Garden of the Giants
It’s not just the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! This amazing exhibit encompasses many giants! We have giant pumpkins, giant squash, giant tomatoes, long gourds, bushel gourds, giant watermelons, giant sunflowers, field pumpkins and carved pumpkins! We have weighed in more record breaking pumpkins than anywhere else in the state. Don’t miss out on this garden, you won’t be disappointed by these giants!
2025 Highlights
- Ryan Cleveland set a new Durham Fair record with his 2,074.5-lb pumpkin!
- 20 minutes after Ryan Cleveland set a new Durham Fair record, it was broken by Larry Master with a 2,181-lb pumpkin!
2024 Highlights
- Ray Leonzi from Trumbull, CT set a new Durham Fair Record with a 2,014.5 lbs pumpkin!
- Ryan Cleveland set a new CT record with longest Long Gourd with a measurement of 142 inches long.
Highlights
- Larry Masters holds the current Durham Fair record with his pumpkin that weighed 2,181 lbs in 2025
- 2022 State Record weighed at Durham Fair: 211.50 lb. watermelon from John Ciesielski of Bethlehem, CT
- 2021 State Record weighed at Durham Fair: 268 lbs bushel gourd from John Ciesielski of Bethlehem, CT
- “Howard Dill Award” Competition
- Official site of The Durham Fair Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off
- More record-breaking pumpkins than anywhere in Connecticut
Fun Facts
- The current North American record is held by Travis Gienger from Minnesota, with a 2,749-lb pumpkin!
- The current world record was set in 2025 by Ian and Stuart Paton from the UK, weighing in with a massive 2,819-lb pumpkin!
- In 2024 a new world record was set for largest pumpkin grown in only 150 sq/ft patch. The pumpkin was grown by Paul Bongers from MN weighing in at 1448 lbs.!
2026 Weigh-Off
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2–5 PM | Unloading time |
| 5:30 PM | Weigh-off starts |
Calling All Exhibitors
Learn more about exhibiting at the Durham Fair by visiting the 2026 Exhibitor Information page. You will find a listing of categories, rules and regulations, as well as special awards available for our winners.
Become an Exhibitor
