For those who just can’t get enough, Paul Van Pelt also provided us with additional photos from the “Big Show” weekend in Kasterlee. See pictures or click one of the links below:
The Big Show Kasterlee: Awards Show
With worlds best pumpkin growers present in Kasterlee, some awards needed to be granted. Saturday evening the Award show started. Of course, Herman Boonen and Luc Vanheuckelom also received an award for the giant pumpkin and squash they grew in 2023.
Some pictures:
Day 2: The Big Show Kasterlee
Day 2 of The Big Show in Kasterlee is all about knowledge sharing. That’s why some speakers were invited, including world record holder Travis Gienger. Next to that topics like fertilizers, fertilization and CO2 where touched by other speakers.
Hopefully everyone has enough insights now to break the world record in 2024.
Still on the program tonight: awards ceremony.
See below for some pictures
Day 1 of The Big Show in Kasterlee
Proudly our president Paul Boonen opened “The Big Show” in Kasterlee yesterday. This was the beginning of a great weekend connecting the best big pumpkin growers from all over the world. For them it’s the chance to exchange tips and tricks.
USA, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, you name it and they are there.
Click further for the first pictures. We are looking forward to day 2!
The Big Show in Kasterlee
During the weekend of February 16th, 17th and 18th 2024, worlds best big pumpkin growers meet in Kasterlee during The Big Show!
All this will take place at OC De Pit in Kasterlee (Binnenpad 2). Our program (click to zoom):
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Hope to see you there!
Pumpkin regatta 2023
90 teams attented our yearly Pumpkin regatta. Domain Ark Van Noë full of “pumpkin” atmosphere: pumpkin regatta, pumpkin figures, pumpkin games, pumpkin curling, pumpkin carving, pumpkin soup and pumpkin beer.
We’re already looking forward to our 2024 edition.
In the meantime, enjoy the photos of 2023.
GPC Belgian weigh-off Kasterlee 2023
Time for the weigh-off 2023 in Kasterlee. First it looked like we were not going to reach a weight higher than 800kg.
Luckily Herman Boonen managed to grow a pumpkin heavier than 1 tonne: 1002kg to be precise. He was followed by Peter Jolie with 862kg and Cel Dierckx having a pumpkin of 727kg.
It didn’t stop at Belgian titles though, as Luc Vanheuckelom broke the European record for Squashes! He now sets the record at 842.5kg. Jef Leysen and Jens Segaert took the 2nd (542,5kg) and 3rd place (465,5kg).
Also check our pictures taken, as Marrows, Long Gourds and Field Pumpkins were also present.
2nd patch tour and BBQ 2023
The end of August is always the time for our 2nd patch tour. The result: our smallest pumpkin weighs +/- 39kg, the largest is over 800kg. Fortunately, our big ones still have a few weeks to grow. Really looking forward to the real results during the Belgian Pumpkin Road Championships on Saturday 7 October 2023 in Kasterlee.
We closed the day with a delicious BBQ. Enjoy our photos.
New Year’s Reception 2023
On January 29th 2023, we organized our annual New Year’s reception. After our president, Paul Boonen, went through the planning for 2023, the “party committee” took over. A modified version of the game Higher-Lower was enjoyed by everyone. And of course there was time to talk, about how we are going to grow the biggest pumpkins this year for example…. Look further for pictures.
(Nederlands) Pompoenregatta 2022
Pumpkin Curling, Pumpkin Games, Pumpkin Carving, Pumpkin Beer, Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Scenes, Pumpkin Music and then we also had pumpkin regatta. The Pumpkin Regatta has become an experience day for young and old. And this was also the case on 23 October 2022. On the “Ark Van Noë” we managed to attract a lot of curious people.
In any case, we look back on a successful edition. And the press apparently could not get enough of it either: from a few local stations to a Flemish broadcaster to the press in Spain.
On to 2023.
Pictures of the individual teams (who attended the Pumpkin race) can be found over here.
Some other pictures can be found below.