Surviving the 2023 Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival…

According to organizers, up to 250,000 attendees will visit Half Moon Bay over the two day festival.  If you plan ahead of time, you can avoid the heavy stop and go traffic by booking a hotel room in Half Moon Bay and riding your bike around town. Please note that traffic during the pumpkin season—and especially during the festival—will suck the life out of you! To try to avoid the 2 mile per hour road rage on Hwy 1 and 92, plan to come into Half Moon Bay very early in the morning  (before 7 AM) and leave very late night (after 7 PM).

Explorer1.com suggestion—If you are NOT planning to spend the night in Half Moon Bay during your visit to the Pumpkin Festival, I would encourage you to try to beat the traffic and get in to Half Moon Bay before 7 AM. Spend a few hours at the festival, and, if you have the time, drive south on Hwy 1 to Santa Cruz. Spend some time exploring Santa Cruz and then travel over Hwy 17 to make your way back home.

For a break from all the festival fun, plan to visit one of the Half Moon Bay restaurants.  Also, if the weather is nice, the area beaches make a great retreat.  And don’t forget to visit a local pumpkin patch.  This is a great activity for the whole family!

Scroll down the page for a schedule of events.

Giant Pumpkin Contest Details:

When: Monday, October 9, 2023, 7am – 2pm.

What: The gathering of titanic pumpkins will take place at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off!  Nearly 100 participants will enter their massive pumpkins in hopes of capturing the coveted title and share of $30,000 in prize money. Please note that the giant pumpkin weigh-off will take place on Monday, October 10, 2022.

Where: IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA

Information: Phone: 650-726-9652 or Website: https://weighoff.miramarevents.com/

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

Day 1: Saturday, October 14, 2023 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Schedule of Events:

7:00 am — Pancake Breakfast – Mac Dutra Park Main St. & Kelly Ave.

9:00 am — Festival Opens

10:00 am — Costume Contest, HMB Library Parking Lot #620 Correas Street

12 noon — Great Pumpkin Parade

2:00 pm — Pie Eating Contest (age 11 & under) Bank of America Family Fun Zone

2:00 pm — Pie Eating Contest (age 12 & over) Bank of America Family Fun Zone

5:00 pm — Festival Closes

Where: Main Street, between Miramontes and Spruce St., Half Moon Bay
Information: 650-726-9652
Website: https://pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com

Day 2 — Date: Sunday, October 15, 2023 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Schedule of Events:

7:00 am — Pancake Breakfast – Mac Dutra Park Main St. & Kelly Ave.

8:00 am — Pumpkin Run / Walk on Coastside Trail, Kids Fun Run, 5K, 10K or Half-Marathon. Starts at Hatch School (Kelly Ave. at Hwy. 1) Run Information: 650-712-7322 or visit https://www.seniorcoastsiders.org/ or https://pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com/featured-exhibits/great-pumpkin-run.html

9:00 am — Festival Opens

10:00 to 1:00 pm — Just for fun pumpkin carving, Bank of America Family Fun Zone

2:00 pm — Pie Eating Contest (age 11 & under) Bank of America Family Fun Zone

2:00 pm — Pie Eating Contest (age 12 & over) Bank of America Family Fun Zone

5 pm — Festival Closes

Where: Main Street, between Miramontes and Spruce St., Half Moon Bay
Information: 650-726-9652
Website: https://pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com

Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Run

Sunday, October 16, 2022: Kid’s Fun Run, 5K, 10K and Half Marathon

The 43rd Annual Pumpkin Run benefits Senior Coastsiders.

Run info: 650-726-9056 or https://pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com/featured-exhibits/great-pumpkin-run.html