Woody Lancaster, 80, wins Topsfield Fair with 2,598-pound pumpkin, breaking fair and Massachusetts records
Woody Lancaster, 80, set fair and Massachusetts records with a 2,598-pound pumpkin at the Topsfield Fair weigh-off. He says it was his last competition.
The giant pumpkin season has its first big record of the autumn. Woody Lancaster, an 80-year-old grower from Topsfield, Massachusetts, won the 42nd All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Topsfield Fair on 2 October with a pumpkin that weighed 2,598 pounds, about 1,178 kilograms.
The pumpkin broke the Topsfield Fair record and set a new Massachusetts state record. Lancaster has been a co-chair of the event for many years, and he said this was his last competition.
A record by about 90 pounds
The old Topsfield record was 2,507 pounds. It was set in 2025 by Alex Noel of Abington, Connecticut, and was also a New England record. Lancaster beat that mark by more than 90 pounds.
Second place went to Larry and Shauna Masters of Nassau, New York, with a 2,220-pound pumpkin they named "Toad". The winner's share was more than US$10,000, according to the Boston Globe.
The Topsfield Fair has been the venue for a world-record pumpkin seven times, most recently in 2012.
How the winning pumpkin was grown
Lancaster has grown competition pumpkins for about 30 years. He pollinated this one in July. At its fastest it put on about 58 pounds a day. He said he spent up to four hours a day looking after it and changed his fertiliser routine this season.
Giant pumpkin growing is a serious hobby. Growers choose seeds from proven plants, control soil and water carefully, and protect the fruit from cracks and rot right up to weigh-off day. A split or soft spot can get a pumpkin disqualified.
Still short of the world record
Lancaster's pumpkin is very large, but it is still about 220 pounds lighter than the world record. That record belongs to twin brothers Ian and Stuart Paton from the United Kingdom, whose pumpkin "Muggle" weighed 2,819 pounds and 4 ounces (1,278.8kg) in October 2025. It beat the previous record of 2,749 pounds set by Minnesota grower Travis Gienger in 2023.
The next big event is the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, on Monday 12 October. It pays US$9 per pound to the winner, plus a US$30,000 bonus for a new world record. The 2025 Half Moon Bay title went to Brandon Dawson of Santa Rosa with 2,346 pounds.
Pumpkins on the water next
Large pumpkins are also used for racing. Hollowed-out giant pumpkins are used as boats at regattas in North America. The Nova Scotia Giant Pumpkin Festival and Regatta in Shelburne, Canada, runs on 9 and 10 October. It has a weigh-in on the Saturday morning and two paddling races, one for experienced racers and one for beginners.
For readers in Malaysia, the Half Moon Bay weigh-off will take place overnight Malaysian time, as California is 15 hours behind.
Key takeaways
- Woody Lancaster, 80, won the Topsfield Fair weigh-off on 2 October with a 2,598-pound pumpkin.
- It broke the fair record of 2,507 pounds from 2025 and set a Massachusetts state record.
- Lancaster said this was his final competition after about 30 years of growing.
- The world record is still 2,819 pounds, set by the UK's Paton twins in 2025.
- The Half Moon Bay world championship weigh-off is on 12 October.
FAQ
How heavy was the winning Topsfield Fair pumpkin in 2026? It weighed 2,598 pounds, about 1,178kg, and was grown by Woody Lancaster of Topsfield, Massachusetts.
What is the world record for the heaviest pumpkin? It is 2,819 pounds 4 ounces (1,278.8kg), set by UK twins Ian and Stuart Paton in October 2025.
When is the Half Moon Bay pumpkin weigh-off in 2026? The 53rd Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off is on Monday 12 October in Half Moon Bay, California.
Sources: Boston Globe, Itemlive, Hoodline, Half Moon Bay Weigh-Off, News for Kids, Curiocity, ABC7 San Francisco