By Amanda Monk
Moapa Valley Progress
For weeks, an huge pumpkin has waited on display at Lin’s Marketplace. Lin’s shoppers have had the opportunity during that time to hazard a guess at just what this jumbo pumpkin weighs. The announcement of the winner of this contest was made at a community Halloween extravaganza held at the store on Friday afternoon, October 29.
Over 500 people who came to enjoy the free activities and packed the parking lot.
Inside the store, the event offered fun games like pin the nose on the clown, ring toss, cookie monster, and fishing for treats.There was even a donut eating contest. Contestants stood in line with their hands behind their backs as they tried to eat their donuts hanging from a string, faster then their fellow contestants. Prizes were given to winners. Little brave ones even had the chance to go through a creepy haunted house.
Outside, in the store parking lot, there were 15 decorated car trunks handing out candy to local costume-clad children.
Children were also invited to witness or participate in the “Best Halloween Costume Contest.” First place went to Lydia Campbell, who was dressed as the beautiful Cleopatra. Second place went to Preston Bushman who wowed the judges as professional boxer. Third place went to Kylie Traashah who was a very well dressed feline cat.
Winners of a pumpkin carving contest were also announced. There were only a half a dozen pumpkins entered into the contest. The winners all won a large bag of candy. First place was Shannon Bush, second place went to Romeo Elenes, and third place went to the extra small pumpkin that was carved out by Frank Bush. Each received Lin’s gift cards.
Next to the pumpkins that were judged, stood a small container that held pumpkin seeds. Many guessed but none were as close as little Romeo Elenes who was closest to the actual number of 924 seeds. Elenes was able to take all the seeds home with him.
Eventually the time had come to announce the winner of the extra large pumpkin contest. As the store came to a hush, Mr. Fred Christenson was applauded as he was announced winner of the great pumpkin.
Christenson had eye-balled the pumpkins weight to be 101.6 pounds. The pumpkin weighed in at 101.3. His estimate was the closest out of hundreds of guesses.
To be fair though, Samantha Cook may have also truly guessed it’s heft as she simply wrote down: A LOT!
Members of the Lin’s team were surprised at the number of people who came out to enjoy the afternoon activities.
“It was such a great crowd,” said Carol Jolley. “It was amazing to see our parking lot so full of fun.”
Jolley said that Lin’s couldn’t have done it without other local business who helped. They simply couldn’t say thank you, they expressed instead a BIG thank you to local business owners and all who came to the store for what was sure, a Halloween treat.