What to Know
- The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off
- Irvine Park Railroad in Orange
- Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m.
- $5 (per vehicle) entrance fee to Irvine Regional Park
- $8500 in cash and prizes
Guessing games?
So many show up at our autumn celebrations, from count-the-candy-corns competitions to pop culture contests (think naming the most horror flicks in under a minute).
But one symbol of the season stands tall among the fall-related contests: The pumpkin.
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Showdowns can and do include all sorts of contests, from estimating the number of seeds inside a large squash to face-drawing battles.
And at Irvine Park Railroad in Orange? Size is in the spotlight each September when the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off rolls back around.
Rolls "gently" back around, we should say: These gasp-inducing globes have been carefully tended to by growers all summer long, and now, just maybe, they might pay off.
The Scene
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There is good stuff up for grabs for the winners at the Sept. 21 gathering — "$8,500 in cash and prizes will be awarded" is an enticing promise on the site — and plenty of plump pumpkins to wow-out over.
True, we can't fully vow that gasps will be gasped, but these gourds are huge, and spying them in person is a way to jumpstart those fall feelings fast.
And, just maybe, pick up some tips for next year, should you want to take on this rather epic gardening project.
You'll need to pay for your vehicle when you enter Irvine Regional Park.
Entry to Irvine Park Railroad is free while the activities are ticketed separately, should you choose to stay later and enjoy the pumpkin patch and family-fun scene.
