Autumn Pumpkin Festival

Autumn Pumpkin Festival Saturday 10th October at Victoria Country Park, Netley, Southampton from 12 noon to 5:30pm.

That's where we will be. I'm pretty sure that this is now the biggest pumpkin event in the UK and the growers of record pumpkins live and grow their prize winners not far away in Lymington - twins Stuart and Ian Paton. Last year their winning pumpkin weighed a massive 1457lbs! The European record. Here it is

Other giant veg shows still go on around the UK, but this is purely one for the big pumpkins, and they have made the show into an Autumn themed one.

David Loh, the international chef and fruit artist is finishing carving a 1000lb pumpkin at the show. His work is fantastic, take a look at the Artworks on his website.

Other Attractions include

• Pumpkin produce to sample and buy
• Big Draw art workshops
• Apple tastings, pumpkin wine tasting and beer tasting from Fullers - Honey Dew Beer
• Delicious food - including pumpkin soup and ‘Prince Consort pumpkin curry’
• Competitions, with prizes for junior and novice growers, for the heaviest pumpkin and the best pumpkin decoration
• Bring along a scarecrow for our Avenue of Scarecrows
• Storytelling, Knickerbocker Glory Appalachian Dancing and Irish Dancing and lots more!
• Live music from members of Hickory Junction
• Hive of Activity Marquee - all things bees, honey and beekeeping

Their Scarecrow avenue sounds fantastic, so we can't wait to see that, but the giant pumpkins are certainly the highlight for one little girl in this house. We have several pumpkins at home curing at the moment and she has asked if the ones at the show will be bigger ... oh yes!

We cannot wait, and the weather forecast is good.