The Great Pumpkin Parade is held at noon on Saturday and runs east along Miramontes, North on Main St, and West on Mill Street.

The associated Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-In is located on the IDES Grounds at 735 Main Street on Columbus Day, the Monday prior to the festival.

The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival began in 1971 with the formation of the Main Street Beautification Committee.

The festival now includes dozens of local non-profit groups operating food and game booths, selling everything from pumpkin pie to linguisa sandwiches.

The festival, combined with multiple pumpkin patches surrounding the town, generate severe traffic congestion each year.