The Roland Pumpkin Fair was a fun, action-packed event. Hundreds of people came out to enjoy the festivities, but perhaps the highlight of the weekend was the big pumpkin weigh-off and giant drop.
On Saturday, at the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth weigh-off, pumpkin grower Charlie Bernstrom of Lancaster, Minnesota, stole the show once again. Previously being the weigh-off winner three times, Bernstrom was crowned the 2024 champion with a massive pumpkin that smashed the previous record he set in 2018, which was 1,753.5 pounds.
This year, his giant pumpkin weighed 2,004 pounds, making it the largest winner at the Roland Pumpkin Fair. This was also the first time in the fair’s history that a pumpkin entry had succeeded in reaching the 2,000-pound mark.
Bernstrom thought he had the record last year, but the pumpkin slated for the Roland Pumpkin Fair in 2023 had a crack, which he discovered when he went to pick it up the day before the weigh-off. Because the crack went into the pumpkin’s cavity, it is disqualified from the weigh-off. However, Bernstrom weighed it at home, and it was 2,100 pounds.
The Bernstroms come across the border from Emerson, aproximately an hour’s drive from Roland.
“We always look forward to coming up to the Roland Pumpkin Fair each year,” said Bernstrom. “It’s always nice to see so many familiar faces up there.”
The Bernstroms weighed their first pumpkin in Roland back in 2013 and have been travelling to Pumpkin Fairs in the Midwest United States and Roland ever since. His three daughters have been with him since the beginning and have been part of the pumpkin-growing process since day one, helping grow them and even naming them.
Standard Photo Submitted by Charlie Bernstrom
“We hadn’t brought a pumpkin to Roland with us since 2019, and we were excited to bring a big one up this year,” said Bernstrom. “So when it weighed over 2000 pounds, and to have all three of our girls up there to see it made it special. Our middle girl Blake had named this pumpkin ‘Jasmine,’ so she was excited. They do such a great job running the Roland Pumpkin Fair, and we can’t wait to be back next year.”
The Bernstroms will now take their giant pumpkins to Stillwater, Minnesota, where they will compete in one more pumpkin fair next weekend to close out their 2024 season.
Other winners in the top ten included: Dan Friesen 1446.5 lbs, Cornie Banman 1335 lbs, Jason Terwin 1322 lbs, Marge Banman 1264 lbs, Henry Banman 1263 lbs, Marlene Terwin 1239 lbs, Scott Myslichuk 1223.5 lbs, Leigh Terwin 1208 lbs, Helen Banman 1198 lbs.
Standard Photo Submitted by Charlie Bernstrom
Unfortunately the strong winds last Saturday wreaked havoc on organizers plans forcing a number of events to be cancelled and postponed. The giant pumpkin drop was rescheduled to Sunday. The 1,200 lb pumpkin was dropped onto a chevy car. The fire department even supplied a crash test dummy that was smashed in the car. The car will be used by the department as a practice car for extractions
