It’s pumpkin patch season. But in honor of National Pumpkin Day, we have to ask — just how big have pumpkins grown in the United States?
Fortunately, the Indiana Pumpkin Growers Association (IPGA) monitors the heaviest pumpkins grown around the world. IPGA takes the top 10 heaviest pumpkins at official state, local or national weigh-ins and determines the average weight in pounds for that location.
The heaviest pumpkin on record in the United States and the world was grown in Minnesota last year and weighed 2,749 pounds. The pumpkin, grown by Travis Zinger of Anoka, also includes the third largest pumpkin on record in the United States, including a 2,560-pound pumpkin he grew in 2022.
Travis Ginger of Anoka, Minn., poses with a giant pumpkin weighing 2,749 pounds during the Safeway 50th World Championship Pumpkin Weighing on October 9, 2023 in Half Moon Bay, California. . (Getty Images)
Here’s how the rest of the country’s pumpkins stacked up with Travis’ pumpkins over the years.
Weight (lbs) Year Producer Weigh State 2,749 2023 Travis Ginger Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh Minnesota 2,670 2024 Earl Thompson Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Grower Weigh Michigan 2,560 2022 Travis Zinger Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh Weighing Minnesota 2,554 2022 Scott Andrusch Great Pumpkin Farm World Pumpkin Weighing New York 2,551 2024 Jim Ford Prairie River Giant Pumpkin Festival Wisconsin 2,528 2018 Steve Geddes Deerfield Fair New Hampshire 2,517 2019 Carl & Beverly Heist Ohio Giant Pumpkin Growers of the Valley Weigh-in New York 2,501 2023 Charlie Bernstrom Stillwater Harvest Festival Minnesota 2,497 2023 Ron Root and Nick Kennedy Safeway World Championships California 2,491 2022 Andy Wolfe Giant Pumpkin Growers of the Ohio Valley Weighing New York (Credit: Indiana Pumpkin Growers Association)
There were also many large pumpkins in other parts of the world. Britain’s heaviest pumpkin weighed 2,656 pounds. The Belgian pumpkin weighed 2,624 pounds, the Spanish pumpkin weighed 2,551 pounds, and the Italian pumpkin weighed 2,702 pounds and was the second largest pumpkin in the world.
Check out the largest pumpkin ever grown in your state on the Indiana Pumpkin Growers Association website.
