SQUASH GOALS. The Ginormous Pumpkin Festival is bringing all the large produce to River Prairie.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! The annual Ginormous Pumpkin Festival is back this year on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Altoona’s River Prairie. Not only will you be able to check out some of the area’s most  prodigious pumpkins, but there will also be great fall food and activities for the whole family.

Pumpkin weigh-off is from 7am-2pm and will feature some seriously huge pumpkins and other large produce. Last year’s winning Atlantic Giant pumpkin came from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, and ended up weighing in at a whopping 2,002 lbs. 

The best part about pumpkins? You can turn them into pie … or cupcakes … or muffins. The Pumpkin Dessert Contest will take place from 10-11am and you can enter any sort of homemade pumpkin dessert. The first-place prize is $100, second place is $50, and the third place prize is $25.

After checking out the freakishly large produce, head over to The Great Pumpkin Races, open for all ages. At 9am there will be a 5K Run for anyone ages 9 and up; at 10:15 am there will be a Lil Pumpkin 1/4 mile run for kids ages 5-8 years old; and at 10:30am there will be an even tinier Tiny Tot 75 Yard Pumpkin Trot for kids 1-4 years old.

Your kids will also enjoy the Rubber Ducky Race starting at noon and will have the opportunity to decorate some pumpkins beginning at 11am!

To round off the fun fall day, at 3pm there will be the Ginormous Pumpkin Drop. A giant pumpkin will be filled with candy and then dropped near the American flag in River Prairie.

Learn more information and register for contests at rpgiantpumpkinfest.com.