Its fall again and pumpkin patches (as well as pumpkin lattes!) are appearing everywhere.  As I’ve mentioned before, I love everything about pumpkins. What other vegetable serves as a food source, artistic canvas, candle holder and the perfect symbol of autumn?   
 
Here are some places around the country that celebrate pumpkin season:

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 13-14 on Main Street
This festival, located 25 miles south of San Francisco, features gargantuan gourds, world-class pumpkin carvers, harvest-inspired crafts, live entertainment, a Pumpkin Parade, a haunted house, pie-eating, carving and costume contests. The pumpkin winning the Word Championship (pumpkin) Weigh-off will also be on display.  Hit the road early if you plan to go – this is a very popular event.

Pumpkin Festival, Keene, New Hampshire
Oct. 20, 2007
This small New England town holds the current Guinness world record for most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place – almost 29,000.  You’ll see an amazing collection of carved pumpkins at this festival.

Other Pumpkin Festivals

Each year Half Moon Bay hosts a World Pumpkin Championship Weigh-off where farmers bring in their home grown pumpkins and try to beat the current record.  This year’s winner took home the prize with a 1,524 pound pumpkin.  Now that’s a lot of pumpkin!