14th Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival: 919-Pound Giant Claims Top Honors

by Rachel Hunter

The 14th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, presented by the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association and the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce, was held on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21 at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. The festival was made possible in partnership with local business sponsors and the Gouverneur Garden Club. Funds raised during the annual event benefits the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association’s building and maintenance fund.

The 2025 Giant Pumpkin Festival Weigh-Off Contest on Sunday saw incredible entries from North Country growers. The event was made possible thanks to the hard work of the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association in the harnessing, lifting, weighing, and accurately recording and reporting the pumpkin weights.

Travis Clemons of Croghan took top honors in the Adult Division with a towering 919-pound pumpkin, earning a $200 cash prize and the coveted first-place rosette. A familiar face at the Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, Clemons has proudly showcased and sold his giant gourds at the event for the past several years, cementing his role as a fan favorite in the North Country growing community.

Local grower Lyle Hotis of Gouverneur made an impressive sweep of the remaining honors, earning second place and $100 for his 624-pound entry, third place and $50 for a 439-pound contender, and fourth place recognition for his 376-pound submission.

In the Youth Division, Travis Clemons’ son, Brayden Clemons of Croghan, won the first-place prize of $50 with his 400-pound entry. The second-place prize ($25) went to Sadie Sergel of Gouverneur for her 82-pound entry. The third-place prize ($10) went to Kestin Sergel of Gouverneur for a 74-pound entry. The scale, skill, and spirit of these growers made the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In a true highlight of the festival.

It was noted that the weather conditions made growing giant pumpkins a challenge in 2025, and there is much anticipation for a better growing season in 2026.

Following the contest, pumpkin seeds were made available to the public from Lyle Hotis’ 439-pound entry, and all North Country residents were encouraged to grow giant pumpkins and enter the 15th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off Contest in 2026.

Many attendees stayed at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds to watch the Giant Pumpkin Drop at 4 p.m., a definite crowd favorite. (See associated story inside this edition.) Much gratitude is extended to all who made the 2025 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival a success. For more information, visit the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association’s website, gouverneurfair.net.