Plant Science – Garden of the GIANTS

Giant Pumpkin

It’s not just the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! This amazing exhibit encompasses many giants! We have giant pumpkins, giant squash, giant tomatoes, long gourds, bushel gourds, giant watermelons, giant sunflowers, field pumpkins and carved pumpkins! We have weighed in more record breaking pumpkins than anywhere else in the state. Don’t miss out on this garden, you won’t be disappointed by these giants!

2021 Highlights

  • Ryan Cleveland took first place with a 1,777 lb pumpkin!
  • David Gardiner won the Howard Dill Award for prettiest pumpkin!
  • Rick Mace took first place in the Giant Sunflower category measuring in at 23' 5"!

Highlights

  • Steve Sperry holds the current Durham record with his pumpkin that weighed 1,931.5 lbs in 2020
  • 2019 State Record: 203 lbs watermelon from John Ciesielski, Bethlehem
  • 2019 State Record: 263.5 lbs bushel gourd from John Ciesielski, Bethlehem
  • “Howard Dill Award” Competition
  • Offical site of The Durham Fair Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off
  • More record-breaking pumpkins than anywhere in Connecticut

FUN FACT: The current North American Record is held by Steve Gheddes, from New Hampshire with a 2,525 pound pumpkin!

FUN FACT: The current World Record was set last year by Stefano Cutrupi with his 2,703 pound pumpkin!

FUN FACT: In 2020 Steve Connolly set a new Bushel Gourd record with his 470.5 pound bushel gourd!

2023 Weigh-off: Tuesday September 19, 2–8 PM