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The Giant Pumpkin Festival is returning to Elk Grove for the 32nd year this weekend, bringing fall activities and competitions to town.
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The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Elk Grove Park, 9950 Elk Grove Florin Road. The event typically attracts about 60,000 people, according to a release from the Cosumnes Community Services District.
The giant pumpkin competition will take place Saturday, with pumpkins weighing more than a ton weighed in front of spectators throughout the day, according to the release.
The winning pumpkin in 2025 weighed 2,147 pounds and belonged to Brian Werner of Gridley, according to festival organizers. Werner set a new site record and won the top prize of $7,000.
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The annual pumpkin regatta will take place Sunday, with contestants carving giant pumpkins into boats and paddling them across the park’s small lake.
Other competitions throughout the weekend include baking contests for children, teens and adults, as well as a scarecrow contest and youth art competition. The festival also features a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, carnival rides, arts and crafts, food trucks and live music.
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Admission is free, and parking is $20, according to the release.