The All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off began at Topsfield Fair in 1984, and off-shoot of the fair’s Family Garden Largest Cucurbit Contest still held today in the vegetable barn. That year the winning pumpkin, grown by Wayne Hackney of New Milford, CT, weighed 433 pounds and he was awarded $100. In 1989 Hackney joined Hugh Wiberg, who had started growing these giant cucurbits in the 1960’s, and Tom Cone to form the New England Pumpkin Growers Association (NEGPGA) and Topsfield Fair became the official weigh-off site. Wiberg had become intersted in growing giant pumpkins after hearing of Howard Dill of Nova Scotia, whose 438 pound pumpkin set a world record in 1979 and word of the now famous Dill’s Atlantic Giant Pumpkin Seeds spread through the growing community of giant pumpkin enthusiasts. The weigh-off in Topsfield has received world-wide recognition and become so popular that a cut-off weight had to be instituted. All entries must now weigh at least 300 pounds. In 2008 the top 25 entries, out of 56, weighed more than 1,000 pounds!
In 2002 Charlie Houghton of New Boston, NH brought international recognition to the NEGPGA and to Topsfield when his 1337.6 pound pumpkin was deemed the largest ever grown in the world and he was officially entered into the Guinness World Book of Records. He was awarded $5,000 by the fair that year and his pumpkin was carved into what was deemed to be the world’s largest Jack O’Lantern at a New Hampshire garden Center.
The record fell at Topsfield in 2007 when Joe Jutras of North Scituate, RI brought in a 1,689 pumpkin…and again in 2012! The 2012 Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off held at Topsfield fair was, without a doubt, the most exciting Weigh-Off to date. The world’s first one ton pumpkin, grown by New Englander Ron Wallace from Greene, RI, weighed in at a whopping 2009 pounds. Topsfield Fair is home to the first ONE TON pumpkin ever grown in the world. Imagine that! Steve Connolly from Sharon, MA managed to grow a giant pumpkin weighing in at a whopping 2075.5 lbs. The giant pumpkin set a new record for the state of Massachusetts and the Topsfield Fair NEGPGA weigh-off.
In 2022, there was a NEW Topsfield Fair record! Jamie Graham of Tyngsboro, MA brought a pumpkin that would break the 2012 record. His locally grown pumpkin weighed 2,480 pounds!
Call Woody Lancaster of Topsfield (978) 407-2616 for more information.
1st - 2211 lbs
Steve Connolly of Sharon, MA
2nd - 1921 lbs
Alex Noel of Abington, CT
3rd - 1917 lbs
Ed Pappas of MA
1st - 2198 lbs
Steven Sperry of Johnston, RI
2nd - 2074 lbs
Thomas Keenan of Swampscott, MA
3rd - 1631 lbs
Stephen Hallowell of Duxbury, MA
1st - 2480 lbs
Jamie Graham of Tyngsboro, MA
2nd - 2234 lbs
Alex Noel of Abington, CT
3rd - 1850 lbs
Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, MA
1st - 2092 lbs
Alex Noel of Abington, CT
2nd - 1943 lbs
Thomas Keenan of Swampscott, MA
3rd - 1612 lbs
Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, MA
1st - 1986 lbs
Steve Sperry of Johnston, RI
2nd - 1930 lbs
Joe Jutras of North Scituate, RI
3rd - 1895 lbs
Barry LeBlanc of Merrimack, NH
1st - 2294.5 lbs
Alex Noel of Pomfret, CT
2nd - 2169.5 lbs
Gary Vincent of Plainfield, CT
3rd - 2116 lbs
Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, MA
1st - 2114 lbs
Ron Wallace of Greene, RI
2nd - 2017.5 lbs
Daniel & Holly Boyce of Benson, VT
3rd - 1846.5 lbs
Scott Marley of Bellingham, MA
1st - 2003.5 lbs
Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, MA
2nd - 1938 lbs
Steve Sperry of Johnston, RI
3rd - 1578 lbs
Mark Breznick of Pittsford, VT
1st - 2075.5 lbs
Steve Connolly of Sharon, MA
2nd - 1834.5 lbs
Gary Vincent of Plainville, CT
3rd - 1651.5 lbs
Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, MA
1st - 1992.5 lbs
Gary Vincent of Plainville, CT
2nd - 1954 lbs
Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, MA
3rd - 1662.50 lbs
Matthew DeBacco of Rocky Hill, CT
1st - 1900 lbs
Hiram Watson of Farmington, NH
2nd - 1751.5 lbs
Gary Vincent of Plainville, CT
3rd - 1710 lbs
Mark Breznick of Pittsford, VT
Register for our Mailing List to keep up with all the latest Topsfield Fair News!