Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival

The annual Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival is held in historic downtown Elkin the fourth Saturday in September.

Festivities begin Saturday morning with the annual Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Portly pumpkins from growers all over the East Coast hit the scales to see which one takes home the $1,000 first prize. Previous winners have weighed in at more than 1,500 pounds. It is considered one of the most famous pumpkin contests east of the Mississippi.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive shortly after the festival opens at 9 a.m. to view the massive pumpkins, watermelons and other gourds on display. The weigh-in process begins at that time and continues through lunchtime. Large fork lifts are required to move the giant pumpkins and watermelons to the scales.

The weigh-off takes place in the parking lot of the Yadkin Valley Visitors Center, 257 Standard Street, Elkin, NC 28621.

Meanwhile, the day-long festival fills nearby Main Street with arts-and-crafts vendors, festival food, live music, a dunking booth and a kids zone.