Raising Cane’s Owner And Founder Todd Graves Unveils World’s Biggest Pumpkin
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The 2,471-pound Pumpkin was Carved into a 3D, 360-degree Masterpiece By World-Renowned Food Network Champion Carvers
It was a Star-Studded Night of the Jack in Los Angeles for the unveiling of the world’s largest pumpkin. Raising Cane’s Owner and Founder Todd Graves showcased the 2,471 Pound World’s Biggest Pumpkin. The event occurred at Nights of the Jack in Los Angeles with media and celebrity guests in attendance. When the event opened to the public it was a delight to watch families enjoying the pumpkin carving masterpiece.
Nothing says “fright night” like a pumpkin that weighs as much as 20,000 Chicken Fingers! Raising Cane’s owner and founder Todd Graves loves Halloween and is a pumpkin enthusiast. He has been searching for the world’s biggest pumpkin for quite some time. He finally made that dream a reality when he purchased “Rudy,” the biggest pumpkin in the world.
Guinness World Record grower Travis Gienger meticulously grew the pumpkin over six months. It departed from Gienger’s home in Anoka, Minnesota. The destination was the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival in California earlier this month. After traveling more than 2,000 miles to reach its destination, Rudy weighed 2,471 pounds on October 14. This occurred during the highly-anticipated pumpkin weigh-off. It became the biggest pumpkin in the world. From the cutting of the vine to the weigh-in, Graves was cheering Gienger on. He started making plans for the pumpkin post-festival. It would find its new home at Nights of the Jack in Los Angeles.
Nights of the Jack is a notoriously star-studded attraction. It boasts a one-mile walkable trail for an interactively spooky celebration. The celebration is inclusive of lights, carved pumpkins, food trucks, and more. Graves’s pumpkin was stationed at the front of the event. It welcomed visitors and celebs alike. The pumpkin served as the main attraction.
Bringing his vision to life, Graves enlisted the help of world-renowned carvers. Eric Jones, Monique Hawk, and William Wilson joined him. All of them were featured on Food Network’s Outrageous Pumpkins and Halloween Wars. They have each had a hand in carving the biggest pumpkins in the world. Yet, none have come close to this pumpkin. It is the first of its kind as a fully 3D, 360-degree carved masterpiece. Jones and the team used a variety of veggies. They brought details ranging from fingernails to teeth to sunglasses. Squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and carrots gave the creation dimension and color. For the final carves and reveal, Graves was on-site alongside the team to unveil the pumpkin to the crowd.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved Halloween. I’ve loved the tradition of carving pumpkins. I’ve also loved the joy that the holiday brings to kids. I’ve been on a quest for the biggest pumpkin in the world for six years now. I’m so excited that it’s finally happened,” said Graves. “It’s been a great experience working with Travis, Eric, Monique, and William to bring this vision to life. The pumpkin captures the magic and excitement of Halloween. It is mixed with some iconic Cane’s elements like our logo, red cup, and Cane III. We wanted to bring the pumpkin to Nights of the Jack so everyone enjoy it. I’ve loved seeing the excitement on the kid’s faces. It makes it all worth it!”
Graves opened the first Raising Cane’s 28 years ago. He started the tradition of gifting Crew members “ghost pops.” These are made from Tootsie Pops with a tissue, ribbon, and face drawn onto it. It started as a cost-effective gift in the early days. Now, it has grown into a tradition that includes more than 65,000 Crew members. Halloween is a staple for Cane’s and Graves. It continues to grow each year. This is evidenced by the biggest pumpkin in the world!
The biggest pumpkin in the world is on display at Nights of the Jack through November 2. Only 1 day left. Don’t be chicken – Go and see the pumpkin masterpiece!
