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Special discounts for military, police & fire personnel this weekend
√ Will a new world record be set this weekend?
The Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence will kick off its 26th annual Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to dusk Saturday and Sunday with a special Armed Forces Weekend in collaboration with Clarence Citizens for Veterans. The regular admission fee will be waived for active duty and retired military, police or fire department personnel who present proper identification to WNY Heroes representatives at the gate; they will also be permitted to bring one guest for free.
Day one will also include professional competitive eater Molly Schuyler of California, who will be back in town this weekend to compete in the Great Pumpkin Farm’s hands-free world pumpkin pie eating contest. In 2019, Schuyler consumed 50 pieces of pumpkin pie in 10 minutes to take first place honors (and the $1,000 prize). This year marks the 11th annual competition and will include professional and nonprofessional eaters from across the country (and including several Western New Yorkers) and Canada, who will compete for a total of $1,800 in prize money. The hands-free world pumpkin pie eating contest starts at 1 p.m. Saturday on the outdoor stage at the Great Pumpkin Farm.
All attractions will be up and running on opening weekend, and additional entertainment will include Vinnie and Teddy, the ever-popular animatronic dinosaurs, who will roam the corn maze both days from noon until 4 p.m. looking for their prey, and the Balloon Experts, who will amaze with their balloon characters and designs. There will also be live music in The Witches Brew indoor or outdoor bar (weather depending).
The Great Pumpkin Farm is located at 11199 Main St., Clarence. It features plenty of free, onsite parking. Complete event information is available at www.greatpumpkinfarm.com. A 2021 fall festival guide is available at all Wegmans locations.
Since 1996, when it first hosted the world pumpkin weigh-off and was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for the first 1,000-pound pumpkin, the Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence has grown into a beloved Western New York tradition.