by Rachel Hunter
The 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival drew crowds to the Gouverneur Fairgrounds on Sunday, September 24 to witness the Giant Pumpkin Drop. An annual fall tradition for many local families, the Giant Pumpkin Drop was truly a hit as residents from all over St. Lawrence County and beyond witnessed the pumpkin-smashing action
The promise of big cash prizes drove North Country residents to purchase raffle tickets for the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival’s Giant Pumpkin Drop at pre-festival sale locations (including the Gouverneur Farmers Market) and at the Pumpkin Fest on Saturday and Sunday. Among the local dignitaries present on Sunday were Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Town of Gouverneur Councilman Jay Bowhall, and St. Lawrence County Legislator District 5 Harry Smithers (R-Gouverneur).
The pumpkin dropped was a 486-pounder grown by Fair Director Lyle Hotis of Gouverneur. It was gutted of its meat and seeds by Fair Director Dave Bishop of DeKalb. The public was then invited to take the giant pumpkin seeds, and grow their own giant pumpkin for exhibition at the 2024 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival. The pumpkin was then relocated to the Horse Show Ring on the Gouverneur Fairgrounds, where it was harnessed and filled with water and numbered golf balls for the Giant Pumpkin Drop contest by a well-oiled team of volunteers and officials from the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association. The numbers on the golf balls corresponded with raffle tickets sold in advance of the contest. Big cash prizes were promised to the top three winners, after the lengths traveled had been measured and the furthest traveled determined.
At the 4 p.m. start time, the 486-pound pumpkin now brought in estimates of a 700-pound weight after being gutted and filled with water and golf balls. The crane, donated by RSI Roofing Inc. in Gouverneur and operated by Barry Turner, then lifted the harnessed gourd up in the air a total of 75 feet. With great anticipation, the crowd with the help of Fair Manager Don Peck of Edwards began the countdown. The giant pumpkin was released by Pastor Dave Hart of Richville with assistance from the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association officials. Moments later, the giant pumpkin smashed onto the wooden surface below, sending pumpkin meat, water and the numbered golf balls flying in all directions.
After some measuring and determinations, local youths helped to gather the golf balls from the grounds in and around the Horse Show Ring as the results were determined by Fair Secretary April Patton and Treasurer Linda Bishop. The results then were announced by Fair Manager Don Peck of Edwards and echoed by Chamber Director Connie Stowell of Gouverneur as follows: The first place prize of $500 went to Jessica Sweet of Gouverneur (golf ball numbered 218 traveled a total of 122.2 feet). The second place prize of $250 went to Rachel Riley of Richville (golf ball numbered 850 traveled a total of 111.3 feet). The third place prize of $100 went to TJ Simmons of Gouverneur (golf ball numbered 105 traveled a total of 105.6 feet). Congratulations were extended to all the winners.
Throughout the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, local youth had the opportunity to win pumpkin giveaways. The pumpkins were provided by Charlie Burt of Rowan’s Little Pumpkin Ridge of Gouverneur and Mike Livingston of DeKalb. The youth winners were all smiles as they gratefully accepted the pumpkins, and gratitude was extended to the local pumpkin growers for making the giveaways possible.
The North Country community, still riding on the high from the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, is already making plans to attend the 13th annual event in 2024.
For more information on the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association or the Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, visit gouverneurfair.net.