PEIMany families and pumpkin-growing fanatics gathered in Summerside this weekend for the 32nd annual pumpkin weigh-off.Luke Vessey placed first with a pumpkin at about 540 kilogramsJenna Banfield · CBC News · Posted: Oct 12, 2025 3:01 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoA giant pumpkin weigh-off happens annually on P.E.I. at Kool Breeze Farms. Some pumpkins brought to the competition were so heavy they had to be lifted by machinery. (Delaney Kelly/CBC)Many families and pumpkin-growing fanatics gathered in Summerside this weekend for the 32nd annual pumpkin weigh-off at Kool Breeze Farms.Growers prepared their gourds for months just for the event. Some pumpkins were so large it took heavy machinery to move them.Luke Vessey placed first in the competition, winning the event for the third time. His winning entry weighed in at about 540 kilograms, or 1,190 pounds.“It’s just nice to see everybody coming together, having a fun time and just all the kids, just the joy they get out of it all,” he said.Luke Vessey won the competition with a pumpkin that weighed in at around 540 kilograms. (Delaney Kelly/CBC)Vessey is president of P.E.I.’s Giant Pumpkin Association. He says lots of work goes into creating a heavy pumpkin.When beginning, he plants extra seeds to ensure there are backups. He has to monitor the pumpkins for cracks and mould during the growth period.Although he’s happy he can finally take a break, he’s already looking ahead to next year. He’ll plant his seeds in May in hopes of breaking his record from last year, which is almost 595 kilograms.“I know tomorrow … I’ll be itching to get started again,” he said.New generations of growersFred Ansems is a representative for Eastern Canada with the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth. He came with his wife, Shirley, from Steam Mill, N.S.Shirley Ansems, left, and Fred Ansems say there aren’t as many kids at similar pumpkin events in Nova Scotia. (Delaney Kelly/CBC)They were happy to see lots of kids attending the event, as it could encourage a new generation of growers.“If you can put the time into it, you can get some pretty decent sized fruit out of it,” Ansems said. “We in Nova Scotia, we don’t have nearly as many kids crawling around as we do here.”ABOUT THE AUTHORJenna Banfield is an associate producer for CBC Prince Edward Island. She can be reached at jenna.banfield@cbc.caWith files from Delaney Kelly
‘Ill be itching to get started again next year,’ pumpkin weigh-off winner says
