The 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show opened Wednesday with a giant-pumpkin competition that produced a new festival record: a 2,455-pound entry grown by Troy Vanarsdalen. The weigh-in result surpassed the previous show mark of 1,355.5 pounds, attributed to Dr. Leggit several years ago, and also exceeded the 1,972-pound pumpkin that Mike Helberg grew to win last year, according to the Scioto Post.
The four-day event has been held in Circleville since 1903. Competition rules require giant pumpkins to be grown within 25 miles of downtown Circleville.
Vanarsdalen told the publication that preparing an entry involves roughly six months of daily attention. He has grown competition pumpkins for three years and credited other local growers with helping him and his grandsons learn the process.
His grandson Able, 10, placed fourth with a 1,553-pound pumpkin in only his second year in the competition. Able's entry last year weighed slightly more than 600 pounds. The family results come as the Pickaway County festival continues, the report said.