2,000-Pound Minnesota Pumpkin Transformed Into Stunning Carving

Imagine a massive 1-ton pumpkin, round as a boulder and big as a bathtub, transforming into something even more majestic. That’s exactly what one Minnesota man made happen.

This isn’t just any pumpkin carving... it’s huge, it's detailed, it's a jaw-dropping masterpiece that you have to see to believe. With each careful cut, a local carving artist transformed this heavyweight pumpkin into an epic creature. Don’t miss the must-see photo at the bottom of this story to witness the final reveal!

During Stillwater’s Harvest Fest earlier this month, crowds gathered to witness Minnesota's legendary Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, a celebration where colossal pumpkins from across the state roll in to be weighed, admired, and immortalized.

What Goes Into Growing These Behemoth Pumpkins?

It’s a year-long commitment of planting, watering, pruning, and watching the weather like a hawk. Growers often nurture just a single pumpkin per plant, so that all the plant’s nutrients funnel into one massive fruit. It’s not just gardening; it’s practically pumpkin science.

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They measure growth in inches per day (yes, they grow that fast!) and use special fertilizers, custom watering schedules, and even blankets to keep their pumpkins warm on chilly nights. For some, it’s as close to raising a mythical creature as you can get.

Massive Minnesota Pumpkin Finds New Life as Epic Dragon Sculpture

Last year, Niles Jacobson from Stewartville brought one of his three pumpkin beasts to the Stillwater Harvest Fest scale. Tipping in at 2,041.5 pounds was a massive, yellow-orange wonder that earned him a solid 5th place in the competition.

The winning pumpkin, an almost surreal 2,501 pounds, was grown by Charlie Bernstrom of Lancaster, Minnesota.

But Niles wasn’t content to just let his pumpkin bask in 5th-place fame. No, he had bigger plans. With the help of a skilled local carver, Niles’ gourd was transformed into a really cool looking dragon.

What began as a gigantic veggie ended as an intricately detailed carving, scales and all, showcasing the skill, patience, and artistry involved in giant pumpkin carving.

Niles says the carver is from Northern Minnesota and carves pumpkins every year for Pier B Resort in Duluth. With his wife's assistance, it took the carver about 6 hours to create this dragon pumpkin.

This is Niles' fourth year growing these gigantic gourds, and he has no plans to stop. His goal is to grow four pumpkins each year, but lately, he has ended up with only three.