How to Decorate Halloween Paper Bags

Halloween is a scary -- but not too scary -- holiday that kids love. They have fun planning their costumes and masks. They enjoy parties at school, but the climax of Halloween is going out trick-or-treating and getting their bags filled with goodies. Their bags can be plain, but it is much more fun for the kids if they can decorate their own Halloween paper bags with goblins, black cats or other spooky images as they wish.

Things You'll Need

Soft pencil
Hard pencil
Card stock paper
Scissors
Flat backed toy eyes
White glue

Instructions

Step 1: Find an image that you want to use to decorate your paper bag. Coloring books have simple images you can trace, or you can draw your own design on a piece of paper. Black cats, ghosts, bats and jack-o'-lanterns are traditional Halloween figures.

Step 2: Use a very soft pencil and outline the drawing or tracing you have made. Place it face down on your card stock and follow the outline with a hard pencil. This will transfer the design onto the card-stock.

Step 3: Cut out your figures from the card stock with scissors.

Step 4: Glue your pieces onto the bag. Glue the moving eyes to the faces.

Tips & Warnings
- Paper bags make fun luminaries for Halloween. Paint black figures on the bags. Weight the bottoms of the bags with a few inches of sand and place a battery powered tea light on top of the sand. Do not use real candles because of the fire hazard.

How to Choose an Eco-Friendly Trick-or-Treat Bag

Going "green" means finding ways to eliminate waste, even during the holiday season. Help reduce unnecessary waste this Halloween when you choose an eco-friendly trick or treat bag for your child or help your child make one. Avoid the typical plastic, disposable Trick or Treat bags and buckets and make this Halloween a little more eco-friendly.

Things You'll Need

White or light colored canvas bags
Orange and black fabric paints
Paint brushes

Instructions

Step 1: Choose Halloween bags made out of durable, reusable material. The more times your child can use the trick or treat bag, the less impact it will have on the environment. There are many festive, eco-friendly Halloween bags widely available online. Visit Green Feet to find a sturdy, lightweight, Halloween-themed trick-or-treat bag your child can use year after year.

Step 2: Use bags that you already own. Large canvas reusable shopping bags make great trick-or-treat bags for your children. Let your children decorate the white or light colored canvas shopping bags with orange and black fabric paint. This gives the eco-friendly shopping bags the perfect holiday look that your children can be proud of.

Step 3: Turn white pillow cases into eco-friendly bags. Purchase white pillow cases from a thrift store, recycle your old white pillow cases or put extra pillow cases to good use. Get out the orange and black fabric paints and paint brushes to let your children design unique trick-or-treat bags that they can use over and over.

Tips & Warnings
- Make your positive impact on the environment a little more far-reaching. Plan a neighborhood bag-making party so that more kids in your neighborhood will use eco-friendly trick-or-treat bags this Halloween. Ask each child who participates to bring an old pillow case or canvas shopping bag to decorate with fabric paints. Be sure to tell the kids about the positive impact they are making on the environment.

How to Make Trick or Treat Buckets

Trick or treat buckets are used by both adults and children each Halloween. These easy to make party decorations can be filled with sweets and goodies to present to young trick-or-treaters on your porch or can be given to youngsters to collect their goodies while going door to door. Treat buckets or cans are cheap to make and can be a fun way to get involved with Halloween celebrations.

Things You'll Need

Bucket or large can
Sandpaper
Paper
Craft materials (glitter, feathers, etc.)
Pens or paints
Glue
Wrapped candy (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare your bucket. If you are using an old bucket, wash and dry it so that it is clean and suitable for putting edible goods in. If you are using an old can or a metal bucket, check for sharp edges and sand them down with sandpaper, if necessary.

Step 2: Line the inside of the bucket with ripped up pieces of paper, attached with glue. Choose paper in shades associated with Halloween such as orange, red, black and white.

Step 3: Decorate the outside of the bucket. Be as imaginative as you like. Use paper, pens and craft materials such as glitter, string or feathers to create a ghastly effect fitting with Halloween. Try drawing Halloween imagery like ghosts, ghouls, skeletons, spiders and pumpkins on the paper.

Step 4: Add a spooky message on the outside of your bucket using pens or paints.

Step 5: Fill with candy, if your bucket is to present to children as they knock on your door. Fill the bucket with wrapped candies and any other sweet treats you feel appropriate.

Tips & Warnings
- Small candy can be a choking hazard so be careful who you give these to. Warn parents of young children if you feel your treats are not safe for their children.

How to Sew a Halloween Trick-or-Treat Bag

Every trick-or-treater needs a special bag to carry his loot as he walks from door to door collecting candy on Halloween night. While you could give your little ghoul an old pillowcase or a store-bought bag, why not put those sewing skills to good use and make him a one-of-a-kind Halloween trick-or-treat bag that he can use year after year?

Things You'll Need

2/3 yard Halloween-print fabric
2/3 yard coordinating solid or print fabric
Thread
Pins
Scissors
Rotary cutter
Self-healing cutting mat
Sewing machine
Iron
Ironing board

Instructions

Step 1: Prewash your fabric in warm or hot water to shrink it. After drying, trim off any loose threads and press it with a hot iron to remove any wrinkles.

Step 2: Measure and cut two 16-by-14 inch rectangles from each piece of fabric. Pin each pair together with the right sides together, then sew along each short edge (the 14-inch long edge) using a 1/2-inch seam allowance, leaving both ends open.

Step 3: Measure and cut one 11-by-4 inch rectangle from each piece of fabric. Pin each tube of fabric to the corresponding small rectangle to create the bottom of the bag. Make sure that the tube seams line up at the center of each short end of the rectangle. In other words, make sure that your seams line up at the 2-inch mark on each 4-inch long seam. Sew along the entire seam using a 1/2-inch seam allowance to finish the bottom of the bag, then repeat with the other piece of fabric. You should now have two bags: one for the outer shell and the other for the lining.

Step 4: Make sure your outer shell fabric is turned right-side out, then use your iron to press the raw edge of the opening down (wrong sides together) 1/2 inch all the way around to create a clean edge. Make sure your lining fabric is turned wrong-side out, so that the print is on the inside of the bag. Use your iron to press the raw edge of the opening down (wrong sides together) 1/2 inch all the way around, to create a clean edge. Set both pieces aside for later.

Step 5: Cut two 12-by-3 inch strips of fabric from the main fabric. Fold in half lengthwise with the right sides together, then pin. Sew along the long raw edge using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Turn the tubes right-side out, then press with a hot iron. You now have two handles for your bag.

Step 6: Pin your pieces together so that the handles are sandwiched between the outer shell and lining pieces. Top-stitch all the way around to secure the handles in place and to give your bag a finished look.

Tips & Warnings
Add trims and embellishments that coordinate with your little one's costume to give the bag a more personal touch.

How to Crochet a Halloween Bracelet

Instead of the usual candy, hand out crochet bracelets in Halloween colors to the kids trick-or-treating, or give them as gifts at Halloween parties. Use different types of yarn and varied crochet hook sizes to make crochet bracelets in various sizes. One trick is to vary the gauge of the same crochet bracelet pattern to obtain different designs because the tension of the yarn gets changed. Try gluing orange and black sequins or Halloween-themed decorations once the bracelets are ready to add to the crochet decoration.

Things You'll Need
-1/4 yard size 10 orange colored thread
-1/4 yard size 10 black colored thread
-Size 7/1.65 mm crochet hook

Instructions

Step 1: Chain 55 stitches in orange colored thread. Turn and make a single crochet stitch in the second chain from hook and continue making single crochet stitches till the end of the basic chain.

Step 2: Turn and chain one stitch. Make 54 single crochet stitches and turn again. Continue this pattern for three rows in orange thread and three rows in black thread.

Step 3: Join orange thread in the bracelet for creating the edging. Chain one stitch and single crochet all around the bracelet, working three single crochet stitches into each corner.

Step 4: Join the edging with a slip stitch to the beginning stitch. Cut the thread and weave in the ends.

Step 5: Create bracelet ties by cutting 6x6-inch lengths of orange and black thread. Combine three alternate colored thread pieces and attach them to the bracelet using a single crochet stitch. Braid the threads together and tie a single knot at the end. Repeat the same for the other end of the bracelet.

Tips & Warnings
This pattern creates 6-inch long and 3/4-inch wide bracelet.

How to Decorate Cute Halloween Party Bags

Make cute, decorative Halloween treat bags to give out to party guests or trick-or-treaters. By making your own treat bags, you can customize the bags in your choice of colors and images, and personalize the bags with the names of your guests. Both children and adults can create these bags as a Halloween project, or save the project as an activity for kids at your Halloween party. Make several bags inexpensively, and save your money for filling the bags with lots of Halloween treats.

Things You'll Need
-Bags
-Halloween image templates
-Pop-up cellulose sponges
-Pencil
-Scissors
-Acrylic paints
-Newspaper
-Paintbrushes

Instructions

Step 1: Purchase the bags to decorate from a local craft store. Use solid-colored lunch bags or small-handled gift bags. Both types of bags come in a variety of colors, including orange and black Halloween colors.

Step 2: Search for simple Halloween images to download and print to use as a template for making your sponge stamps. You can use clip art witches, jack-o'-lantern, bats, owls or other spooky creatures. Alternatively, create your own images.

Step 3: Cut out your images, place them on pop-up cellulose sponges, and trace the outline onto the sponge using a pencil. If your image has more than one solid color, make separate sponges to build the image. For instance, for a witch, make a sponge for the dress, hat and head separately so you can stamp them in different colors. For a jack-o-lantern make one sponge for the whole pumpkin, and then separate pieces of sponge for eyes, nose and mouth.

Step 4: Draw shapes on sponges to create additional decoration for the bags. Shapes include squares to make a checkerboard pattern and circles to make polka dots.

Step 5: Cut the images and shapes from the sponges using a pair of scissors.

Step 6: Pour several colors of acrylic paints onto a paper plate, leaving some space in between each color.

Step 7: Place a piece of newspaper onto your surface for protection, and then place your bags face up onto the surface.

Step 8: Dab the sponges into the acrylic paints, and wipe off any excess, if necessary. The sponges will begin to "pop up" when wet.

Step 9: Create your designs by stamping the sponges onto the paper bags. When creating multiple layers of an image, or using different colors, allow drying in between for at least five minutes. Create several bags at one time, so you can work continuously. Add your main images, and then decorate with the shape sponges.

Step 10: Hand paint any other designs, as desired, using acrylic paints and a paintbrush. Add facial details to characters, outline images or create decorative scrolling borders. Hand write Halloween sayings or names of children attending the party using the paintbrush.

Tips & Warnings
- Purchase cellulose pop-up sponges in art and craft stores.
- As an alternative to using sponges as stamps, use Halloween rubber stamps and ink pads in Halloween colors.
- Glue on embellishments, if desired, such as small buttons or sparkly gems.
- Practice using the stamps you created on a piece of paper first, before stamping on your bags, to make sure they cover completely. If you have an uneven stamping, apply more pressure to the sponge.
- To add a decorative ribbon closure, punch holes around the top edge of the bags and thread satin ribbon through each hole. Tie the ribbons into bows in the front of the bags.

How to Crochet Halloween Treat Bags

These small Halloween treat bags are easy to whip up in under an hour and make a cute way to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters. You can make these three different Halloween treat bags from basically the same pattern.

Things You'll Need
-Yarn
-Crochet hook (size 3.75)

Instructions

Step 1: Gather some orange, black and green yarn to make the pumpkin treat bag. These bags measure about four inches wide (15 stitches are 4 inches). Start with the orange yarn and chain 17.

Step 2: Single crochet into each stitch, starting with the stitch closest to the hook, until you reach the end of the chain. Then chain one to turn the piece.

Step 3: Single crochet 15, working into the back loop, until your reach the end of the piece. Then chain one and repeat until you have 12 rows.

Step 4: Finish off. Now you have the front piece of the bag. Repeat the steps again to make another piece to use as the back of the bag.

Step 5: Stitch the two pieces on three sides with the front sides together.

Step 6: Single crochet two rounds with the green yarn for the pumpkin bag. This will make the green pumpkin stem at the top of the bag.

Step 7: Single crochet two rounds with the green yarn for the pumpkin bag. This will make the green pumpkin stem at the top of the bag.

Step 8: Stitch the facial features using the black yarn. For the eyes, you can cross stitch an "X" and then a straight line to make it look like an eye. For the mouth, back stitch a straight line and end it with a 45-degree angle stitch. Alternatively, you can use a piece of felt and craft eyes for facial features.

Tips & Warnings
Stitch the bag together so that the single crochet runs vertically, as it makes a better grid for adding facial features.

How to Decorate Trick or Treat Bags

Turn plain paper lunch sacks into adorable, festive Halloween treat bags. These are perfect for a school Halloween party or handing out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. The bags aren't expensive to make and take little time to make, so go ahead and surprise kids with these cute bags and the treats inside as well.

Things You'll Need

Brown paper lunch sacks
Markers
White chalk
Candy
Stapler
Raffia
Foam cutouts
Glue
Glitter glue
Ribbons

Instructions:

Scarecrow Bags

Step 1: Draw a scarecrow face on a plain lunch sack using markers. A scarecrow face is comprised of wide eyes, a triangle nose, red cheeks, and a big smile. Use white chalk to make the scarecrow's teeth white. Don't forget to add eyebrows.

Step 2: Fill the sack with candy and fold the top over. Staple the bag together.

Step 3: Add raffia pieces to the top to look like the scarecrow's hair. Staple the raffia into place.

Foam Decorations

Step 4: Glue foam cutouts on a brown paper lunch sack. Halloween cutouts can be purchased from a craft or hobby store.

Step 5: Fill the bag with candy and staple it closed.

Step 6: Add ribbons to the top of the bag and staple or tape them into place. Embellish the bag further by adding glitter glue designs around the cutouts.

How to Make a Trick or Treat Bag

In addition to your unique Halloween costume, create a unique trick-or-treat bag for the occasion. You can turn a shopping bag or birthday gift bag into an awesome trick-or-treat bag for all your Halloween goodies. Follow these steps to customize your own trick-or-treat bag.

Things You'll Need

1. Solid color shopping or gift bag
2. Halloween template
3. Tracing paper
4. Pencil
5. Scissors
6. Tape
7. Black construction paper
8. Glue
9. Glitter
10.Halloween stickers

Instructions
Step 1: Find a shopping bag that is one color, or purchase a solid color birthday gift bag at a department, party or grocery store. Orange makes a great color for a trick-or-treat bag. Choose the size you want, making sure the template you choose fits on the bag.

Step 2: Look for a Halloween template online or draw your own Halloween shape. Try a haunted house, a skull, a pumpkin, a ghost or a witch.

Step 3: Print out the Halloween template, and trace the picture onto tracing paper with a pencil. Cut out the tracing paper.

Step 4: Tape the tracing paper cutout onto a sheet of black construction paper along the edge of the cutout. Carefully cut the picture out of the construction paper along the lines of the tracing paper.

Step 5: Place the bag flat onto a table. Put glue onto the back of your black construction paper picture, and center it in the middle of the bag. Push the construction paper down securely on the bag, making sure that you remove all air bubbles.

Step 6: Decorate your bag with glitter and Halloween stickers.

Step 7: Let the glue dry on the bag before using.

Tips & Warnings
Put your name on your bag in glitter so everyone knows it's your bag.

Pumpkin Festival Background Information

The Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee

The Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee consists of an all-volunteer group of civic-minded citizens. The committee's goals are to make a lasting contribution to the preservation and beautification of the town's historic Main Street, to make donations to local non-profit organizations through a grant process, to fund college scholarships for local high school students, and to provide an exceptional fund-raising opportunity to local non-profits through participation in the Art & Pumpkin Festival.
In order to raise funds for their projects, they started the Art & Pumpkin Festival in 1971. Since the festival's inception, the committee has contributed more than $2.6 million dollars to various civic projects, community service organizations and Half Moon Bay High School student scholarships. Some of the Main Street projects funded by the committee at no cost to the city have included: the renovation of City Hall, the painting of historic buildings, the installation of old-fashioned street lights and wooden benches, the underground wiring of Main Street, the planting of trees and flower beds, the construction of Mac Dutra and Kitty Fernandez Parks, and the purchase of garbage receptacles and Christmas lights. Additionally, the committee spends thousands of dollars every year in the on-going maintenance of Main Street. They plant fresh flowers, re-furbish benches, and pay someone to clean up and sweep Main Street every week.
Read more about the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee...

Festival a Civic Undertaking

The festival is a huge civic effort. Some thirty-five non-profit and community service groups participate in the festival by operating food and game booths. For most, the festival is their most lucrative fund-raising event of the year, enabling them to raise a substantial portion of their annual budget from the two-day festival. An estimated $500,000 is raised every year by local community service groups through food, beverage, game and parking sales at the Pumpkin Festival. By providing this opportunity for the non-profit sector, the Pumpkin Festival helps to perpetuate “giving" in the community, no small feat for a town without a base of large corporate donors.

The Pumpkin Industry on the Coast

Every autumn, thousands of Bay Area residents visit the coastside to pick pumpkins from the picturesque fields along Highways 1 and 92. More than 3,000 tons of pumpkins are grown each year by 15 or so commercial growers in the Half Moon Bay area. They ship pumpkins all over the United States and sell to many of the large retailers in the Bay Area. As always, this year there's a bumper crop.
The pumpkin boom can be traced back to growers in the area who began to plant pumpkins in the 1930's. In the early 30’s, teenager John Arata and his brother Clarence began planting pumpkin seeds to feed the family’s hogs. One day, they were hauling some of their pumpkins along Highway One back to the farm when a passing motorist stopped and asked if he could buy a few. The Arata’s sold the pumpkins for a quarter and a booming pumpkin-picking business and tourist attraction was born.

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival

October 13-14, 2012 — 9 AM to 5 PM
World Pumpkin Capital Celebrates Epic 42nd Anniversary Festival

What:	42nd Annual HALF MOON BAY ART & PUMPKIN FESTIVAL, Oct. 15-16. The World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay celebrates its bountiful fall harvest and autumn splendor with a special display of gigantically enormous, heavyweight champion pumpkins, three stages of smashing entertainment, non-stop live music, the Great Pumpkin Parade, a bone-chilling Haunted House, harvest-inspired crafts, homestyle foods, expert pumpkin carver Farmer Mike sculpting a monster 1,200+ pound pumpkin into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, photos with the grand champion mega-gourd, pie-eating and costume contests, pumpkin carving for fun (not a contest), “Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands”, the Take 5 Lounge with giant screen TV, festival-label wine and Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale. Admission is free. Kicking off the Big Week, the SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF—the Super Bowl of weigh-offs—will be held on Monday, October 8 (7 a.m. on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, Half Moon Bay), with a bonus mega-prize of $5,000 awarded to any grower that breaks the world record plus $20,000 in additional prize money at stake in this “heavyweight championship” of gargantuan gourds. The World’s Greatest Gourd Growers compete for the coveted title and top prize of $6 per pound to the winner. Superstar grower Leonardo Urena's gargantuan, gasp-inspiring 1,704-pound mega-gourd set a new California State record and obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2011 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. The grand champion gourd, along with the top five pumpkins, will be displayed at the Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 13-14. Live Music and Entertainment on three stages … the sensational lineup includes everything from contemporary country, Latin rock, salsa, blues, folk, and classic rock ‘n roll music by some of the Bay Area’s biggest name bands. Performing on the IDES Main Stage are The California Cowboys, Bump City, Willie G, Jim Stevens & Friends, The Cocktail Monkeys, Lovefool, Extra Large, and Caravanserai. The Ritz-Carlton Gazebo Stage will feature Top Secret, Rockin’ Down the Hiway, Kaye Bohler and The Bay Area Heat. Street performers include Kaweh, HeartStrings Music, Emerson, Bob “Stickman” Culbertson and Jeffrey Michael. The Family Stage will showcase talented young performers from Radio Disney’s “Next Big Thing” and “Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands” featuring the musical genius of up-and-coming rock bands. Food & Drink ... pumpkin-infused treats like pumpkin pie, pancakes, ice cream, smoothies, cheesecake, sausage, churros, cookies and bread, along with hearty stews of artichokes and Brussels sprouts, tamales, macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds, corn-on the-cob, roasted turkey legs, hot beef sandwiches, baked potatoes, fried calamari, clam chowder, Half Moon Bay Winery’s festival-label wine and Half Moon Bay Brewing Company’s Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale made with locally-grown pumpkins that are roasted with a secret blend of spices. Events and Contests ... Pancake Breakfast (both days, 7 AM), Costume Contest (Saturday, 10 AM), The Great Pumpkin Parade (Saturday, 12 noon), Pie-Eating Contests (Saturday and Sunday, 2 PM), “Smashing Pumpkins: Battle of the Bands” (Saturday and Sunday, 3 PM), 5 & 10k Pumpkin Run (Sunday, 8 AM), Pumpkin Carving for fun/no judging (Sunday, 10 AM).
When:	October 13-14, 2012. Open from 9 AM to 5 PM both days.
Where:	270 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 (Harbor Village in front of Crab Landing and Mezza Luna Cafe)   Contact us:  650 722-0840

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival: A Brief History

A Brief History

Over the years, the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival has grown significantly, attracting throngs of visitors who come to pick pumpkins, admire the area's natural beauty and enjoy an old-fashioned festival.
The festival began in 1971 when the Main Street Beautification Committee was formed. The all-volunteer, non-profit group was founded with the goal of raising funds for the revitalization of Main Street in downtown Half Moon Bay which, at the time, was beginning to show signs of decay. Realizing the area's abundance of pumpkin patches, the committee decided to organize an old-fashioned festival in the downtown area for visitors who had come to pick Halloween pumpkins.
The first year of the Festival, about 30,000 people attended the event and only one local non-profit group opted to present food. Now the event bulges with enormous crowds and dozens of local non-profit groups operating food and game booths, earning substantial portions of their annual budget from the festival weekend selling everything from pumpkin pie and ice cream to linguica sandwiches and corn dogs.
"The Pumpkin Festival has done more the for this city, by far, than any other thing in the city's history," according to former City Manager Fred Mortensen. The ever-increasing proceeds are committed to to beautifying the downtown area and contributing to civic causes. In addition to the restoration and maintenance of Main Street, a wide variety of local community service organizations benefit greatly from festival proceeds.

Pumpkin Weigh-Off

The well-known kickoff to the festival is the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off which is held on Columbus Day every year. The Weigh-Off helps to demonstrate the importance of agriculture to the economy of San Mateo County. Pumpkins weighing more than 1,000 pounds are brought by proud growers and their families each year to the Weigh-Off.
The Festival is traditionally held on the weekend after Columbus Day in October during prime pumpkin-picking season. The festival features rustic pumpkin patches, harvest-inspired arts and crafts, homestyle foods, blockbuster entertainment on three stages, a Haunted House, giant weigh-off champion pumpkins, world-class pumpkin carvers, children's contests, and the Great Pumpkin Parade. Admission is free.
Offering something for everyone, the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival has become a tradition for families and friends who come each year to enjoy one of California's oldest, biggest and most popular festivals.

Harbor Village Pumpkin Festival: More Info

Parking

There will be parking at the south end of Main Street near Highway, Half Moon Bay High School (Main St. just north of Hwy. 92), and at the Community Center/Shoreline Station complex, located just north of Kelly Avenue on Highway 1. Many of these parking areas are operated by local non-profit groups who charge a nominal parking fee. There is also limited free parking on several side streets.

Handicapped Parking

There will be specially marked handicapped parking on Purissima Street between Correas Street and Kelly Avenue.

Street Closures

Main Street will be closed to traffic from Mill Street south to Monte Vista Lane throughout festival weekend. Southbound Main Street will not be accessible from Highway 92 from 8 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Main Street will re-open at approximately 9 PM on Sunday. Departing town, Highway 92 eastbound will not be accessible from Main Street (either from the north or the south). The only way to go eastbound on Highway 92 is from Highway 1.

First Aid/Lost & Found

Is located in the Small Hall on the IDES Grounds, the main food court and music stage area in the center of the festival.

Diaper Changing/Family Rest Stop

The Community United Methodist Church will be hosting the “Rest Your Wear Soles” Diaper Changing/Rest Area. The church is located at the corner of Miramontes and Johnston Streets, one block east of Main Street.

No Pets, Please

The City of Half Moon Bay will be enforcing its ordinance prohibiting pets on the festival grounds. For the safety, comfort, and courtesy of your pets and festival-goers, please leave your pets at home. Large crowds make it a very stressful and dangerous environment for pets.

Dates/Hours/Directions

The free-admission festival will be held on October 13-14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay. To get to Half Moon Bay, take 101 or 280 to Highways 92 or 84 west. You can also get to Half Moon Bay via Highway 1 from both north and south.

Planting the Seed

The Pumpkin Festival was created by the newly formed Main Street Beautification Committee in 1971 as a means for restoring historic downtown Half Moon Bay. That first year, buildings were painted, trees were planted and a legend was born. Since then, the festival has helped raise several million dollars for civic projects and community service organizations throughout the coastside.

Harbor Village Pumpkin Festival: Smashing Entertainment

It’s a veritable Pumpkinpalooza featuring a sensational lineup with the best the Bay Area’s music scene has to offer. There's smashing entertainment on three stages featuring some of the Bay Area’s top bands. Performing on the IDES Main Stage are The California Cowboys, Bump City, Willie G, Jim Stevens & Friends, The Cocktail Monkeys, Lovefool, Extra Large and Caravanserai. Holding down the Ritz-Carlton Gazebo Stage are Top Secret, Rockin’ Down the Hiway, Kaye Bohler and The Bay Area Heat. Street performers include phenomenal musical talents like Kaweh, HeartStrings Music, Emerson, Bob “Stickman” Culbertson and Jeffrey Michael.

Harbor Village Pumpkin Festival: Smashing Entertainment

It’s a veritable Pumpkinpalooza featuring a sensational lineup with the best the Bay Area’s music scene has to offer. There's smashing entertainment on three stages featuring some of the Bay Area’s top bands. Performing on the IDES Main Stage are The California Cowboys, Bump City, Willie G, Jim Stevens & Friends, The Cocktail Monkeys, Lovefool, Extra Large and Caravanserai. Holding down the Ritz-Carlton Gazebo Stage are Top Secret, Rockin’ Down the Hiway, Kaye Bohler and The Bay Area Heat. Street performers include phenomenal musical talents like Kaweh, HeartStrings Music, Emerson, Bob “Stickman” Culbertson and Jeffrey Michael.

Harbor Village Pumpkin Arts and Festival: Fine Art, Harvest-Inspired Crafts

Buyers and browsers will find thousands of handcrafted items in well-stocked booths covering
several city blocks. Meet 250 of America’s top artists and craftmakers—offering great variety and price points to satisfy every budget—on hand with their latest creations. Featuring original work in sculpture, paintings, photography, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather, wood, metal and mixed media, the festival is considered among the top art shows in the country. Hand-blown glass pumpkins, beautiful vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, windchimes, and waterfalls will be among the thousands of items one-of-a-kind items available. "We have longtime festival favorites returning as well as many talented, new artists this year," said Kris Mason of the Pumpkin Festival Committee. "It’s the perfect opportunity to meet the artists that do the work."

Harbor Village Pumpkin Patch: The First Pumpkin Festival Mobile App

Technology meets tradition with the release of the new Pumpkin Festival mobile app. The Pumpkin Festival app has been approved by Apple and is now available at the Apple App Store for FREE for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Developed by Half Moon Bay’s Phondini Partners, the app is designed to enhance the festival experience for users by providing everything from a fact sheet with key festival information, a detailed site map, event and entertainment schedules, food and beverage listings, and “Top Ten” list to a list of local pumpkin patches, door-to-door directions, push messaging alerts, special deals, contests, trivia and more! Download the app.

Fresh, New Attractions in 2011

The festival continues to re-invigorate itself with fresh, new attractions. This year brings a special appearance by The Cat, The Myth, The Legend … Puss In Boots and cohort Kitty Softpaws from Paramount Pictures, local artist Ellen Joseph debuting her Pumpkin Festival fine art print “Pumpkins By The Sea”, showstopping performances by talented young artists from Radio Disney’s “Next Big Thing”, an infusion of emerging, new artists with fresh work and a variety of affordable price points, “Farmer Mike” celebrating his 26th anniversary as the Pumpkin Festival’s “official carver”, exotic new food and beverage offerings like pizza by the slice with pumpkin spice, refreshing margaritas and mojitos to complement the top shelf wines and microbrews, and a diverse and star-studded lineup of entertainment. Plus, this year the festival introduces its first mobile app!

Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off with World Record Mega-Prize

 The Big Week launches with the World's Greatest Gourd Growers and their enormous orbs gathering for the 38th Annual SAFEWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PUMPKIN WEIGH-OFF—the Super Bowl of weigh-offs—on Monday, October 8, (7 a.m., on the IDES Grounds, 735 Main Street, in Half Moon Bay). Once again, a special $5,000 bonus mega-prize will be awarded to any grower that breaks the world record at Half Moon Bay. The current world record is 1,818.5 pounds, held by Jim and Kelsey Bryson of Ormstown, Quebec, Canada. Superstar grower Leonardo Urena's gargantuan, gasp-inspiring 1,704-pound mega-gourd set a new California State record and obliterated a formidable field of heavyweight contenders in winning the 2011 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Urena is expected to return along with a host of accomplished, veteran growers to contend for the $5,000 world record prize and an estimated $20,000 in additional prize money. The grand champion mega-gourd, along with the top five weigh-off pumpkins, will be displayed at the Art & Pumpkin Festival, October 13-14.