A crew of volunteers stands behind this year’s heaviest pumpkin, which was grown by Elroy Morgan, after the professional weigh-off on Sunday, Oct. 5 in Newcastle. Executive Director Jed Weiss said Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta would not be possible with the hundreds of volunteers involved. (Ali Juell photo)
The 18th annual Pumpkinfest & Regatta brought a weekend filled with pumpkin-centric festivities new and old.
After bringing back the full slate of Pumpkinfest traditions last year, Executive Director Jed Weiss said organizers focused on fine-tuning the events and coordinating logistics for the biggest crowds yet.
“This year was definitely record numbers,” he said, calling the festival a success by all measures.
Despite a dry season, growers broke two state records at this year’s professional weigh-off on Sunday, Oct. 5.
Elroy Morgan, of Charleston, broke his previous long gourd record with a 151.5-inch long submission, and Bill Mackowski, of Milford, brought a 177.5-pound field pumpkin to the scale.
Morgan also cultivated this year’s heaviest giant pumpkin, which weighed 1,624.5 pounds.
The food court expanded significantly this year. There was food from local vendors like Coastal Nutrition & Energy, Salty Boyz, and ReggaeEats as well as typical festival fare like cotton candy and fried dough.
While requesting additional space for the food court on Sept. 3, Weiss said the festival has gotten so big that local brick-and-mortar restaurants don’t have the capacity to serve all of Pumpkinfest’s attendees.
“It’s essentially like inviting 20 of your closest friends to your house and having food for 10,” he said on Sept. 3. “There’s just not enough food to go around.”
Another new addition was the Tour de Gourd 5K race on Monday, Oct. 13. Weiss said Mike Lee came to a planning meeting in March with the idea for a run. Lee’s hopes for 100 runners were far exceeded.
“It was a fabulous new event that went so well, and we can’t wait to do it again,” Weiss said.
People gathered along Main Street for the parade on Saturday, Oct. 11, which included band performances, a walking group of witches, and two of the 2025 Maine Wild Blueberry princesses.
Based on high tide, the regatta kicked off around 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, where a marrow-buoyed boat entered the races for the first time.
On Monday, Oct. 13, the festival culminated with the pumpkin drop, which returned to the schedule last year, at Great Salt Bay Community School.
Kids scrambled to grab seeds and pieces from a giant pumpkin that splattered on the field as a warm up to the main event. To close out Pumpkinfest 2025, a giant pumpkin dropped from a crane crushed the front of an old Colby & Gale truck.
Weiss said the festival wouldn’t be possible without help from volunteers, sponsors, and the towns of Newcastle and Damariscotta.
“There’s so many faces and characters that do wonderful things for Pumpkinfest,” Weiss said. “They’re the background people that are picking up pallets, moving pumpkins … There’s just so many people involved.”
Local business owners have already reached out to Weiss to share how the demand from Pumpkinfest helped out their businesses, he said, fulfilling the festival’s main goal.
“(Pumpkinfest) is a group of volunteers doing this for the betterment of Damariscotta, Newcastle, and the greater area overall,” Weiss said. “It seems to be doing what we hope it does.”
