Half Moon Bay Festival Parade 2010 Videos Pictures

Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival 2010 ,Half Moon Bay Festival Parade 2010 Videos Pictures.Half Moon Bay’s “Autumn Classic” Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary
The 40th Annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival will be held on Main Street between Miramontes and Monte Vista Streets in Half Moon Bay.
October 16 & 17, 2010 • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Main Street, Half Moon Bay Held in the Pumpkin Capital of the World, the festival includes pumpkin carving and pie-eating contests, a Halloween costume contest, haunted house, Great Pumpkin Parade, giant weigh-off champion pumpkins, homestyle foods, harvest-inspired arts and crafts, and three stages of blockbuster entertainment. Admission is free.




The festival is presented by the non-profit Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee.
For lovers of arts and crafts, there’s nothing more thrilling than buying an original work directly from its creator. Over 250 artists and craftspeople from throughout the West will display their creations in the beautiful autumnal atmosphere of the San Mateo coast. This world-famous festival showcasing works in media ranging from wood, stone and metal to clay, leather and textiles features everything from masks and moccasins to mobiles and musical instruments.
Autumn is a spectacularly special season on the fertile, scenic coast around Half Moon Bay. Magnificent vistas of seaside farm country dotted with vast, rolling fields of orange, scarecrows, barns, and pick-your-own pumpkin patches. It’s the perfect time of year and the perfect place to celebrate the beauty and bounty of the fall season and Half Moon Bay does it like nobody else. The world-famous Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is the season’s signature event, drawing hordes of visitors to the “World Pumpkin Capital” for an epic festival on historic Main Street. This year’s special 40th anniversary festival will be held on October 16-17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Titanic, mind-boggling, Volkswagen-sized weigh-off champion pumpkins on display, the mesmerizing and remarkably talented “Picasso of pumpkin carvers” sculpting and shaping a monster 1,200+ pound pumpkin into the likeness of animated supervillain MEGAMIND, harvest-inspired crafts by America’s top artists, the richest/creamiest/tastiest pumpkin pie on the planet, three stages of blockbuster entertainment, everyone’s favorite home-spun parade, enchanting events and contests for the whole family, the never-ending search for the Great Pumpkin, and a bumper crop of 3,000+ tons of the beloved orange orb waiting to be picked from one of the many rustic pumpkin patches around town are among the featured, not-to-be forgotten attractions. It’s the real thing … the authentic “autumn classic”.
Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off
with New World Record Mega-Prize
The Big Week launches with the World’s Greatest Gourd Growers and their enormous orbs gathering for the 37th Annual SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF, the Super Bowl of weigh-off events, on Monday, October 11, (7 a.m., on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, in Half Moon Bay). In a new twist, this year for the first time a special $5,000 bonus mega-prize will be awarded to any grower that breaks the world record at the weigh-off. The added prize money is made possible by the sponsorship support of Safeway and new weigh-off co-sponsor MEGAMIND, a new 3D animated comedy adventure coming to theaters nationwide on November 5. The current world record is 1,725-pounds, held by Christy Harp of Jackson Township, OH. Defending champion Don Young, of Des Moines IA, obliterated the competition at last year’s Half Moon Bay weigh-off with his burly 1,658-pound “Monster from the Midway”. Young is expected to return along with a host of accomplished, veteran growers to contend for the $5,000 world record prize and an estimated $20,000 in additional prize money. As an added bonus, the winner will also be treated to a private screening of MEGAMIND for 200 of their friends, family and guests. The grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top five weigh-off pumpkins, will be displayed at the Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 16-17.
Fresh, New Attractions in 2010
The festival continues to re-invigorate itself with fresh, new attractions. This year brings an infusion of emerging, new artists with fresh work and a variety of affordable price points, “Farmer Mike” celebrating his 25th anniversary as the Pumpkin Festival’s “official carver”, special appearances by Nickelodeon superstars SpongeBob SquarePants and Diego, performances by talented young artists from Radio Disney’s “Next Big Thing”, a diverse and star-studded lineup of entertainment, new food and beverage offerings like pumpkin smoothies and the introduction of margaritas and mojitos to complement the top shelf wines and microbrews, and the Comcast production team on-hand to shoot and produce an original 1-hour Pumpkin Festival show that will be available FREE on Comcast On Demand. The festival also plans to step up its comprehensive Zero Waste effort, this year to include composting, through sponsorship support provided by the Ritz-Carlton-Half Moon Bay, Allied Waste and dedicated volunteers from the Coastal Repertory Theatre.
Fine Art, Harvest-Inspired Crafts
Buyers and browsers will find thousands of handcrafted items in well-stocked booths covering several city blocks. Meet 250 exceptional artists and craftmakers — offering great variety and price points to satisfy every budget — on hand with their latest creations. Featuring original work in sculpture, paintings, photography, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather, wood, metal and mixed media, the festival is considered among the top art shows in the country. Hand-blown glass pumpkins, beautiful vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, windchimes, and waterfalls will be among the thousands of items one-of-a-kind items available. “We have longtime festival favorites returning as well as many talented, new artists this year,” said Kris Mason of the Pumpkin Festival Committee. “It’s the perfect opportunity to meet the artists that do the work.”
Smashing Entertainment
It’s a veritable Pumpkinpalooza featuring a sensational lineup with the best the Bay Area’s music scene has to offer. Performing on the IDES Main Stage are Mark Hummel, one of the world’s best harmonica players; country icons and festival favorites The California Cowboys; the inimitable, soulful Latin flavor and sound of Manicato; The Cocktail Monkeys, hands-down, the hottest dance/cover band around; legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and master keyboardist Ron Thompson; the soulful sound, funky groove and positive vibe of Santa Cruz-based Extra Large; Caravanserai flawlessly performing 30 years of brilliant Santana music, and folksinger and Pumpkin Festival original Jim Stevens. Holding down the South Stage at the Gazebo are The Dave Matthews Blues Band, a great booking for the festival and the band’s rabid and devoted fan base; sultry all-American blues singer and absolute sensation Lara Price; powerhouse acoustic/electric cover band, the Rodeo Clowns; and the not-to-be-missed Marshall Law Band, playing blues, rock, country, and good ole classic soul music like you’ve never heard it before. Street performers include phenomenal musical talents like HeartStrings Music, Emerson, Bob “Stickman” Culbertson, Kaweh and FatChanceBellyDance making a rare, special appearance.
Safeway Family Stage Powered by Radio Disney
The Safeway Family Stage has some exciting news to announce. Radio Disney, currently in the third season of its hugely popular “Next Big Thing”, will be bringing in four talented young artists to perform. Saturday will feature 13-year old pop singer and rapper Coco Jones and 14-year old pop/rock singer songwriter Sacha Edwards. Sunday’s performers include 13-year old pop and R&B singer Amber Lily and gifted singer/current contestant Gabi Wilson. “N.B.T.,” a daily multiplatform feature that launched the career of Hollywood Records recording artists Allstar Weekend, puts the spotlight on young recording artists and provides them with national broadcast and online exposure. Also rocking the stage throughout the weekend will be the Radio Disney Road Crew whose high-energy, interactive show will make you want to get up and move! The Radio Disney Road Crew will play all types of fun games with the kids and families, like Hula Hoop Showdown, Mummy Wrap, Costume Relay and Scary Karaoke where everyone will walk away a winner with prizes like DVDs, CDs, posters and more. Plus, kids can learn the dance moves to some of their favorite Radio Disney songs, including the new hit song, “It’s On” from Camp Rock 2.
Fabulously Festive Food
Community service groups feed the hordes of hungry festivalgoers. Their friendly volunteers will be dishing up hearty servings of tasty, homestyle fare — many featuring product from local farms. The sweet and spicy pumpkin, naturally, takes center stage: pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake rolls, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin churros and chicken pumpkin sausages, to name a few. Then there are coastal favorites like Brussels sprouts steeped in a zesty marinara sauce, and artichoke hearts steamed with an aromatic blend of garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Plus traditional favorites like Portuguese linguisa sausage, hot beef sandwiches, corn dogs, fried calamari, roasted turkey legs, chicken and beef tamales, macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds, garlic fries, steamy clam chowder in sour dough bread bowls, crunchy nachos with jalapenos and cheese, hamburgers, grilled corn on the cob, garlic fries and huge baked potatoes with all the trimmings.
Special Festival Wine and Microbrew
Thirsty? This year’s festival will feature Half Moon Bay Winery’s limited-release 2008 White Wine, a gorgeous blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Muscat Canelli, Fruiliano, Riesling and Arneis. This handcrafted, small lot production wine has wonderful flavors of tropical fruit and citrus combined with the lovely aromas of lychee, mango and melon — lovely, refreshing and very drinkable on its own. The wine comes from premium grapes grown in Mendocino County and pairs perfectly with seafood, abalone, scallops, white fish and pasta with white sauce. The wine bottle comes with a stylish 40th anniversary festival label. It will be available by the glass along with Half Moon Bay Winery’s Fishermen’s Red, La Nebbia sparkling wine and mimosas at two booths hosted by the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.
The Pumpkin Festival-label White Wine will be available by the bottle at The Beautification Committee merchandise booth. For beer lovers, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company will offer its Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale, a Pale Ale made with locally-grown Sugar Pie pumpkins that are roasted with a secret blend of spices and added to the brew kettle. The result is a subtle pumpkin pie spice flavor balanced by a biscuity maltiness. Deelish! Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, Coors and Coors Light will also be on tap.
New: Margaritas and Mojitos
Adding to the festive spirit, for the first time festivalgoers will be able to enjoy a Sauza Original Margarita or Cruzan Rum Premium Mojito for a deliciously refreshing beverage alternative. Genuine Sauza Blanco Tequila masterfully blended with premium triple sec gives Sauza Original Margarita — the world’s most popular cocktail — its distinctive, smooth, and mouth-watering flavor. Cruzan Aged Light Rum blended with fresh lime juice, soda, a dash of bitters and mint poured over ice and you’ve got a delicious mojito, perfect for a warm afternoon stroll. Add a splash of orange juice and you’ve got a refreshing and colorful Pumpkin-rita or Pumpkin-ito.
Haunted House
“Ahoy, Matey! There be PIRATES haunting Half Moon Bay! Aaargh. We’re in the Johnston Haunted Barn, aye. Not alive. Not dead.” The Haunted Johnston Barn features live (undead) actors from The Coastside Young Actors Workshop alongside audio-animatronic figures, projected and transparent ghosts, intense lighting, sound, and fog effects, and unexpectedly dropping and shwooping objects caused by unseen forces. The real treat is the young actors themselves, students from grade school through high school trained in the art of improvisation, staying in character, and playing for an audience. The theme of each room is based on a script, but the performers are able to interact and play with the visitors’ reactions, making each tour a unique experience. Every year, creative members of the Coastside Young Actors Workshop wow visitors with their theatrical skills, fabulous costumes and spooky special effects. The barn is located behind the Historic Jail at 505 Johnston Street. Admission is $5. The flow pattern of visitors to the Haunted Barn has been modified this year, which will allow for much shorter waiting times. Also an optional detour into a more intense experience has been added.
Farmer Mike, The Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers, Celebrates 25 Years as Expert Carver
This year, Farmer Mike, the “Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers” celebrates his 25th year as the Pumpkin Festival’s official carving expert. He will meet his biggest challenge yet. The new task? To select and carve a monstrous 1,200+ pound pumpkin into the likeness of supervillain MEGAMIND, the protagonist in a new 3D animated comedy adventure from DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures.
Giant Pumpkin Photos
How often do you get to see and touch a hard-to-believe, larger-than-life 1,500-pound pumpkin let alone get to have your photo taken alongside something so unusual? Thanks to the festival’s partnership with Silicon Valley Community Foundation, photos with the grand champion gourd will be available for $14. Using state-of-the-art digital cameras and printers, your photo will snapped and quickly printed onto a cardstock frame for a special take-home keepsake. Photo sales benefit the Cabrillo Education Foundation. The photo booth is at the corner of Main and Miramontes Streets.
Pancake Breakfast
To launch your day with a good carbo-load, the High School Varsity Basketball Team will fire up the griddle to host the traditional Pancake Breakfast complete with mouthwatering plain or pumpkin pancakes, gobs of butter and maple syrup, grilled sausage links, fresh orange juice, and plenty of Peet’s coffee. Cost is $8. Saturday and Sunday morning from 7 to 11 a.m. in Mac Dutra Park, Main Street at Kelly Avenue.
Costume Contest
Hundreds of ghosts, goblins, ghouls and more model their ingeniously creative Halloween attire in the Costume Contest, a popular time-honored festival tradition before walking in the big parade. The costume contest is open to all ages with individual and group divisions. Saturday, 10 a.m. in the Half Moon Bay Library parking lot, at Church and Correas Streets.
The Comcast Great Pumpkin Parade
It’s the ultimate old-fashioned, home-spun parade featuring the mighty weigh-off champion pumpkin and grower, followed by marching bands, classic cars, floats, and a charming assortment of costumed ghouls, gargoyles, ghosts and assorted surprises. Among the featured parade participants this year are Nickelodeon superstars SpongeBob SquarePants and Diego. This year’s surprise grand marshal will be announced at a later date. Saturday, 12 noon on Main Street.
Pie-Eating Contests
This hilarious test of unbridled power-eating will take place in the Family Fun Zone at Bank of America, 620 Main Street. Huge, gasping audiences gather to witness this stunning spectacle with each participant devouring and “wearing” a 9” pumpkin pie heaped high with whipped cream. Aside from power-eating, panache and style go a long way with audience judges. On both Saturday and Sunday, children age 11 and under at 2 p.m, age 12 and over at 2:15 p.m.
Pumpkin Carving
Non-competitive Pumpkin Carving will be available on Sunday in the Family Fun Zone at Bank of America, 620 Main Street. It is not a contest, there’s no judging or awards … it’s simply for fun. Pumpkins and carving knives are provided. Create your very own masterpiece anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Pumpkin Run/Walk
The Pumpkin Run will be held on Sunday starting at 8 a.m at Hatch School (on Kelly Avenue, just west of Highway 1). The run follows the picturesque Coastside Trail and features a 5 & 10k Run, 5k Walk and Kids Fun Run to benefit Senior Coastsiders. Info-line: 650-712-7322.
The “Take 5 Lounge”
Sports fanatics will have a place to watch NFL and college football and MLB games on a giant LED screen in the Take 5 Lounge. It’s the perfect spot to take a break. Couch potatoes and sports fans will find the comfort and enjoyment of their own living room without ever leaving the event. The Take 5 Lounge is a place where festivalgoers can escape the teeming crowds, relax and hang out with friends while watching their favorite sporting events on a giant LED TV, a 9′ x 12′ mobile, light-emitting-diode screen with picture-perfect quality. Top that off with a tasty Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale from Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and an Italian sausage sandwich with zesty marinara sauce fired up by the Coastside Adult Day Health Center and you’ve got a winner.
Special Attractions
Up and down the street, visitors can watch world-class pumpkin carver “Farmer Mike” demonstrate his amazing carving skill transforming giant pumpkins into one-of-a-kind sculptures, test their mountaineering skills on Mobile Rock’s climbing wall, climb on-board “Rocky” the Mechanical Bull for the ride of your life, concoct their very own colorful wax hands, stop by for creative facial designs at the High School Art Department’s face painting booth, and visit Kiddieland for amusement rides hosted by Coastside Children’s Programs.
Coastal Arts League 2010 Design Contest Exhibit
The logo design for this year’s festival was created by Turlock resident Bruce Freeby, winner of the 2010 Design Contest. Entries from the 2011 Pumpkin Festival Poster Design Contest, a joint effort by the Coastal Arts League and Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee, will be on display at the Coastal Arts League, beginning with a reception on Saturday, October 9 from 4 pm to 7 pm and continuing through November 1. The public is invited to visit the CAL Gallery to vote for their favorite design (The People’s Choice Award) while the contest entries are on display including Pumpkin Festival weekend, October 16-17.
Organic, Healthy & Green Products Showcase
This year’s festival will feature the latest and greatest exhibits featuring Organic, Natural, Healthy and Eco-Friendly products. Festivalgoers can enjoy free product samples and gather information while experiencing first-hand how these products and organizations can help you live a better, healthier and “greener” lifestyle and be a positive catalyst for change. Sponsors include Solar City, ONE — The Organic & Natural Experience, Farm Fresh To You, Larabar, Cascadian Farm, PG&E, Purity Organic Juice, Guayaki Yerba Mate, American Laser Centers, Metro Electro, the Ritz-Carlton/Half Moon Bay, and Allied Waste.
Zero Waste Initiative
This year’s Zero Waste Initiative has been stepped up with with the Pumpkin Festival Committee, Ritz-Carlton, Coastal Repertory Theatre, Allied Waste Services and the City of Half Moon Bay joining forces to promote and encourage recycling and, for the first time, composting. “Every day we talk about ways to reduce, re-use, and recycle,” said Melvin Mello Jr., Pumpkin Festival Boardmember. “We’re on a mission to make this a Zero Waste festival — it’s a major priority for us and something we diligently plan for and try to improve upon every year.” This year, the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay will be donating compostable food service-ware to the non-profit food vendors. “Our goal is to support not only the non-profits involved in the festival but also to help the event leave a smaller footprint through composting. The donation is one of several environmentally-mindful programs at the resort and is part of our property’s larger Community Footprints program, a Ritz-Carlton brand-wide initiative designed to positively impact the lives of others, of local communities and of the remarkable environments which surround our hotels,” said a spokesperson for the hotel. The Pumpkin Festival garbage and recycling operation is run by volunteers from the Coastal Repertory Theatre. In keeping with the festival’s tradition of involving community organizations, the theater troupe has been in charge of the massive garbage/recycling/composting detail for fifteen years, relying on the festival as one of its biggest fund-raising activities. “It’s hard work with extensive planning and coordination, but it’s important to all of us that we present a clean, ‘green’ event,” said Tom Woosnam of the Coastal Repertory Theater. “We’re proud to be a part of such an important community effort.”
Safeway Cares
“Since the founding of Safeway, our philosophy and vision remain the same — provide value and give back to the community where our customers and employees live and work. Safeway is a proud sponsor of the Art & Pumpkin Festival.” The Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee salutes Safeway for its commitment to the community. Safeway has been the Pumpkin Festival’s presenting sponsor since 1990 and has been an instrumental partner in the festival’s fund-raising success.
Pumpkin Festival Original 1-Hour Show to be Available
on Comcast On Demand
As part of Comcast’s festival sponsorship this year, their professional team of producers, directors, photographers, sound and lighting technicians will be live at the festival to shoot footage and conduct interviews to put together and broadcast a Pumpkin Festival original 1-hour show. The show will be available FREE on Comcast On Demand, ready to watch when you are.
Planting the Seed
The Pumpkin Festival was created by the newly formed Main Street Committee for Beautification in 1970 as a means for restoring historic downtown Half Moon Bay. That first year, buildings were painted, trees were planted and a legend was born. Since then, the festival has helped raise several million dollars for civic projects and community service organizations throughout the coastside.
Parking
There will be parking at the south end of Main Street near Highway, Half Moon Bay High School (Main St. just north of Hwy. 92), and at the Community Center/Shoreline Station complex, located just north of Kelly Avenue on Highway 1. Many of these parking areas are operated by local non-profit groups who charge a nominal parking fee. There is also limited free parking on several side streets.
No Pets, Please
The City of Half Moon Bay will be enforcing its ordinance prohibiting pets on the festival grounds. For the safety, comfort, and courtesy of your pets and festival-goers, please leave your pets at home. Large crowds make it a very stressful and dangerous environment for pets.
Dates/Hours/Directions
The free-admission festival will be held on October 16-17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay. To get to Half Moon Bay, take 101 or 280 to Highways 92 or 84 west. You can also get to Half Moon Bay via Highway 1 from both north and south.