Todd Graves brought a 3,156-pound pumpkin to Salem, Massachusetts, and left with a new Guinness World Records title. The Raising Cane’s founder unveiled the world’s heaviest jack-o’-lantern at Salem Common on October 27, transforming an already record-breaking pumpkin into a Halloween display complete with witches, skeletons and a bat cave.
The celebration, which The Blast attended, came as Salem marked its 400th anniversary. Graves was joined by the pumpkin’s grower, Ron Wallace, a team of carvers and two familiar faces from Disney Channel’s “Halloweentown.”
Todd Graves Says His Record-Breaking Pumpkin Was Seven Years In The Making
Graves has spent years celebrating Halloween with giant pumpkins, but this year’s creation gave him something he had never had before: a world record. “This Guinness World Record Heaviest Jack-o’-Lantern is seven years in the making! It’s incredible to be in Salem for the 400th anniversary and experience all the history in the town,” Graves said.
The Raising Cane’s founder explained at the event that he got excited when he learned Wallace was growing a pumpkin that could break the world record. After it weighed in at 3,156 pounds, Graves set his sights on turning it into the world’s heaviest jack-o’-lantern.
That meant finding a place where plenty of people could see it. For Graves, Salem, a city known for drawing Halloween visitors from around the country, was the perfect setting. “I don’t put them on my front yard,” he said of his giant pumpkin displays. “You know, the pumpkin, just from the neighborhood, to see, wanted to go where a 1000000 people come see it here in Salem.”
Graves also brought his daughter along for the experience, telling attendees that they got to explore Salem and even have some “ghost experiences” during their visit.
The Giant Pumpkin Took 123 Days To Grow
Before it became a jack-o’-lantern, the enormous pumpkin was already a record holder. Wallace grew the pumpkin in Rhode Island over 123 days, according to Raising Cane’s. It weighed in at 3,156 pounds on October 10 at the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at Frerichs Farm in Warren, earning the Guinness World Records title for heaviest pumpkin. The company said it was the first pumpkin, and the first fruit of any kind, to surpass 3,000 pounds.
During the Salem event, Graves spoke about how much work goes into growing a pumpkin of that size, explaining that something as small as a rotted spot can threaten months of progress. “What I really loved is the care they have to put into these pumpkins,” he said. “So, over 123 days, there’s so many things that can go wrong.”
Once Wallace’s pumpkin was ready to become a Halloween centerpiece, carvers Eric Jones, Monique Hawk and William Wilson took on the task of bringing Graves’ vision to life.
The design included Salem-inspired witches, skeletons, a bat cave and Raising Cane’s touches. Graves said the pumpkin’s thick walls allowed the artists to create dimension in the carving, including a prominent cauldron. The team also incorporated more than a dozen fruits and vegetables into the display. Among them were turnips, a nod to an early jack-o’-lantern tradition that predates the use of pumpkins.
Todd Graves And His Daughter Helped Carve The Jack-O’-Lantern
While the professional carvers handled the intricate artwork, Graves and his daughter made sure they were part of the finished product, too. The founder told the crowd that they helped carve the side displaying the world record and jack-o’-lantern lettering. He joked that they left the more artistic work to the experts. The display also used natural materials for its details, including beet juice for red eyes. Graves said the pumpkin would eventually be used to feed pigs after Halloween.
Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric was on hand to make the new title official. According to Raising Cane’s, the 3,156-pound jack-o’-lantern surpassed the previous record of 2,749 pounds. “The previous world record for heaviest jack-o’-lantern was 2,749 pounds. Today, I’m proud to say Todd’s 3,156-pound jack-o’-lantern is the new Guinness World Record!” Empric said.
‘Halloweentown’ Stars Join The Salem Celebration
The pumpkin wasn’t the only Halloween favorite drawing attention at Salem Common. Kimberly J. Brown, who played Marnie Piper in Disney Channel’s “Halloweentown” franchise, attended the celebration with her husband, Daniel Kountz, who played Kal in the “Halloweentown” sequel. “This pumpkin is the most astounding pumpkin I’ve ever seen, and I’m so honored to be part of this occasion,” Brown said.
Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo also joined the festivities and proclaimed October 27 “Great Pumpkin Day” in the city. “It’s our 400th birthday and we’re still out here making history!” Pangallo said. “It’s an honor to be here and such a thrill as I’m issuing a proclamation today as Great Pumpkin Day in Salem.”
The Message Behind Todd Graves’ Giant Pumpkin Tradition
For Graves, the display was about more than earning a Guinness World Records title. He said he hopes children who see the giant pumpkin will be inspired by the people who grew and carved it. “I want kids to see that they can do anything they set their mind to and could one day cook Chicken Fingers like me, or grow giant pumpkins like Ron, or create incredible designs like Eric, Monique and William,” he said.
And while Wallace’s pumpkin has crossed the 3,000-pound mark, Graves is already thinking about how much bigger the pumpkins of the future could get. “I mean, someday, we get a 4,000 pound pumpkin, we get a 5,000 pound pumpkin,” he said. “Just keep getting bigger and better and greater.”
