World Record Giant Pumpkin—3,156 pounds—on Display at Pittsburgh’s Signature Fall Festival!

PITTSBURGH, PA, October 13, 2026 (PittsburghNewsWire.com) — The largest pumpkin ever grown, and the first to exceed 3,000 pounds, is coming to the Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival.

Ron Wallace, a three-time world champion grower from Rhode Island, and founder of Wallace Organic Wonder, a specialty fertilizer company, nurtured the gigantic gourd setting a new world record for heaviest pumpkin ever certified—obliterating the old mark, 2,819, by over 300 pounds.

The pumpkin was officially validated at a Great Pumpkin Commonwealth [GPC] weigh off at Frerichs Farm in Warren, RI, Oct. 10. The GPC serves as the major sanctioning body for giant pumpkin competitions.

A two-time Guinness World Records holder, Wallace becomes the first grower to breech the 3,000 pound milestone, a mark competitive growers from around the world have been aggressively chasing. The colossal cucurbit arrived in Pittsburgh Tuesday, Oct. 12 and is being secured until its public exhibition in the “Champion’s Row” display at the Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival this weekend.

This is the third time Wallace has cemented his name in giant pumpkin history. He was the first to surpass the 1,500 pound threshold [2006] and the first to exceed 2,000 pounds [2012].

At the City’s festival this weekend, spectators can see the stupendous specimen as it takes center stage in a special display that annually features some of the biggest pumpkins grown world-wide. It will be flanked by two others raised by Dave Stelts of Enon Valley, PA—a 2,565 pounder and one at 2,319. In 2024, Stelts grew the biggest pumpkin in the world at 2,731 pounds.

The all free festival, presented by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine [LECOM], happens this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17-18, in the Stacks Courtyard—­part of the 3 Crossings campus in the Strip District on Railroad Street.

The event offers an engaging line-up of activities enticing to spectators of all ages including:

• LECOM Costume Caper 5K Run/Walk—top 3 finishers, male and female, in eight age categories take home glass pumpkin trophies…all entrants receive a medal, tech t-shirt and special post-race treats…plus special prizes reward scariest, funniest and most original costume-wearers

• LECOM Gourd Games—three of the top giant pumpkin carvers in the country compete against each other within the theme–out-of-this-world. A team of celebrity judges, along with online spectator voting, determines a winner

• Punkin’ Dunkin’ Drops—one ton pumpkins dropped from over 200 feet high, free-falling into a pool of water.

• Punkin’ Pull—a 1,000+ pound cucurbit on a wheeled cart outfitted with a bull rope awaits those willing to pull it nearly 60 feet uphill in the fastest time

• Squash-sling—yep, insert your pumpkin, aim, pull and release for one funny fling

• Pulled by Percherons—majestic horses from Misty Lane Farms make for a memorable ride

• Hay Spray—talented muralists spray–paint dynamic scenes on 1,000 pound hay bales

• Fire Forged—glass–blowers from Vessel Studio Glass demonstrate this centuries–old technique and offer delicate and colorful Fall–themed pieces

• Pie Plunge—our eating contests…no hands, no utensils, nothing but a face plant into the pie

• Cool Character Stations—featuring authentic looking, costumed individuals for that whimsical selfi

• Vendor variety—70+ craft, food/drink and other vendors for all your Fall favorites

• Tiny Tykes Zone—plenty of fun things for kids such as face painting and tractor-pedal pull

And,it’s FREE. For a complete schedule and up-to-the-minute event details visit: monsterpumpkins.com