Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic

The annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is legendary for its record-breaking giant pumpkins, coma-inducing fall treats … and its infuriating traffic jams.

And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of fear of that hourslong wait in traffic — we’ve got you covered. 

This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give the world’s current record-holding pumpkin a run for its money.

“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”

But “if he gets really good weather from here on to the event, it potentially could break the world record,” he said.

Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.

• Jump straight to: How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year

Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific activities and events they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. 

It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.

There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.

In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the festival’s three stages, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.

Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.

“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”

The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the chaotic 2024 festival. And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.

But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there should be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)

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“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.

Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” weigh-off on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.

Get there early early … 

Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said.

Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for the pancake breakfast at 7 a.m.. 

And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.

As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.

“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.

This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.

If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.

Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. 

Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said.

“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.

If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible via SamTrans. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.

Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there dedicated bike parking at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.

“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”

Besides contending with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival traffic, here are a few more tips from the organizers themselves:

A quiet area for diaper changing and nursing will be available at the Community United Methodist Church on Miramontes and Johnston streets.

Bring cash for parking (and potentially for vendors).

Try to snag the first spot you see, even if it means you’ll have to walk a ways.

Wear sunscreen and lots of layers — Half Moon Bay can get very foggy and cold.

Pets are not allowed (service animals are OK).

Free water is available at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street, so bring an empty bottle.