California engineer wins 2025 Safeway Pumpkin Weigh-Off with 2,346-pound gourd

Oct 14, 2025 at 07:16 AM CDT

Julia Marshall (Morning Digital Producer), Craig Nigrelli (Anchor/Reporter)

Charlie Brown has nothing compared to Brandon Dawson’s great pumpkin, the 2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off champion. — Image credit: 2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay

This recording was made using enhanced software.

Summary

Pumpkin weigh-off

Brandon Dawson won the 2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off at Half Moon Bay by entering a pumpkin weighing 2,346 pounds, the heaviest gourd in the competition.

Personal achievement

Dawson expressed pride in his accomplishment, saying, “I was in this position last year, but I lost by six pounds. This year, I was able to take the win, and that’s really what the goal was this year: to win one of the best, if not the best, pumpkin weigh-ups in the world.”

Growing process

Dawson stated he applied precision similar to his engineering profession by monitoring sunlight, temperature and water flow to optimize pumpkin growth.

Full story

Charlie Brown has nothing compared to Brandon Dawson’s great pumpkin, the 2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off champion. Dawson’s giant jack-o-lantern tipped the scales at 2,346 pounds.

The crowd at Half Moon Bay saw history in the making when the Santa Rose, California, engineer rolled in a gourd so massive, even the forklift groaned.

QR code for SAN app download

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Not only did Dawson win with the heaviest gourd, but he won by more than 300 pounds. The second-place winner weighed 2,017 pounds, and the third-place winner weighed 1,805 pounds.

2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay
2025 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off via Half Moon Bay

This year’s win was a bit sweeter after Dawson came close last year.

“I was in this position last year, but I lost by six pounds,” Dawson said. “This year, I was able to take the win, and that’s really what the goal was this year: to win one of the best, if not the best, pumpkin weigh-ups in the world.”

The satisfaction of a job well done isn’t all Dawson won. He received a pretty big slice of the pie: a $21,114 prize. Plus, he took home an additional $1,000 for having the biggest gourd in the state of California.

Dawson’s pumpkin growing efforts

Dawson said he used the same precision he brings to his engineering job — measuring sunlight, temperature and even water flow — to turn his patch into a science project. He said he has been growing massive pumpkins for five years.

He said he enjoys getting his kids, a 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter, involved in the growing process.

“We like to spend time out in the patch and watch the thing grow,” Dawson said. “My 4-year-old now can really pay attention to the growing process,” especially since the giant pumpkins can grow by 50 to 70 pounds a day.”

Julia Marshall (Morning Digital Producer)

Julia Marshall is a morning digital producer at Straight Arrow News. Thanks to her extensive newsroom experience, Julia has a keen eye for news and extensive experience in writing and editing content across all topics and platforms.

Craig Nigrelli (Anchor/Reporter)

Craig Nigrelli is an anchor and reporter for Straight Arrow News.

Jason Morrell (Morning Managing Editor), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor), and Devan Markham (Morning Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: Agriculture, California

[craig nigrelli]

FINALLY THIS MORNING — CHARLIE BROWN’S GOT NOTHING ON *THIS* GREAT PUMPKIN.

THE CROWD AT HALF MOON BAY SAW HISTORY IN THE MAKING — WHEN A CALIFORNIA ENGINEER ROLLED IN A GOURD SO MASSIVE, EVEN THE FORKLIFT GROANED.

BRANDON DAWSON’S GIANT JACK-O-LANTERN TIPPED THE SCALES AT 2,346 POUNDS.

OH MY GOURD, THAT’S A BIG PUMPKIN.

DAWSON SAYS HE USED THE SAME PRECISION HE BRINGS TO HIS ENGINEERING JOB — MEASURING SUNLIGHT, TEMPERATURE, EVEN WATER FLOW — TO TURN HIS PATCH INTO A SCIENCE PROJECT.

BRANDON DAWSON, 2025 WORLD PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF CHAMPION

“I was in this position last year, but I lost six pounds. This year, I was able to take the win, and that’s really what the goal was this year: to win one of the best, if not the best, pumpkin weigh-ups in the world.”

AND THE SATISFACTION OF A JOB WELL DONE ISN’T ALL DAWSON WON — HE GETS A PRETTY BIG SLICE OF THE PIE: A 20-THOUSAND DOLLAR PRIZE.

Why this story matters

The outcome of the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off highlights community engagement in agricultural contests and demonstrates the dedication of growers to agricultural achievements, reflecting local culture and the pursuit of excellence in horticulture.

Agricultural achievement

The winning pumpkin weighed 2,346 pounds, showcasing the technical skill, commitment and scientific approach required to achieve record-breaking results in competitive horticulture, according to multiple reports and Dawson’s statements to the press.

Community and family involvement

Coverage from the Associated Press and other sources notes how Dawson’s family, especially his children, actively participated in the growing process, reflecting the family-oriented and community-driven nature of such agricultural festivals.

Tradition and local culture

Annual events like the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Weigh-Off are emblematic of local traditions, bringing together participants and spectators to celebrate agricultural heritage, reinforce community ties and inspire future generations of growers.

Get the big picture

Synthesized coverage insights across 82 media outlets

Community reaction

Community members and pumpkin enthusiasts were excited about the contest, with many attending to watch the weigh-in and participate in festivities like guessing the pumpkin's weight and celebrating the local tradition.

Context corner

The Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off is a long-standing tradition that marks the start of the region's pumpkin festival season and celebrates agricultural achievement in Northern California.

History lesson

Growing giant pumpkins and holding weigh-off competitions have been an annual tradition for decades, with record-setting pumpkins regularly celebrated by enthusiasts globally.

Politics

5 hrs ago

4 min read

How Speaker Johnson is holding up a vote on the Epstein files
Politics

6 hrs ago

4 min read

Senate approves ban of THCA, other THC products in shutdown bill
Politics

9 hrs ago

3 min read

Trump sparks GOP backlash over 50-year mortgages; military leaders sound alarm over Hegseth’s ‘political purge’
U.S.

10 hrs ago

3 min read

The credit card you swipe may soon affect the price you pay

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left emphasize spectacle and local pride — foregrounding world‑record context, the 6‑pound loss, kids’ involvement and using celebratory phrasing like "pumpkin champ," "crowned" and "pumped his arms in the air," framing the 2,346‑pound gourd and $20,000 prize as a community triumph.
Media outlets in the center de‑emphasized records and employment, focusing on measurements; all agree on winner, weight, prize and growth rate, revealing a split between celebratory local storytelling and industry/record-centric framing.
Media outlets on the right largely echoe wire copy — repeating "pumpkin champ" and vivid analogies, while stressing the winner’s "engineer" job and record comparisons and sometimes carrying duplicated lines/ad artifacts that flatten color.

Report an issue with this comparison

Media landscape

Click on bars to see headlines

89 total sources

Key points from the Left

Brandon Dawson, a North Bay engineer, won the pumpkin contest with a gourd weighing 2,346 pounds at the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California.
Dawson received a $21,000 prize for his pumpkin, which grew significantly, gaining 50 to 70 pounds daily.
Last year, Dawson's pumpkin was the runner-up, while the biggest entry was Travis Gienger's gourd at 2,471 pounds.
Gienger had also set a world record for a pumpkin weight of 2,749 pounds in 2023 but could not enter this year as his pumpkin was damaged.

Report an issue with this summary

Key points from the Center

Brandon Dawson, a manufacturing engineer, won the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay with a 2,346-pound pumpkin.
Dawson, who has been growing massive pumpkins for five years, won a $21,000 prize for the heaviest pumpkin.
Dawson enjoys getting his children involved in the pumpkin growing process, which can see the gourds grow 50-70 pounds per day.

Report an issue with this summary

See Hide headlines from Center sources 47 sources

Key points from the Right

A California engineer named Brandon Dawson won the annual pumpkin-weighing contest after growing a giant jack-o’-lantern weighing 2,346 pounds.
Dawson won the contest at the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, held in Half Moon Bay.
He received a $21,000 prize for growing the largest pumpkin this year.
Last year, Dawson's pumpkin was the runner up to a gourd grown by Travis Gienger that weighed 2,471 pounds.

Report an issue with this summary

See Hide headlines from Lean Right sources 6 sources
No coverage from Right sources 0 sources
No coverage from Far Right sources 0 sources

Other (sources without bias rating):

See Hide headlines from Other sources 10 sources

Powered by Ground News™