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2,455-Pound Pumpkin Sets New Record at Circleville Pumpkin Show
Read the full articleA massive pumpkin weighing 2,455 pounds set a new record as the Circleville Pumpkin Show kicked off. Grower Troy Vanarsdalen claimed the top spot, while his grandson Able earned fourth place.
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https://www.sciotopost.com/massive-2455-pound-pumpkin-shatters-circleville-pumpkin-show-record/
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A massive pumpkin weighing 2,455 pounds stole the spotlight Wednesday morning as the 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show kicked off with a new record.
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A massive pumpkin weighing 2,455 pounds stole the spotlight Wednesday morning as the 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show kicked off with a new record that crushed the competition and rewrote the festival’s history.
Pumpkin grower Troy VanArsdalen claimed the top spot with his enormous entry.
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Pumpkin grower Troy Vanarsdalen claimed the top spot with his enormous entry
VanArsdalen, who has been growing competition pumpkins for just three years, said he has relied heavily on the knowledge and support of other local growers to help him learn the craft, according to local reporting by the Scioto Post.
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Vanarsdalen, who has been growing competition pumpkins for just three years, said he has relied heavily on the knowledge and support of other local growers to help him and his grandsons learn the craft.
Growers say preparing a pumpkin for competition requires approximately six months of daily attention, a commitment VanArsdalen described as a “full-time, part-time job.”
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Growers say preparing a pumpkin for competition requires approximately six months of daily attention, a commitment Vanarsdalen described as a “full-time, part-time job.”
To qualify for the giant pumpkin competition, entries must be grown within a 25-mile radius of downtown Circleville.
His 10-year-old grandson, Able, earned fourth place in this year’s competition with a pumpkin weighing 1,553 pounds in his second year of growing giant pumpkins.
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His 10-year-old grandson, Able, earned fourth place in this year’s competition with a pumpkin weighing 1,553 pounds. The accomplishment is especially impressive considering Able is only in his second year of growing giant pumpkins.
One-ton pumpkin shatters Circleville pumpkin show record
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The entry stands as a one-ton pumpkin that shatters the Circleville Pumpkin Show record.
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One-ton pumpkin shatters Circleville pumpkin show record
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The 119th Circleville Pumpkin Show runs Wednesday through Saturday, October 21 to 24, starting with the giant pumpkin weigh-in on Wednesday morning at Main and Court streets.
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The 119th Circleville Pumpkin Show runs Wednesday through Saturday, October 21 to 24, and it starts the way it always starts: with the giant pumpkin weigh-in on Wednesday morning at Main and Court.
More than 300 vendors will line about nine square blocks of downtown, 37 of them serving some kind of pumpkin food.
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More than 300 vendors will line about nine square blocks of downtown, 37 of them serving some kind of pumpkin food
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The festival originated in October 1903 with Mayor George Haswell's modest pumpkin-and-corn display.
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Originating in October 1903 with Mayor George Haswell's modest pumpkin-and-corn display, the event has blossomed into a massive four-day festival.
The festival attracts more than 400,000 visitors who enjoy seven parades, three pageants, and performances by top marching bands.
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Today, the festival attracts more than 400,000 visitors who enjoy seven parades, three pageants, and performances by top marching bands.