Giant Pumpkin Festival returns to Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie's Giant Pumpkin Festival made its return Saturday. A scaled-down version of the Thanksgiving tradition brought a small, but enthusiastic, crowd to the Robert Bondar Pavilion downtown.
One by one, contestants taking part in the Giant Pumpkin Festival competition brought in their entries to be weighed. In the end, Sault Ste. Marie's Kieran O'Neill came out the big winner with a 770-pound pumpkin.
"Well, it's a lot of water and a lot of fertilizer," said O'Neill. "There is some technique to it. You have to start it early, you've got to greenhouse it, you've got to set the pumpkin by hand, and you've got to make sure you fertilize it and water it and watch the weather as it goes. And a lot comes down to luck."
O'Neill said you don't need a giant property to grow a giant pumpkin – he grew his in the backyard.
"It's a little lot in the middle of the city, so this is a suburban pumpkin," he said. "This was grown in the City of Sault Ste. Marie. So it is possible to grow them this big."
Jeff Marshall, organizer of the festival, said like most events in the last year, this one had to be downsized due to public health restrictions.
"Oh, we would have storytime, restaurants would have a taste-off, so all that sort of stuff had to go by the wayside this year," said Marshall, who hopes the full event will return next year.
As for O'Neill, he has plans for his prize-winning pumpkin.
"We're actually going to carve it tomorrow into a giant Jack-o-Lantern, and we're going to stand it up on its end and we'll put lights in it," said O'Neill. "People can enjoy it as they drive by."
O'Neill says his 77- pound pumpkin is not the largest he's grown. He said he grew a 1,100-pound pumpkin one season – and he plans on breaking that record next year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
DEVELOPING Israel targets air defence system in Syria, state news agency says
Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defence unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
NEW From window blinds to motorcycle helmets, here are the recalls in Canada this week
Here are the various items Health Canada recalled this week, including motorcycle helmets, power adapters, and bicycle cranksets.
Opinion 'Sasquatch Sunset' review: There won't be a weirder movie in theatres this year
Rare is the movie that can ride the line between scatological and sublime, absurdist and acute.