The harvest season is fully upon us, and you know what that means… pumpkins galore! But forget your run-of-the-mill jack-o’-lanterns because Jeanette Paras, the pumpkin virtuoso from Dublin, is back with another celebrity-inspired masterpiece. This year, the honor goes to none other than the pop sensation herself, Taylor Swift.
Jeanette Paras has been in the giant pumpkin game for three decades, and her latest creation, the “Taylor Swiftkin,” is back again for another year as it tips the scales at a whopping 735 pounds.
Taylor Swiftkin first made an appearance on the porch back in 2023, in the height of the Eras Tour mania.
This year’s display is much larger than the previous depiction and was grown by Dan and Julia Kamburoff of Ashland, OH.
But the Taylor Swiftkin isn’t the only celeb-themed pumpkin in her portfolio. Paras has a knack for turning larger-than-life personalities into larger-than-life pumpkins, with her creations typically ranging from 200 to 400 pounds. In 2021, she brought us “Ted LassoKin,” inspired by the popular television show, which weighed in at a whopping 705 pounds.
Now, you might be wondering how Jeanette Paras manages to keep her subjects under wraps until the big reveal each year. Well, it’s top-secret stuff. She goes to great lengths, even covering the windows of her studio/garage to keep her artistic secrets safe.
According to Paras, the true test is when she cracks up because of one of her pumpkins, that’s when she knows she’s picked the right subject. Her passion for this unique Halloween tradition shines through, and it’s a joy for her to see the reactions of her neighbors and passersby who stop by to snap pictures.
But there’s more to these pumpkins than just fun and games.
Jeanette Paras is also using her works of art to raise money for breast cancer awareness. She’s partnered with the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at the Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC).
If you want to pitch in for a great cause, head over to www.give.osu.edu/ParasPumpkins. Paras even plans to match the first $2,500 in donations dollar-for-dollar, proving that her big heart is as impressive as her big pumpkins.
