Kyogle Giant Pumpking and Watermelon Festival

by Lara Leahy

Summer is the time of year when the fruits of our labours are realised, and nowhere in the southern hemisphere will the competition be fiercer than at Kyogle on Saturday, January 15th. Last year a grower from Knockrow, Dale Oliver, grew a whopping 867kg Pumpkin that has the record for the heaviest pumpkin grown in the southern hemisphere.

Three months later, a pumpkin weighed in at South Africa at 867.5kg that has taken the record, so Australia is looking to reclaim its title. Dale Oliver will be back, amongst other local growers. These large species of pumpkin need a lot of water and heat to grow to their phenomenal size, and the rain we have had should help. These veggies are so large that they are grown on pallets to make them easier to transport!

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The Summerland Giant Pumpkin and Watermelon Festival is growing every year and this year there are new additions to their wide range of events planned to celebrate and entertain people, and it isn’t too late to get involved in many of the competitions.

The “On the Vine” theme extends the range of veggies to compete with to Tomatoes, Watermelon, Zucchini, Cucumber and Sweet Potato. If you have anything growing in your garden that is extra heavy or extra-long, bring it along and enter the home gardener competition. Searls have generously donated a range of products as prizes.

There is a watermelon eating competition, cooking competitions and pumpkin and watermelon sculpting events. Entry for all competitions on the day is done on the Memorial Hall side of Stratheden Street – look out for the people that can take your entry.

There is also a Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin competition starting from January 10th at Harley and Co. (CRT), with a cash prize of $300 for the closest guess. Phil Dudman will be there to award prizes, meet people and chat about gardening.

Eateries will be offering local produce, especially pumpkin and watermelon dishes that include salads, quiches, and drinks.

The entries for the art and craft competitions are on display in the old IGA shop window on the main street for viewing now, until the end of January. There are many creative entries among them.

Classic cars and hot-rods will be returning this year. A couple of clubs will be present, or you can bring your own. Please note, you need to be there before 8am to get access if you are bringing your car to show.

A first for this year, a two carriage 1961 heritage train will be taking people on trips up to the border loop. The train is coming up from Coffs Harbour where it usually resides, cared for by the Rail Motor Society. There are 6 trips on offer on the 15th, and an additional 4 trips on the 16th. Tickets are Dine and Discover friendly, and they are selling out fast. Go to www.123tix.com.au and pop Kyogle into the search engine, or you can find the link on our Facebook page.

The festival is on Saturday, but the Roxy Art Gallery and cinema will be open on Sunday, also to facilitate the train travellers.

Here’s hoping you will be there when the heaviest pumpkin record is broken again!

PROGRAM

7.30am arrival of melons and pumpkins.
8 to 9.30am Entries in Cooking Competition, Home Gardening and Sculpting Competition accepted.
8.15am – Festival Opening and Welcome to Country Robert Cullen
8.45am – Announcements and directions to Entrants and Spectators– P Keevers
9 to 10am – Kyogle Country Music Association
9.30am – Weighing of melons and pumpkins commences
9.30 to 10am – Judging of entries, cooking, home gardening and sculpting.
10.00 to 10.15am Announcements—Phil Keevers
10.15 to 11.15am Kyogle Country Music Association.
11.30 to 12.30am PRESENTATIONS
Competitions presented by J Saffin
Arts and Crafts Competitions
• Senior Art
• Junior Art
• Craft Competition
• Soft Furnishings
Cooking Competition
• Scones
• Closed Pumpkin Pie
• Best Watermelon Dish
• Best Savory Pumpkin or Watermelon Dish
• Most outstanding Entrant
Open Sculpting Competition
Open Garden Competition
• Heaviest tomato
• Heaviest Butternut Pumpkin
• Heaviest Round Watermelon
• Heaviest Sweet Potato
• Longest Zucchini
• Longest Cucumber
• Outstanding Entrant
Business Window/ Premise & Promotion of Festival
Drawing the Raffle
Major Prize Presented by Phil Dudman
Open Pumpkin over 250kg
Novice Pumpkin Less than 250kg
Watermelon
Guess the Weight
12 to 12.30pm Kyogle Country Music Association
12.30pm Watermelon Eating Competition—Town Square
1pm Festival close & competitors collect entries.
Train trips
9am – Glenapp return
11.21am – Namoona and return
12.23pm – Glenapp and return
2.34 pm – Namoona and return
3.36pm – Glenapp and return
5.47pm – Kyogle for Casino arriving at 6.13pm