Cartoonist and horror book illustrator Glenn Chadbourne has been painting giant pumpkins in front of King Eider’s Pub since the beginning of  Damariscotta Pumpkinfest 11 years ago.

“Who would have thunk it,” said Chadbourne who guessed it was more like eight years before being corrected by the business’s owner.

Chadbourne got to work on one of the largest gourds grown by Elray Morgan. It weighed in at 1683.5 pounds.

Chadbourne also had the chance to locate his pumpkin to show a large protuberance which resembled a nose to go with a gaping chasm that became a gruesome mouth filled with sharp teeth. He was given a smaller pumpkin that he painted to resemble a head to be eaten by the monster.

After viewing  Chadbourne’s work Jade Liu, 5,was anxious to move on to Damariscotta’s Main Street with dozens of other pumpkin works in progress on Saturday, Oct. 6.

“Less talking, more pumpkin-seeing,” said Liu, pulling on her father’s shirt.

Nancy MacKinnon and Phyllis Guss felt honored for getting an in-town location after working on pumpkins further out of town for the five previous years. The duo painted a giant tooth to go on the lawn of a local dentist.

“We do whatever we are asked to do. The kids love it,” said MacKinnon.

Rachel Schuster of Jefferson was in the fourth year of painting pumpkins. She also was given a Main Street location.  “I am moving my way up,” she said. Schuster was following a suggestion to paint a character from “Game of Thrones,” a red dragon egg.

Mindy Starr Pfahler and Hope Prentice had to cover their pumpkin against a half-hour rainstorm. They were rescued by a friend with a tent shelter so they could continue working on the images of three owls.

Mike Blagdon was able to continue throughout the shower. He carved  the image of a fishing boat and dock having brought his own canvas shelter. “I am not an artist,” said Blagdon who had carved pumpkins while a student at the University of Southern Maine.

Nancy Baker of Thomaston was thankful for help from a stranger who helped mount the head of a peacock on the bird’s body. “He was a pumpkin angel. I love this event,”said Baker.

Jacques Vesery blamed his wife, Minda, for suggesting he take on the theme of “Yellow Submarine.” Vesery said fabricating the Beatles submarine with four periscopes was more work than he anticipated.