FILE: Thad Starr (R) places a miniature pumpkin on his 1524 pound pumpkin at the 34th Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off October 8, 2007 in Half Moon Bay, California. Thad Starr of Pleasant Hill, Oregon took the top honor at tihis years pumpkin weigh-off with his pumpkin coming in at 1524 pounds, earning his $6 per pound in prize money for a total of $9144. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Rising costs and lasting impacts from the pandemic are putting the future of the annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival in jeopardy.
Organizers say their income from the festival, has largely stayed stagnant over the last decade. But costs to put on the event are rising across the board.
“We’ve seen increases everywhere from insurance, security, event production and rentals,” said Ronan Fowler, an event promoter for the festival.
The annual festival is primarily produced by the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee (HMBBC), which is largely made up of volunteers. It teams up with local nonprofits, who rely on participating in the festival to meet their fundraising needs.
“This festival has always been about supporting the community, and really reinvesting money back into the community,” added Fowler. “We have over 35 nonprofits that do all of our food, all of our activities. We don’t bring in any outside organizations to do this, so its really a local fundraiser.”
Compounding the problem, the festival was canceled for two years during the pandemic. But organizers still gave out around $300,000 to those nonprofits, to help keep them running. They say several longtime sponsors have also had to pull out due to costs.
This fall will mark the 53rd annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, and it's moving full speed ahead, with dates set for Oct. 18-19. But the HMBBC says its long-term sustainability is in danger.
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Organizers are asking for donations to support the event for years to come. Those interested in donating can find more information on coastsidegives.org.
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