Conor and Darragh Barden from Waterford checking to see if this year's giant pumpkin is bigger than last year's entry that weighed in at over 45 stones and was grown by their granddad, Walter Hartrey and his friend John McDonough.

Rts nationwide to film the eighth virginia pumpkin festival

Jenny McGovern

The excitement is building in Virginia this week as the town prepares for the annual Virginia Pumpkin Festival. Mary Kennedy host of RTÉ’s Nationwide will be in the town from 2pm this Sunday to film the weighing in of the giant pumpkins.
Giant pumpkin growers will be delivering their pumpkins to Virginia in the coming days for the hotly contested 'Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off’. An Irish record may be broken by Waterford pumpkin growers John McDonough and Walter Hartrey who say that their giant pumpkin could exceed the 980lbs, which is the current Irish record. There will also be competitions for pumpkin pies; alternative pumpkins made out of recycled materials and the perfect pumpkin (regardless of size) and there will also be pumpkin carving demonstrations.
Highlights of the festival include a fantastic “petrifying” walk through the forest, which has been dubbed “Forest of Fears” that has been created by local artist Sharon Payne. It takes place on Friday, October 24 from 7.30pm through the gates of the Virginia Park Lodge and costs just €5, enter if you dare. 
In addition there will be fun for all the family over the course of the weekend with the line-up on Saturday including a charity fun run/ walk at 10am, an all-day Artisan Food and Craft Fair (also on Sunday), a children’s fancy dress Halloween party at 11am and a 'Pumpkin Walking Treasure Hunt’ through Virginia at 2pm.
On Sunday, the street entertainment starts from 2pm with live music, street entertainers and the highlight of the weekend is the 5pm grand festival parade followed immediately afterwards by a spectacular fireworks display over the shores of Lough Ramor.

Fancy dress
Ireland’s largest fancy dress party tops off the Sunday celebrations at the Virginia Pumpkin Festival with over 2,000 party goers arriving into Virginia in elaborate fancy dress attire. On Monday night the Monster Bingo Session is back to raise funds for Ramor United’s under age football and Lurgan Ladies football club. The prize fund is €3,500.
A 'Noise’ disco for teenagers will be hosted in the Virginia Show Centre with DJ Ali B from 8pm-11 on Tuesday, October 28. 
Full event programme is available on www.pumpkinfestival.ie