SQUASH-ADJACENT DOINGS: When you're a well-known happening, and the cameras and crews come out for a very specific part of what you do, well. It's fantastic, is what. Figure the world is full of experiences and events that almost never get the limelight. Still, you must also want people to know about the other to-dos beyond what makes the headlines, especially is they're really lively and quirky and worth giving a peek. Such is the case with many a California weekend event. There may be a marquee or centerpiece part of the whole, but the whole should be explored as well. Take the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, which marks its 43rd outing on Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20. Did you just picture those mega pumpkins in your mind at reading "Half Moon Bay"? The thousand- and nearly-two-thousand-pounders the roll in on trucks to face the scales? And then, later, the carvings of mondo gargantuan pumpkins? Yes indeedy. The fall-time festival is famous for its super-sized, superstar squashes, as it should be. But peeking past the pound-rich pumpkinage is also recommended. If you go, you can also enjoy...
THE ART: It is in the event's very name, after all. You'll eye crafts aplenty -- yes, aplenty -- and meet the people who make them. Authors'll be on hand, chatting books, and the region's wine- and beer-makery will represent, too. A parade -- J.T. Snow of the Giants is the grand marshal -- and a run and pie-eating contests fill out the squashy scene. And, yep, you'll eye the big pumpkins, too. The weigh-in happens earlier in the week, ahead of the fest, but fear not -- you'll get your fill and your photos in. We love those ginormous pumpkins, we do we do, but the when you've been around for well over four decades, there's a lot going on beyond what gets people talking. And people do discuss those enormous orange orbs, as they should, because they're practically unbelievable. But there's other autumn-good stuff going down around the fest, for sure. Take a pumpkin pause and check it out.
