It's official. Travis Gienger of Anoka now holds world records for the heaviest jack-o'-lantern and the largest jack-o'-lantern. Officials with Guinness World Records certified both records over the weekend.
The feats came just weeks after Gienger set a North American record for growing the largest pumpkin, which weighed in at 2,650 pounds at the 2022 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.
Gienger enlisted friend and experienced pumpkin carver Mike Rudolph, of St. Cloud, to transform the giant pumpkin Gienger named "Maverick" into an eagle-shaped jack-o'-lantern on Oct. 28 as part of Anoka's Halloween celebration. The jack-o-lantern had a pre-carved stem-to-blossom circumference of 242 inches, which set another record.
This is an updated story. Read the original report from Oct. 29 below:
An Anoka man who set a North American record for growing the heaviest pumpkin went for another record Friday: Turning the big gourd into the world's largest jack-o'-lantern.
Travis Gienger enlisted the help of a professional sculptor to carve the pumpkin — dubbed "Maverick" after it recovered from a mid-growing season accident — into a giant eagle. Gienger lent a hand by scooping out the seeds and pulp inside the 2,560-pound prize, which won the 2022 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.
"We're hoping it turns out pretty cool," Gienger said.
The work began about 8 a.m. outside Anoka City Hall, where the record-setting pumpkin has been on view this week. Over 12 hours, carver Mike Rudolph of St. Cloud planned to use a sculpting rod, along with a bevy of smaller tools, to transform Maverick into its final form. The process is similar to how sculptors mold blocks of ice into masterpieces at the St. Paul Winter Carnival.
