SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — More than 300,000 people will flock to the Utah State Fair over the next 11 days, and among them are giant pumpkin growers.
The 2024 Utah State Fair is hosting a giant pumpkin competition — along with competitions for baking, livestock, and creative arts — as part of its annual event. The pumpkins will be weighed on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 4 p.m. and remain on display for the remainder of the fair, according to the website.
Clint Nash, president of Utah Giant Pumpkin Growers, told ABC4.com his pumpkin weighs 880 pounds this year. However, he said he does not think it will make it to the end because of a small hole in the bottom of the gourd he discovered on the fair’s opening day.
“Its not easy, there’s a lot of things that go into it,” he said. “You have to deal with weather, bugs, funguses.”
Nash continued to say Utah is not conducive to growing pumpkins due to the weather fluctuation in the summer, which can range between over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and low 70s. For that reason, he said they have to make a lot of alterations.