Raising Cane’s Takes Halloween Tradition to Record-Breaking Heights in Salem

SALEM, Mass. – Raising Cane’s owner and founder Todd Graves has spent the past seven years trying to achieve a Guinness World Record with the giant pumpkins he collects. On Tuesday, he finally accomplished that goal in Salem, Massachusetts, a city known for its Halloween celebrations.

Graves received his Guinness World Records award after unveiling a giant jack-o’-lantern at Salem Common. The event also coincided with Salem’s 400th anniversary and Raising Cane’s celebrating 30 years in business.

The pumpkin was grown by Ron Wallace in Rhode Island. Wallace’s creation had already earned the Guinness World Records title for the heaviest pumpkin before it reached Salem. Graves believed it could accomplish something even greater by becoming the world’s heaviest jack-o’-lantern.

“We couldn’t think of a better place to do this,” Graves said.

Each year, Graves has attempted to reach this milestone, bringing giant pumpkin displays to cities such as Los Angeles and New York City. With the help of the city of Salem and his team of professional carvers, he was finally able to achieve his goal.

How the World’s Heaviest Pumpkin Came to Salem

Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island, achieved the Guinness World Records title for the heaviest pumpkin on Oct. 10. The weigh-in took place at Frerichs Farm in Warren, Rhode Island, during the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off.

Not only did Wallace set a new record with his 3,156-pound pumpkin, but it also became the first fruit of any kind recorded to surpass 3,000 pounds.

Seventeen days later, the pumpkin was unveiled in Salem as part of another attempt at making history.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric attended Tuesday’s unveiling to determine whether the jack-o’-lantern met the organization’s official requirements.

According to Empric, the creation must be carved from a pumpkin or turnip, hollowed out and feature eyes, a nose and a mouth.

The previous record was established in 2023 with a 2,749-pound pumpkin grown by Travis Gienger and carved by Eric Jones.

After determining that the creation met the requirements, Empric officially announced a new Guinness World Records title, using the pumpkin’s certified weight of 3,156 pounds before carving.

Graves stood alongside Wallace and his team of pumpkin carvers as the announcement was made.

“For me, it’s a dream,” Graves said. “I’ve been collecting big pumpkins for over seven years.”

The achievement required months of preparation before the massive pumpkin reached Salem.

Wallace has spent 37 years growing giant pumpkins. He explained that success requires patience, dedication and the ability to overcome challenges throughout the growing season.

Graves said Wallace spent 123 days growing the pumpkin. Wallace explained that he grew it inside a greenhouse and supplied approximately 55 to 60 gallons of water daily. During one two-week period, the pumpkin gained an average of more than 60 pounds per day.

“You have to stick with it from when you start the seed in the middle of April until harvest,” Wallace said.

There is more to growing a record-breaking pumpkin than watering it and providing nutrients. Wallace knows that weather conditions, sunlight and the type of seed used can affect how large a pumpkin grows.

“You need sunshine, and you need the right seed,” Wallace said. “The genetics of this seed are the best in the world.”

After so many years of growing pumpkins, Wallace understands how difficult setting a world record can be. He said it took him 14 years to return to the record books.

“Everything’s a challenge when you put the seed in the ground till the end of the season,” Wallace said. “It’s a commitment to excellence to stick with it.”

Wallace hopes his latest achievement will inspire the next generation of gardeners.

“My biggest goal with the pumpkin was making sure it could be seen by lots and lots of families and children,” Wallace said.

He wants young people to take an interest in gardening and eventually attempt to grow giant pumpkins themselves.

Creating the World’s Heaviest Jack-o’-Lantern

Once Wallace’s pumpkin arrived in Salem, it was time for the professional carvers to take over. Eric Jones, Monique Hawk and William Wilson spent approximately 30 to 32 hours carving and drawing after weeks of preparation.

The artists incorporated a Salem-inspired witch, a cauldron, skeletons, bats and a bat cave, along with several Raising Cane’s-themed elements.

For Jones, the accomplishment was especially meaningful. He helped carve the previous world-record jack-o’-lantern in 2023. This year, he helped surpass that record by 407 pounds.

Jones described Wallace’s pumpkin as one of the best the team had ever worked with.

“This is the best pumpkin I think we’ve ever carved in terms of the material,” Jones said.

The pumpkin was not only larger than anything the team had previously carved, but its walls were also unusually thick. Some sections approached 2 feet, allowing the artists to add more depth and detail to their designs.

Along with using different areas of the pumpkin to create the artwork, the team incorporated more than a dozen fruits and vegetables. Parsnips, radishes, beets, carrots, apples, eggplants and turnips were among the materials used.

Beet juice helped create red eyes, while potatoes were carved into Raising Cane’s signature crinkle-cut fries.

Graves came up with the idea to use turnips in the design. In Ireland, people traditionally carved turnips before pumpkins became widely associated with Halloween in America.

“That was all him. That was brilliant,” Jones said, crediting Graves for incorporating the historical element.

Graves did more than help plan the design. He and his daughter participated in the carving process alongside the professionals.

Despite spending hours working on the pumpkin, the artists believed there was still more they could have done.

“To be honest, I think we could still go for hours and hours,” Hawk said. “Our work’s never done.”

Another Big Day for Salem

As Salem celebrated its 400th anniversary, the city’s Halloween festivities gained another historic moment with the confirmation of a new Guinness World Record.

Mayor Dominick Pangallo joined Graves, Wallace and the carving team to recognize the accomplishment. Pangallo also issued a proclamation celebrating Great Pumpkin Day in Salem.

“It is our 400th birthday in Salem, and we’re still making history, as our friends at Destination Salem like to say,” Pangallo said.

Several familiar faces joined the celebration, including Halloweentown stars Kimberly J. Brown and Daniel Kountz, who are married.

Brown portrayed Marnie Piper in the Disney Channel movie franchise, while Kountz played Kal in Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge.

Brown expressed her excitement about attending the celebration in a statement released by Raising Cane’s.

“This pumpkin is the most astounding pumpkin I’ve ever seen, and I’m so honored to be part of this occasion,” Brown said.

Graves also enjoyed exploring Salem with his daughter. They visited several historic landmarks, including the Witch House and Salem Town Hall.

He described the city as a welcoming place and believed it was the perfect location to share his passion for Halloween with others.

Beyond receiving his Guinness World Records award, Graves hoped the achievement would encourage people to continue pushing their limits.

Wallace’s accomplishment demonstrated what can happen when someone commits to an ambitious goal. For Graves, that determination reflects the same mindset that helped him establish Raising Cane’s.

His journey began with a business plan he developed in college. Despite facing several obstacles, Graves continued pursuing his dream of opening a chicken finger restaurant. Thirty years later, Raising Cane’s has expanded into an international business.

“If I didn’t dream I could actually do chicken fingers all over the world, then I never would have done it,” Graves said.

How Do You Break Your Own World Record?

Now that Graves has achieved his goal, he is already thinking about how to surpass it.

“We need the growers like Ron to make them bigger,” Graves said.

He explained that breaking the record again would require growers to produce even larger pumpkins and professional carvers to develop more elaborate designs.

After Halloween, the pumpkin will be fed to pigs. Although the artwork will no longer be on display, its achievement will remain in the Guinness World Records books.

What began as a single seed grew into something extraordinary through Wallace’s dedication, the creativity of three professional carvers and Graves’ determination to make his Halloween dream a reality.

For Graves, setting the record in Salem was the culmination of years of dedication, but it also gave him a new goal to pursue.

“We’re not abandoning the dream to keep going bigger and better and more amazing,” Graves said.