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Taste the festival and the coast
 Pumpkin Festival map |
Enjoy the very flavors of the festival and the Coastside in a food court packed with booths run by local non-profit organizations and full of pumpkin. Begin the day at 7 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday with a sunrise breakfast of pumpkin pancakes, sausage, orange juice and coffee at Mac Dutra Park, sponsored by the Half Moon Bay High School basketball team.
Then venture out into the festival, but when you're ready for lunch, there's plenty of choice.
For solid fare, Senior Coastsiders offers portobello mushroom sandwiches marinated in olive oil with herbs, the American Legion offers Polish sausages and hot dogs and the Lions Club has burgers. The Coastside Adult Day Health Center will offer sausage sandwiches with messy-but-good marinara.
The Girls Softball Club has crispy corn dogs, and the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee has Portuguese linguisa, jumbo hot dogs, Italian sausages and chicken pumpkin sausages. There's still more: hot beef sandwiches from the I.D.E.S. Society, or the bounty from Community United Methodist church: a roasted turkey drumstick marinated in a special soy and wine sauce, or a grilled turkey sandwich.
For the health-conscious, there's sautéed artichoke hearts in olive oil with herbs, or brussels sprouts, from the Knights of Columbus.
The local fishing industry gets a nod with spicy fried calamari from the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club or hot clam chowder in bread bowls from the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club.
Kids will delight in Mariners Church's new macaroni and cheddar cheese - either plain or pumpkin, with pumpkin spices and shelled pumpkin seeds.
For a carb jolt, the Coastside Lutheran Church will have nachos with cheese and jalapeños. The Boy Scouts will serve French fries with optional garlic and Sea Crest School will pop corn.
Time for dessert? You'll find pumpkins here too. The Beautification Committee serves pumpkin pie with ice cream, but it gets competition from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Explorers with their pumpkin cheesecake.
But wait, there's more. Holy Family Episcopal Church offers ethereal pumpkin ice cream. Sink your teeth into pumpkin caramel apples whipped up by the Half Moon Bay Vaulters. Or get very sweet with white chocolate pumpkin fudge to benefit the Farallone View Elementary School Education Fund.
The local branch of the AAUW has baked goods from the new Full Bloom bakery owned by Coastsider Karen Trilevsky.
To wash it down if you're younger, many of the booths offer waters, sodas and juices. If you're of age, the Half Moon Bay Winery, official winery of the festival, has a limited-release Central Coast Chardonnay from premium grapes from the state's central coast, served in bottles with a 37th-anniversary festival label.
The winery's homegrown roots are in its owners: longtime preservationist Joe Cotchett and wife Victoria, Don and Diane Thornton of Moss Beach, and Cunha's Country Grocery founder Bev Cunha Ashcraft. "We've taken the opportunity to make wines that complement the coast's signature produce and seafood," said Cotchett.
You can brave the traffic and head north to the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, where brewmaster Alec Moss has created a special, light-bodied 37th-anniversary Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest pale ale.
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A ton of stuff to do
SCARECROW CONTEST
The 10th annual scarecrow contest brings out the classic to the ghoulish, as contestants are urged to give free rein to the whimsical. Entry deadline is Oct. 5 and entry is free; the scarecrows will be judged Oct. 7 at First National Bank, 756 Main St. and will be on display Monday, Oct. 8 at the weigh-off awards luncheon and throughout the festival. Entrant categories include local businesses, families, classrooms and nonprofits. Use of real pumpkins or perishables is not allowed. First- through third-place prizes range from $200 to $50.
SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WEIGH-OFF
Festival time really begins the Monday before, Oct. 8, at 7:30 a.m. at the I.D.E.S. grounds at 735 Main St., when giant pumpkins from the Coastside and the Western states are forklifted onto scales to be weighed by representatives from the county agricultural commissioner's office. Will one top last year's winning 1,223-pound Atlantic Giant grown by Joel Holland from Puyallup, Wash.? If so, you'll see it at the festival.
PUMPKIN PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Start the day both Saturday and Sunday at 7 a.m. with pumpkin pancakes with syrup, sausage, juice and coffee at Mac Dutra Park at Main Street and Kelly Avenue, to benefit the Half Moon Bay High School basketball team.
COSTUME CONTEST
On Saturday at 10 a.m., all ages can dress for Halloween at the Costume Contest in the Half Moon Bay Library parking lot at 620 Correas St. Contest categories include age groups: 0-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-adult, plus pairs and groups. Local judges rate costumes on creativity, attention to detail, presentation and quality. They can be scary - or resourcefully fun, like the boy who dressed as a laundry basket with underwear on his head.
A CORNUCOPIA OF CRAFTS
About 250 booths will display the work of the country's fine craftspeople. One-of-a-kind glass, ceramics, wood, fabric, paintings, jewelry, beadwork, home décor, clocks, children's gifts, photography, etchings and many more items are available, up and down Main and into Correas streets, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Some functional, fine or wearable art comes from Coastside artists, too.
THE GREAT PUMPKIN PARADE
Marching bands, floats, local dignitaries, and a flood of pint-sized ghouls, goblins and fairy-tale characters pour down Main Street in the Great Pumpkin Parade starting at noon on Saturday.
PIE-EATING CONTEST
On Saturday and Sunday, kids of all ages can chow down pumpkin pies at the pie-eating contest. Kids 11 and under get their turn at 2 p.m. and entrants 12 and over get their chance at 2:15 p.m., both days. Winners are chosen by audience applause, so flair and style count as much as how much gets gobbled up.
DO YOU DARE?
The circa-1877 Johnston barn is haunted by the Respectable Undead and an Evil Spirit, aka the Young Actors Workshop, along with animated figures, special effects and different themes in each room. It's family-friendly though children under 5 may find it a little intense. Admission is $5 per person. Brave it if you dare.
BEWITCHING ENTERTAINMENT
Music and kids' entertainment on three stages, plus a bevy of street performers, will drive the festival on both days. Pumpkin crooner Jim Stevens and friends, and driving rockers Dave Crimmen, the Fabulous Cruise Tones, Just Cream, the Unauthorized Rolling Stones, and funky Marcus Scott and Vinyl will pump out the beat on the Main Stage on the I.D.E.S. grounds. There are True Life Travelers with down-home music from across the country, the bluesy Chris Cobb Band and Grupo La Flota Musical with Latin sounds on the Ritz-Carlton Stage at Kitty Fernandez Park. On the Family Stage, comical magicians Grinn & Barrett, contests and, from 3 to 5 p.m., The Golden Gourds awards show featuring young Coastside entertainers, will delight families through the festival. Street performers include romantic world music by Heartstrings Music, guitarist Edward Dee, juggler Fred Anderson, stick player Bob Culbertson and vocalist/keyboardist Emerson with Caribbean sounds.
THE PUMPKIN RUN
Work off all that pumpkin pie Sunday morning at the Pumpkin Run, beginning at 8 a.m. and following the Coastside Trail. There's a 5K and 10K run, a 5K walk and a Kids Fun Run. Each entrant gets a pumpkin.
PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST
On Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the pumpkin carving contest will take place at the Family Stage area in the Bank of America parking lot on Main Street. It's open to kids grouped by age, and adults. Pumpkins and carving tools provided. Prizes are given at 1:30 p.m.
BITS & PIECES
All weekend, festival-goers can watch "Farmer Mike" work his magic carving whimsical, expressive faces on giant pumpkins, try out the Mobile Rock's climbing wall, concoct their own wax hands, have a "Froghopper" ride, have faces painted by Half Moon Bay High School art students, or take the little ones for rides at Kiddieland hosted by Coastside Children's Programs. Vie for a vacation for four to Sea World in San Diego through the Safeway Pumpkin Festival coloring contest, with forms available at Safeway. Kick back and let the rest of the family explore the festival while you relax in the Take 5 Lounge sports bar with its giant-screen LED TV. Have your picture taken with a giant pumpkin.
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SUNDAY, OCT. 7
1 p.m. Scarecrow Contest, First National Bank, 756 Main St. Info: 726-7780.
MONDAY, OCT. 8
7:30 a.m. Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street.
SATURDAY, OCT. 13
7 a.m. Pancake Breakfast, Mac Dutra Park, Main Street and Kelly Avenue
9 a.m. Festival opens
10 a.m. Costume Contest, Half Moon Bay Library parking lot, 620 Correas St.
Noon Great Pumpkin Parade
2 p.m. Pie-eating contest, Bank of America Family Fun Zone (age 11 and under)
2:15 p.m. Pie-eating Contest, Bank of America Family Fun Zone (age 12 and over)
3 p.m. "The Golden Gourds" Coastside Youth Talent Showcase, Bank of America Family Fun Zone
5 p.m. Festival closes
SUNDAY, OCT. 14
7 a.m. Pancake breakfast, Mac Dutra Park, Main Street and Kelly Avenue
8 a.m. Pumpkin Run/Walk on Coastside Trail, Kids Fun Run, 5K and 10K Run, 5K Walk.
Starts at Hatch Elementary School (Kelly Avenue at Highway 1). Run Info-line: 712-7322
9 a.m. Festival opens
10 a.m. Pumpkin carving contest, Bank of America Family Fun Zone
1:30 p.m. Judging/awards for carving contest
2 p.m. Pie-eating contest, Bank of America Family Fun Zone (age 11 and under)
2:15 p.m. Pie-eating contest, Bank of America Family Fun Zone (age 12 and over)
3 p.m. "The Golden Gourds" Coastside Youth Talent Showcase, Bank of America Family Fun Zone
5 p.m. Festival closes
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ORANGE THEME GETS A LITTLE GREENER
By Stacy Trevenon--[ stacy@hmbreview.com ]
The 37th annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival will turn the town orange, of course - with pumpkins. But it will also have a little tint of green.
"As a leader in the community, we're committed to making the festival as eco-friendly as possible," said festival board member Melvin Mello Jr. "It's an important step for us."
To that end, clearly-marked, freestanding containers and boxes will be set up throughout the festival and behind the scenes for collecting glass, plastic and aluminum for recycling.
The recycling effort is set up by Coastal Repertory Theatre, which has long been in charge of garbage and recycling. For 15 years, volunteers through the theater have been seen at the festival, in their aprons, scooping up trash and recycling as one of the theater's biggest fund-raisers. "It's important to all of us that we present a clean, 'green' event," said Tom Woosnam of the theater troupe.
Festival-goers can check out the massive ONE - Organic and Natural Experience - Tour exhibit.
In its fourth year, the tour features leading organic, natural and eco-friendly companies that have joined forces to educate people around the country. It does so with a 10-foot by 30-foot interactive exhibit.
The exhibit offers free product samples and coupons, colorful signage, and chances to chat with knowledgeable "brand activists." The exhibit also stirs consumers to action with take-home action kits.
It all ties in with ONE's goal of bringing about positive social and environmental change through education about and use of organic products. "We want you to taste, feel, smell and see the organic and natural difference," said ONE creator Michael Martin.
As the first consumer exhibit showcasing organic and natural brands and products, the exhibit offers, among other things, Annie's Homegrown bunny grahams and cheddar crackers, Del Monte freshly canned organic corn-and-black-bean-salsa mix, Nature's Path granola bars and cereal, R.W. Knudsen juices, organic applesauce from Santa Cruz, Stonyfield yogurt-based fruit smoothies, and varied fruit treats.
The ONE exhibit will be located at Kelly Avenue and Main Street.
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