3rd National Pumpkin Championships

Soham Pumpkin Fair
 34th Soham Pumpkin Fair 2008
The Recreation Ground, Fountain Lane, Soham
Show opens at 1.30pm and closes at 5.00pm
Performances by Soham Fenlander Majorette Troupe, Zak The Clown
As well as Pupils from St. Andrew’s & The Weatheralls Primary Schools,
A Funfair along with a wide range of Stalls & Car Boot Sales, Vintage Cars, Tractors, Bygones,
Special visit from Mr Pumpkin (better known as Mark Williams, Chairman of the Pumpkin Fair)
Admission is £1 for Adults, 50p for Senior Citizens & Children Over 12, Children Under 12 Go Free

Pumpkin Fair Theme - To Be Announced

Children’s Competitions
Baking & Poetry Competitions the Local Cubs, Brownies, Guides & Scout Groups.

 Other Attractions
Outsized Vegetables on Display:- Pumpkins, Sunflowers, Marrows & Onions etc.
There will also be a Variety of Stalls by Local Groups & Organisations,
Vintage Cars & Tractors, Prize Draw & Much, Much More...

 Group Entries
To be submitted between 8.30am to 11.30am. 
These are to be accompanied by a completed Entry Form

Saturday 27th September 2008 is the date of the 34th Soham Pumpkin Fair 2008 and the 3rd year we have run the National Pumpkin Championships (Kindly Sponsored by DT Brown). The 2008 Pumpkin Fair will take place at the Recreation Ground, Fountain Lane in Soham. Entries for the various vegetable and growing competitions need to be at the Recreation Ground between 8.30am and 11.30am. The fair itself opens at 1.30pm.

Started in 1974, The Soham Pumpkin Fair has raised over £32,000 for local charities. The Fair is the only one of its kind in the whole of East Anglia. Each year the committee donates pumpkin and sunflower seeds to any schools and play schemes in the area, that wish to take part.

This year the money raised will be donated to Noah’s Ark, St John’s Cadets and The Local Community First Response Scheme. Mr Mark Williams, Chairperson of The Soham Pumpkin Fair Committee said of this year’s fair:
"We are looking forward to a bumper fair. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us and the crowds will once again come along to support our worthy causes. We are looking forward to a lot of friendly competition and you never know, we might get a pumpkin that will weigh more than the world record 926 kg grown in 2004."

Over the years the Soham Pumpkin Fair has attracted large numbers of visitors with well over 1,000 attending last year’s event despite the poor weather. The Fair has also seen a number of record breakers over the years. The largest pumpkin recorded was a massive 525lbs (the largest pumpkin grown in the UK in 2002), and last years winner weighed in at 123.26kg (272 lbs. approx). There are also competitions for sunflowers, the record holder so far being 16 feet tall and the heaviest marrow which weighed in at 18lbs.
There are also a number of indoor competitions for local Cubs, Brownies, Guides and Scout Groups. Baking and poetry competitions are being held, and this year’s theme will be Countryside Creatures.

During this year’s event there will be a number of attractions in the main arena, including The Soham Fenlander Majorettes and displays by the local Primary Schools, St. Andrew’s and The Weatheralls. A fair will be held on the grounds along with a wide range of stalls and car boots sales. Other attractions this year will include over 65 vintage cars and tractors, bygones, Soham Fire Brigade and the popular children’s entertainment Zak The Clown in the small arena.

 General Competition Rules

• Only pumpkins weighing greater than 90kg can be entered into The DT Brown National Pumpkin Championships

• The specimen entered for competition must be grown and cared for by the grower

• No more than two pumpkins per household may be entered.

• All entries must be officially received in Recreation Ground between 8.30am and 11.30 am. The entry fee of £10 must accompany the registration for each entry

• Specimen must be healthy and undamaged. The vine must be trimmed to one inch (2.5cm) from the stem or stalk of the specimen. The specimen must be sound, healthy, and undamaged. Entries must be free of rot, holes, and/or cracks through to the cavity. It must be free of serious soft spots. The judges may probe a crack or hole that is suspected to extend into the cavity of the specimen. Where the probe meets no resistance and enters the cavity, that specimen will be disqualified. The judge's decision is final. A Grower who feels the judge has made an error has the right to appeal to the Independent Judge prior to the weighing of the specimen in question.

• No carrying device, pallet or otherwise foreign material may be included in the weighing.

• All entries must be loaded on a skid/pallet or other device that forklifts can easily lift the entry and take it to the scales.

• Weights will be recorded in quarter (1/4) kilogram increments (round down to next lowest quarter kg.)

• In the event of a tie, specimens of equal weight will be declared co-winners, and the cash awards appropriate for their corresponding placements in that category will be totalled and divided equally between the winners

• The grower must make every reasonable attempt to be present at the weigh-off, which will commence at 12 noon.

• The grower or representative must be present at the awards ceremony to be eligible for any prize.

• We request all entries remain for public display until at least 5.00pm.

• The Soham Pumpkin Fair and its volunteers shall not be responsible for any accidents, losses, or breakage of any grower's specimen(s).

• Winners agree that the use of his/her name and or photograph may be used for promotional purposes without further compensation.

• An independent judge will officiate. Decisions made by the judge will be final

• Cups and Trophies to be held for one year only

• The winning growers (1st, 2nd and 3rd) will agree to donate 100 seeds from their prize winning pumpkins, if requested, to be donated to the children of Soham, at the discretion of the Soham Pumpkin Fair Committee

• The Committee cannot be held responsible for any accidents, loss or damage to exhibitors, spectators, or their entries however caused.

The Fair will be open at 1.30pm and presentations of Cups etc. will take place at 4.00pm followed by the Grand Draw and other such competitions.