Nearly 1-ton pumpkin sets record at North Carolina fair

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — The record-setting pumpkin at this year’s North Carolina State Fair can make a lot of pies.

A news release from the fair says Chris Rodebaugh of Lewisburg, West Virginia, set a record with a 1,965.5-pound pumpkin. That’s somewhat short of the world record of 2,703 pounds set by Stefano Cutrupi of Italy.

According to the news release, the top three winners in the pumpkin competition take home between $1.50 and $3 per pound.

Joseph Pitchford, a spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, says the fair’s giant pumpkin competition is recognized by Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, which allows the fair to accept entries from outside the state.