makers.
Food will be available from Schmickels Hot Dog Cart and Sunny Sky Pies, while Perk Mill Coffee will serve coffee during the event.
For visitors, that means there is plenty to do between trips to the scales as some of the region’s largest homegrown entries are weighed.
North Forty News Sponsors the Celebration
North Forty News is proud to sponsor the 2026 Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off & Fall Jamboree.
Community events like this one are part of what makes Northern Colorado a special place to live. They bring together local businesses, growers, families, and organizations while creating traditions that can be passed down from one generation to the next.
As a locally owned Northern Colorado news organization, North Forty News is pleased to support an event that has grown into an 18-year Fort Collins tradition.
Event Details
Saturday, October 10 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fort Collins Nursery
2121 E. Mulberry St., Fort Collins
Admission is free and open to the public.
Contestant registration and check-in: 10–11 a.m.
Giant pumpkin weigh-off begins: approximately 11:30 a.m.
For complete event and competition information, visit the Fort Collins Nursery website.
North Forty News is proud to sponsor the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off & Fall Jamboree and to help connect our community with the events, people and traditions that make Northern Colorado home. Start your Daily Update trial for local news and events delivered to you, plus MyNFN for a more personalized way to follow what matters to you.
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